If you avoid reading lengthy documentations and boring policy manuals, you aren’t alone. Most humans lose interest in losing repetitive and non-engaging content. However we cannot deny importance of reading materials, procedural guides and policy documents. How would it feel if we could make it fun and engaging?
We were invited to a discussion by UAE Government to find innovative ways to educate kids on Road Safety. Our answer was Gamification – considering typical symptoms. Traditional method of teaching was boring, repetitive and in effective; and we needed something more innovative to enhance learning and retention amongst kids. We brought all their material to our office, and started thinking about making material more fun and engaging.
Solution
Our team used a mix of traditional games, and innovative games. We revamped traditional snake and ladder, coloring and Jigsaw for re-enforcing road safety concepts. However, we built customized 3D game to cover various scenario’s to negatively and positively reinforce various steps.
One of the lessons was to form line at the allocated spot and wait for the bus. We created a simple level where kids keep walking around; and as a user you have to direct them to waiting area. If they reach to the road, a sound starts beeping indicating of the danger and missing relevant action causes being stuck by bus. The level helps kids internalize that they have to form lines and wait for the bus, and shouldn’t try crossing the road at their own.
Similarly another problem was that kids writing on the bus seat. To help kids realize, its ill-mannered, we show few guys in the seat that turn around and start writing on the seats. As a good guy, you have to spot and stop them. Failing to do so results in level failure and stopping the kids for 1 minute lets you progress to next level. The level helps kids internalize it’s bad to write on bus seats.
The game consists of 10 levels and 14 various learning points. The game is expected to go live by year-end in UAE and would be most innovative attempt at teaching road safety in the world. We will keep you posted on the positive impact on community and road safety of kids.
