A stolen scroll, various quests, and a final boss at the end: What sounds like a classic role-playing game is actually part of the English curriculum at FHWien der WKW. The Competence Center for Business English has developed “The Mystery of EPP – English for Professional Purposes,” a serious game in which students can review and reinforce the material from their English module in a playful way.
In Search of the Stolen Syllabus
The story begins with a mission: The “Syllabus of EPP,” a sacred scroll, has been stolen. To find it, students navigate a virtual world with their avatar, enter various houses, and encounter different characters there.
Each of these so-called NPCs presents students with about ten questions and puzzles. These cover topics such as grammar, vocabulary, and the content of the English module. Knowledge of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which the students have previously studied in a self-paced course, is also incorporated into the tasks.
Those who answer the questions correctly receive items and clues, allowing them to progress step by step through the game. After several quests, there is, of course, a battle against the final boss. Here, too, the player’s knowledge determines whether they can advance. The game is accessible via a web link and requires no installation.
Learning Through Play—With a Clear Goal
Behind this playful approach lies a pedagogical concept: serious games convey knowledge in an interactive and immersive way and specifically help students develop new knowledge and skills. Storytelling and challenges are designed to foster motivation and long-term learning. The focus is on “learning by doing”: students actively engage with the learning content rather than merely absorbing it passively.
Innovative Teaching that Explores New Approaches
“The Mystery of EPP” demonstrates how digital formats can effectively complement traditional teaching methods. In doing so, FHWien der WKW is breaking new ground in teaching and adopting formats that are familiar to many students from their everyday lives. This playful approach is not an end in itself: The focus is on how students can actively apply and review course material and engage with it in a motivated way.
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