How do you bring students closer to a fascinating science that is developing by leaps and bounds worldwide but has stopped being taught in Greece? But of course, by igniting their curiosity, that amazing learning power! As well as through playing and collaborating with innovative institutions…

That’s how the idea for “The Moondiver Xperience“, our new astronomy game for smartphones and tablets, created in collaboration with the Vodafone Foundation as part of the STEMpowering Youth program, was born.

First reception
The game was released only a few days ago and already has thousands of downloads with excellent reviews. At the same time, we developed excellent collaborations: important scientific and educational institutions, as well as groups of amateur astronomers, informed us that they will include it in their educational activities!

What is the game?
“The Moondiver Xperience” is a knowledge game available for free through Google Play for Αndroid devices (in Greek). It is mainly addressed to Junior Highschool children and aims to stimulate interest in astronomy in a playful way.

The game utilizes beautiful graphics (by illustrator Lela Strutsi) and evocative sound and artfully mixes fantasy with reality to create an extraordinary atmosphere.

What do children learn through the game?
The game develops knowledge, skills, and curiosity. It helps children learn about space and our solar system (about the Sun and the planets, get a feel for the distances between the planets, etc.) and understand the phases of the Moon. It teaches them about the first as well as modern missions to the Moon and meteors and comets. It also makes them realize how unscientific theories (e.g. flat earth) are being debunked intelligently.

In the puzzles, we emphasized understanding “orders of magnitude” and stimulating curiosity and admiration, not dwelling on dry detail.

Throughout the game, they are helped to develop basic skills and calculations, for example, driving their ship (understanding distance/engine performance relationship), etc. They understand the need for cooperation of the international scientific community.

And maybe it helps them turn their heads to the sky with a new look, full of curiosity…

Who can utilize it?
Anyone! The game is a free educational tool for everyone. It is already being used in the context of the innovative educational program STEMpowering Youth of the Vodafone Foundation, which is implemented in collaboration with the Educational Non-Profit Organization SciCo – Science Communication and Hellenic German Education. “The Moondiver Xperience” is part of the new curriculum of free extracurricular STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) workshops for middle and high school students, which aim to cultivate students’ creative and critical thinking while at the same time aspiring to introduce innovation in the classrooms of remote areas of Greece. At the same time, we are discussing with well-known institutions (such as Hellenic German Education, the National Observatory of Athens, and the Heraklion Museum) as well as with associations of amateur astronomers for the utilization of the game in their educational activities.

Project ID
The game “The Moondiver Xperience” was created by SciFY as part of the STEMpowering Youth program of the Vodafone Foundation. Its creation was also contributed by the Educational Non-Profit Organization SciCo – Science Communication and Hellenic German Education.