Sanoma Pro, Press Release, 22 January 2015 at 15:00CET+1

The learning solutions provider Sanoma Pro is introducing a new learning game for primary schools, bingel. In the bingel world, children complete exercises and proceed to more demanding levels. What makes bingel unique is that its exercises are linked to educational materials based on the new curriculum. In addition to bingel, Sanoma Pro is launching two other learning games.

The new curriculum puts more emphasis on children’s self-direction and diverse use of technology. Sanoma Pro is introducing the first game-based world of exercises for Finnish schools that directly supports the structure of teaching and complements the content of educational materials. Pupils advance in the world of exercises by collecting “virtual currency” for completed exercises. They can use this currency to build their game characters, for example. During their adventures, children cooperate with friends and occasionally encounter fascinating problems that they can only solve together – practising their cooperation skills. Teachers can monitor their pupils’ progress and support and encourage them when needed.

The bingel exercises support other schoolwork and progress in the same order as the educational material used in the school. Bingel is a browser-based service that pupils can use for homework and additional practice at home.

Bingel has 300,000 users in Belgium  and was met with enthusiasm in Sweden, where the learning game was launched recently. In Finland, bingel will be included in Sanoma Pro’s educational materials in mathematics and Finnish. The selection of subjects will be expanded in the future.

“We believe that bingel will inspire Finnish pupils and introduce a new way for teachers to motivate children. It is highly important that games combine real learning with fun. In Bingel, this has been taken into account through personalisation, for example. The learning paths selected for pupils will be determined based on their performance. This enables them to experience feelings of success and learn at a pace that is suitable for them,” says Juha Juosila, Director of Business Development and Strategy at Sanoma Pro.

Wider selection of learning games

In addition to bingel, Sanoma Pro is introducing other game-based applications for teaching that are linked to series of educational materials. The goal is to provide for more diverse learning. Sanoma Pro’s mathematics series will be complemented by the Wonder Bunny Math Race mobile game that includes problems along a fascinating, fast-paced track. The Troll Camp game supports the teaching of Finnish in Years 3 to 6. It is a level-jumping game with fun characters where children advance by completing exercises in Finnish.

Watch an introductory video about bingel:
http://youtu.be/OfbcQeGnKA4