Starflyer: An edu-larp project for ethic and math teaching and learning

This paper aims to describe the KA2 European project "Mathematic Edu tarp", which concerns the design and test of a new edu-larp scenario (educational live action role playing) as a peculiar method for teaching and learning. Through the simulation the class will be turned into a futuristic spaceship and each student has to act as a crew member, according to the assigned character sheet. Throughout the game narration participants will find themselves impersonating a research team sent by the most powerful and hegemonic planet of the universe, with the aim of traveling through five oppressed planets in order to investigate the resources shortage afflicting the universe. At each jump to reach a new planet participants will have to solve mathematical tasks due to allow the spacecraft to move, depending on the membership group (Navigators, Explorers, Laser operator, Maintenance and Engineering). In addition, by using a multimedia presentation that guides the game flow, the crew will meet different inhabitants of planets, which will present to the group some ethical choices connected to the storyline and characters background. After a democratic discussion and vote the crew will have to choose how to act towards each oppressed planet and the game thread and the end will depend on the discussions and choices made within the play time. In the final debriefing the class will reflect on the link between game and reality through several activities, both from the ethical and mathematical point of view. The project foresees the game testing in three different countries (Czech Republic, Italy and Spain) and its implementation through the participatory collaboration with teachers and school, in order to design a scalable game and a flexible toolkit. In this article we will present the structure of the current project, the scenario description and the examined implications among design, learning and education.