Project Athena

m-learning

Gamified m-learning app with focus on secondary school students, in the Syrian refugee camp Za'atari based in Jordan.

This project was developed as an Android application to address an educational challenge arising during the COVID-19 quarantine. The issue at hand revolved around young adults facing difficulties in accessing education due to their inability to attend school in refugee camps. The solution to this predicament was the creation of a mobile learning platform that provides study materials and courses accessible without an internet connection.

The gamification elements of this platform include progress tracking in the form of a virtual city, which students construct by completing courses and engaging with study materials. Additionally, various achievements are awarded as students accomplish different tasks. Much of the gamified components drew inspiration from the immensely popular DuoLingo, a language-focused gamified learning platform.

One of the major challenges encountered during this project was devising a means for education to continue in a refugee camp amidst the constraints posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The solution involved leveraging Android smartphones, which were readily available within the specific refugee camp. While the camp had limited internet access, the application and study materials could be downloaded at a Wi-Fi hotspot in the camp, enabling students to take their Android devices home for studying.