GAME Gonçalo Quirino Professor de Teatro
do Colégio José Álvaro Vidal
In a society in which technology takes the lead on a global scale, education must fit in and be contextualised in current realities. Learning must be an interesting process and so it should meet the student’s actual means and put them in concrete situations where they can use theoretical contents, taught in class, with a defined purpose, while they can also strengthen intrapersonal and interpersonal rela- tionships. We grow when we have the opportunity to experience life ourselves rather than just listening about it. Teaching should provide new experiences. We believe that students can be co-constructors of their own knowledge, in an active learning process that uses formal resources in ludic-pedagogic activities. Learning would be more effec- tive and attractive to the learner, regardless of their age, if we put them in concrete situations. It is because we consider that the concept of an Escape Game brings together all these components, that we chose to have this game in our school context, emerging as a transdisci-
plinary play-pedagogical proposal of the Learn to Play and Play to Learn project. The Escape Game consists in inviting a group of participants to be confined to a certain area for an
exact period of time. In all rooms there is a surveillance camera with audio pickup and speakers so that the operator can intervene, guide, play music or recordings. The goal of the players is to escape before the time ends. To overcome the challenge, teams have to find objects, solve puzzles, decipher coded messages and combine a series of clues that
allow them to set themselves free. What is nee- ded to achieve success is problem-solving abi- lity and teamwork. When used with younger stu- dents, the aim is to adapt the challenges that make up the game when it comes to its contents and use those provided in the curriculum of each year. Students challenge their abilities as they play as a team and they also solve problems and interpret puzzles tailored to the classroom’s contents in order to apply that knowledge - to combine formal learning with play and with the ability to relate to others. We believe in the power of diversification of teaching and learning methodologies.
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