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This section of the V4T Project portal provides administrative information for the project contractual partners and for the European Commission and it is password protected.

Games

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This Section provides access to an Online database of:
• The best educational Videogames and mobile apps available on the market
• The most suitable Videogames and Apps that, even if not specifically designed for educational purpose, can be used as teaching or learning tools with students

Videogames and apps are categorized, analyzed and assessed in order to provide the teachers with all the necessary information and hints to make full use of the Videogames and Apps in teaching contexts.

Partners' Institution
Kaunas University of Technology
Author
Gintare Dzindzeletaite

APPS/VIDEOGAMES

Image source: Wikipedia
Product type
Leisure videogame with educational potential
Name of the videogame/app
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition
Name of the producer
Ensemble Studios
Year
2018
How to find it
To be Purchased
Main technical requirements
Windows, Linux, Ios, Android, Nintendo, Xbox
Other Classic Mac OS Windows Mobile PlayStation 2 OS X N-Gage DS Windows Phone iOS
Native Virtual Reality Support
No
Single/Multiplayer
Multiplayer
Type
Adventure, Role Playing, Strategy
Target Audience
6-11 years, 12-17 years, 18+ years
Augmented Reality
No
PEGI Clasification
12

Use in Educational contexts

Degree of required tutoring
Autonomous use by students
Subjects involved
History
Educational Potential
Age of Empires is a series of historical real-time strategy video games. Age of Empires focused on events in Europe, Africa and Asia, spanning from the Stone Age to the Iron Age; the expansion game explored the formation and expansion of the Roman Empire. The subsequent three games of Age of Empires III explored the early modern period, when Europe was colonizing the Americas and several Asian nations were on the decline. The newest installment, Age of Empires Online, takes a different approach as a free-to-play online game utilizing Games for Windows Live. A spin-off game, Age of Mythology, was set in the same period as the original Age of Empires, but focused on mythological elements of Greek, Egyptian, and Norse mythology. A fourth main installment in the series, Age of Empires IV, is under development.

This leisure video game has a big educational potential because it is based on historical events. Due to that future students will be familiarised with events in Europe, Africa and Asia as well as mythological elements of Greek, Egyptian, and Norse mythology.
Learning Object / Suggested activities with students
This video game could be used during the History lesson in order to inform and teache future students about a specific period of time regarding historical event. Possible scenario could be provided by future teacher. All students should play this game, however, after the game a few group of students could share their impressions, define and represent main features of Stone Age as well as Iron Age in front of the class. Future teacher should evaluate their outcomes and perceptions about a specific age.

Skills and competences

Skills and competences acquired
Age of Empires allows players to choose to play either along specialized, story-backed conditions or as individual battles against the AI (and other players). Due to that future students will be able to improve their soft skills regarding role playing, creativity, self-confidence and critical thinking skills. In order to win a game future students will have to do a quick decision making and manage their real-time strategy.
Soft skills
Critical thinking, Creativity, Self-confidence, Time management

4 Comments


Partners' Institution
Kaunas University of Technology
Author of the comments
Vaidotas Drungilas
Age of empires is a great game to teach about resource gathering and management of complex society as it advances trough ages. This game does an amasing job providing visual information about what technology improvements are needed to advance form one age to another.
Partners' Institution
FH JOANNEUM
Author of the comments
Natasa
As Ignacio mentioned I also agree, it is not possible to use this game in my class because it takes a very long time to play and the infrastructure wouldn't allow it. If students can be motivated to play at home though it would be great to make a group work out of it and suppport social and team-work skills.
Partners' Institution
Kaunas University of Technology
Author of the comments
Kauno Jono ir Petro Vileišių school - Gediminas Grosius
One of the best strategy games which allows students to understand what different aspects has to be included while building an empire and going through out the time, how ages and technological advances appears and gives advantages to some, what needs to be done to avoid collapse of empire.
Partners' Institution
Xano Channel
Author of the comments
Ignacio Pachés Giner
There are tons of real Time strategy games. And probably most of them help improve soft skills the same. They are all advisable, but there are some which are better than other for some reasons. This game has the advantage of following historical civilizations and history periods. Therefore, the player also aquires knowledge about history in some ways.

There are downsides with strategy games like these in class however. They are very time consuming. The players need to learn to use many game options, actions, rules, etc. And then each game can take hours. A potential way of using this game would require players learn to play at home and then bring their knowledge, tactics and strategy to class and discuss them with other players or offer a match.


This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

The V4T - Videogames 4 Teachers project © 2018