Video games, speech recognition hold promise as ed tech

Mission HydroSci is a video game that sends players on a ‘virtual journey’ to learn about topics such as water flow, groundwater, atmospheric water and water contamination, then challenges them to use that knowledge to complete missions. — AFP Relaxnews

Researchers at the University of Missouri are using US$12mil (RM50.22mil) in grants from the US Department of Education to harness game-based learning and speech recognition tools to teach science and literacy. The funding comes amid a boom in the education technology market, where K-12 schools have spent billions on digital learning programs for new mediums to enhance instruction and student engagement.

According to a news release from the university, James Laffey, a professor emeritus in the College of Education and Human Development, will use US$8mil (RM33.48mil) to develop Mission HydroSci, a video game that sends players on a “virtual journey” to learn about topics such as water flow, groundwater, atmospheric water and water contamination, then challenges them to use that knowledge to complete missions.