SolveIT

With the rise of new technologies and the internet, learning in today's education systems is rarely fun or engaging. While technology offers benefits, it has also introduced challenges like attention deficits, social withdrawal, and unhealthy comparisons from endless social media scrolling. The same issues are present in Kosovo, where the education system has undergone numerous reforms since the war, yet classroom learning approaches lag behind technological developments and the way students access information.

If outdated methods and textbooks continue to be used without engaging learning kits for parents, teachers, and students, the effectiveness of education will decline. European companies have created educational games to make learning more engaging and to spark students' curiosity. However, these games often lack uniform rules and customization options. In Kosovo, public education has not yet embraced these methods, although some private schools show promise by adopting best practices from systems like Finland's.

To make learning engaging, spark curiosity, and foster creativity and collaboration, the education system must integrate technology and games. By blending traditional teaching with innovative learning approaches, we can make education more seamless, engaging, and productive, better suited to the attention spans of today's children.

Our idea is to develop a customizable cardboard game, inspired by narrative detective/escape games, linked to an online application. The games will have consistent rules, making them easy for children and students to play, with diverse storylines that allow multiple engagements with fresh learning materials. The primary goal is to integrate educational content into the gameplay, maintaining both fun and effective learning. Each game will focus on puzzles from different subjects, enabling children and students to apply specific knowledge in simulated real-world scenarios. 

We believe that active participation in activities related to their course topics will help children and students learn more efficiently. This interaction is expected to increase their attention and enhance their understanding of how to apply their knowledge. Additionally, we anticipate that parents will be eager to support their children, and students will be interested in accessing innovative and engaging materials. This type of educational gamification will also benefit teachers, especially when traditional materials are boring or ineffective. 

Our research shows that no similar board games in Albanian exist in Kosovo, creating a unique opportunity to introduce this concept. We plan to first launch the game in my hometown, where there is interest from both teachers and parents. Our solution will offer enjoyable, engaging learning experiences that inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Our methodology is unique, offering an app-based, customizable narrative-driven detective/escape game that blends cardboard gameplay with educational content. Unlike European competitors like Breakout EDU and Thinkfun, which offer non-reusable games with complex rules and higher prices, our game features consistent rules across different series, making it reusable and reducing its environmental impact. In Kosovo, we face no direct competition. To increase our chances of success, we will first launch our product in Albanian, in a familiar market.

We then plan to expand to Germany, applying insights gained from the pilot project in Kosovo. We have identified and secured the necessary resources: our team includes a software developer, an intellectual property expert, a game reviewer, and a digital marketing professional. We are seeking a designer and expect to quickly develop an initial prototype. To expedite content creation, we plan to use ChatGPT under human supervision. We will also outsource affordable, high-quality printing locally in Kosovo.

A significant challenge will be entering the market with a novel product. To counter this, we will use targeted advertising and our digital marketing expertise to attract early adopters in Kosovo. Our website will feature "How to play" videos, and we’ll regularly release new, interactive content and customized stories to keep users engaged. We are confident these strategies will ensure our successful launch.