Navigo: Educational Literacy Games
Navigo contains 900 game activities covering KS1 and 2 Primary English curricula
Image credit: I Stock (dolgachov)
Background
Globally, UNESCO reports that there are almost 800 million people who are illiterate. In England alone 25% of young adults have poor literacy. Literacy is a critical foundational skill that determines access to educational opportunity as children move from learning to read toward reading to learn. Literacy shapes educational attainment, integration in social life and future employment opportunities. Schools are challenged to provide new ways for equitable provision to their students that spark their motivation to practice their learning both under adult supervision and independently. Technology can play a critical role in this regard.
Navigo is an evidence-based game informed by research from reading development and games-based learning. It supports students to increase literacy skills and attainment throughout primary education. Aligning with curriculum topics, Navigo reinforces what children learn in class, facilitates quality independent practice, and engages children in their learning. It’s personalised approach allows for different levels and pace of learning in the individual, which is pertinent given the different educational opportunities children are experiencing during the pandemic.
Technology Overview
Navigo was co-designed with teachers and students, drawing on evidence on reading development. The English domain model covers Key Stage 1 and 2 learning objectives. More than 200hrs of gameplay. Learner progress within Navigo is logged within the secure Navigo backend.
See Figure 1 and Figure 2.
Stage of Development
Navigo has been tested by 3,500 children in the UK and in classrooms across six European countries for first and second language learning.
Benefits
• Evidence-based design: whereas competitors often base their design on curricula and teaching schemes, Navigo is an evidence-based game designed based on literacy and games research as well as UCL-led empirical research. Evidencing this, Navigo has received an award from the DfE for its quality instructional design and the serious games association.
• Personalisation: unlike competitors, the Navigo game includes an adaptive component, which personalises the content to the learning level of each child. Navigo’s approach to personalisation can boost learning outcomes and improve teacher efficiency.
• Promoting progress and transferability of learning: There are 16 game mechanics and more than 900 games available, which means the child can practice a language feature through different game activities.
• Exposing children to diverse language: Navigo draws from a dictionary containing 9,000 words that are used in the games. This ensures that a learning objective can be carried out with exposure to new words/vocabulary, rather than a restrictive word list.
• Scaffolding learning: The majority of Navigo games offer elaborative feedback. The feedback is designed to support the child’s understanding of their error, to scaffold further attempts in the game and encourage metacognition.
Applications
By 2025, growth predictions in global edtech expenditure reflect CAGR 2.6%-4.4% of total global education expenditure. In the UK, the DfE recently released their edtech strategy, focusing on formative development and ensuring that the curriculum is 'knowledge-rich' in line with the latest educational research.
Opportunity
• Development partners to re-engineer Navigo to support tablet devices
• Distributors of digital technology for literacy to children’s primary school market in the UK or emerging markets
• Potential licensees
