Case Study – EcoScuola – Educational game piloted by the Ministry of Education in Italy

EcoScuola is part of an initiative set on finding new ways to approach sustainability issues with kids.
System Point has received a contract to define, design and develop an educational game intended to teach secondary school students about green ideas related to environmental sustainability.

It is based on a main character, the Ecomanager, who helps inspire teenage students to become more aware of environmental issues and to expose them to new eco-friendly technologies such as renewable energy.

Environmental stewardship can be integrated with lesson plans by teaching about the science behind sustainability issues such as climate change or sustainable resource use as well as promoting more eco- friendly, safe and healthy lifestyles.
The game is currently in the last stages of the development process and a pilot study on the game will be conducted in three regions of Italy, involving more than 7.500 students and teachers.

Prior to the development of Ecomanager a similar game, “Rinnatural” was successfully distributed throughout primary schools in Italy. “Rinnatural” was a board game version of the game primarily focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy technology and was well-received by the different teachers and students involved.

Case Study – DORA 2.0 – Software application for Schools

System Point has defined and developed a smart card management system for the public schools in Grottaferrata (located in the Province of Rome, Italy).

The smart card is a pre-paid lunch card which can be re-charged at local banks and is used daily by the second-graders at school.

The system manages information and stores it on the card (e.g. a child’s food allergies) and is used by the Municipal government to track payment soliciting and tax exemption data.
More recently the system has been upgraded to include the functions:
–    Automatic smart-card recharging or credit purchase by cell phones
–    Daily updates of student’s presence at school through cell phones
–    Send/receive communication between school and parents by sms
–    Management of students from nearby towns.
The system architecture consists of a back-end office, a suitable number of front-end systems connected via Internet, and a Web site for accessing general information such as weekly menus or  credit balance, and diet information and advice such as special recipes, entertainment for kids, and so on.

This smart card system was conceived of, designed and tested entirely by our company and has been in operation since 2001.
The system interface can easily be adapted and translated to deal with the specific requirements of schools in Qatar.