The app has been designed for primary school students, from 7 to 12 years of age. The game’s riddles have been thought to comply with 3rd and 4th grade schooling skills, but can also be challenged by younger students relying on, if necessary, the clues to solve the enigmas. The questions may also be expanded to more advanced levels and be discussed in junior high school settings.
The app is a puzzle math game. The players experience an adventure in which solving the increasingly difficult riddles is the key to move on to the next phase. Small collectible objects and a museum to be set up will motivate players to challenge themselves and find the Treasure of Seshat.
In ancient Egypt, Seshat was the Goddess of writing and arithmetics. Her name means ‘The Scribe’, but she was also known as the Lady of the Stars and the Celestial Librarian. Looking for her treasure is like pursuing one’s inclination for mathematics, reading and writing, hence discovering the wealth of knowledge.
The game suggests the intellectual challenge of mathematics and has designed its riddles based on five significant themes, namely: basic arithmetics skills, the greatest common divisor, the minimum common multiple, isometries and similarities, graphs theory, calculations of probability.
Each mathematical theme will be proposed several times at increasing levels of difficulty.
The riddles are perfectly concealed within the adventure story and will challenge the players to find the solution, offering small rewards and, if needed, useful clues. Riddles are introduced in an amjusing way, at increasing levels of complexity, and will include mathematical, logical and problem solving issues –all of which are part of primary school educational mathematical objectives.
Maggie is witty and brave. She accepts challenges and transforms them into enjoyable growth opportunities. Maggie carries along a small notebook whose pages she uses to make little airplanes, because she loves to travel and discover new places. She has a group of good and nice friends –boys and girls- who help her in the quest for the Treasure of Seshat. Everyone will enjoy playing Maggie’s role!
Rules, formulas, calculations: mathematics is scary. Presenting this as an intellectual challenge, as problems, thus doing away with the assessment anxiety which will be replaced by the desire of making Maggie advance in her adventure –this is the clue the game offers to attract girls and boys to to mathematics, to its logics and its contents, with no fears.
The choice of this character is meant to convey a clear message against gender stereotypes which may develop during the early school years and are often consolidated. Challenger is an elderly gentleman, nice yet grumpy, who is convinced that girls like stories and boys like real actions. Maggie will prove that both girls and boys can be fond of the same things and can reach the same goals –that is why opportunities and rewards have to be the same.
FermHamente, October 26-28
Didacta in Fiera, 18-20 October in Florence
Soroptimist International is a worldwide association of highly qualified women in business and professions who work together at concrete actions promoting human rights, the development of women’s potentials and advances in women’s conditions, the acceptance of diversities and the creation of opportunities to improve their lives through the global network of members and international cooperation.
The Maggie app is part of Italy’s national Soroptimist’s project ‘SI goes for STEM’ supporting the choice of girls for scientific subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) starting from primary schools to job market placements.
In 2018, Soroptimist International d’Italia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MIUR –the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research.
