SportKompas Exergame (SPEX) - ERASMUS+ project

Together with 7 partners SportaMundi managed to win a European project in which an exergame around SportKompas will be developed. With this project we want to offer children a sports orientation and improve their movement skills with digital technologies in the sports and education sector.

What does the European project entail?

The goal of this European project is to encourage children (8-10 years old) to be more active with the help of a proper sports orientation by SportKompas and in the form of a new exergame.

In order to achieve that goal we have joined forces with 7 parties: KAMK University (Finland), HAN University (the Netherlands), UISP (Italy), Verde Klaster (Poland), Sportcamp (Greece), Cluster Sports & Technology (The Netherlands) en EPSI (Belgium). SportaMundi is managing this project and thus takes on the role of coordinator. We raised €400.000, to be divided among the 8 partners. Together we will use this sum to increase children’s sports participation in the different countries, to improve their motor skills and to reduce drop-outs in sports clubs.

The project contributes to the digital transformation in physical education. By focusing on schools, we include “every” child with respect for diversity, culture and socio-economical context. The solution must be affordable for every school by making it widely available so costs can be significantly reduced. The 8 partners of this project are very complementary in research, software development and implementation.

The geographical spread, cultural differences and cross-country knowledge transfer during the project will lead to a sustainable digital solution for dissemination in all other EU countries. The aim of this collaboration partnership is to share the knowledge and best practices on SportKompas and Exergaming and make it available to other EU countries.

An ambitious project requires ambitious goals!

How will the trajectory go?

1. The first step has already been completed: in september we kicked off the project with a 3-day training for all our partners to immerse them in SportKompas. KAMK University led a brainstorm on the exergame during 1 of these 3 days and the different partners got to know eachother.

2. Next on the trajectory: our partners in Greece, Italy, Finland and Poland will test SportKompas in a small population of children.

3. Meanwhile, research is being conducted by HAN University on the different methods worldwide to measure exercise skills.

4.. Our various foreign partners will test SportKompas with a larger population (minimum 200 students per country).

5.. Simultaneously, the exergame is being developed by KAMK University in Finland.

6. KAMK University will also provide a pedagogical model for teachers to teach the SportKompas exergame and to integrate it into the curriculum.

7. Then each partner will test the exergame on a small population of children.

8. Throughout the entire process, feedback is collected, processed and quality controlled at all times.

General objectives

This project will result in an improved and sustainable capacity to collaborate together on an international scale, with local implementation and centralized support. With this project we want to make a societal impact on sports participation, health prevention, wellbeing, and integration on a multi-national level, and more specifically:

• Improve children movement skills
• Activate more children to sports based on their motivation and skills
• Reduce the drop-out in sport clubs
• Facilitate social integration by feeling more confident when experiencing success.

The project runs for 2 years. In the meantime you can follow all updates via this page.

Do you have questions about this project? Ask away!