Digital cultural heritage - learn local history with games and fun

Knowing about local history is important for several reasons, as it provides a deeper understanding of the community, culture, and identity of a locality. Knowledge about the place, village, or city where you live is important for both cohesion and understanding of culture and people.

Knowledge about the city, town, area, or village where you live is important for several reasons:

Identity and Community

Local history provides insight into the roots of the community and its development over time. It helps residents understand their own identity and their connection to the local community. Being familiar with one's local heritage can help create positive cohesion among residents.

By knowing the local history, one can contribute to preserving and protecting important cultural heritage, buildings, traditions, and artworks that are part of the community's legacy.

Local history can inspire civic engagement by showing how individuals and groups have influenced the community throughout history. This can motivate people to participate actively in community affairs.

Understanding changes in the community

By looking at how the community has changed over time, one can better understand the reasons behind these changes. These can be economic, social, political, or technological changes.

Local history can include the diverse stories of different community groups, including minorities and marginalized groups. This contributes to a more complete and fair understanding of the past.

Studying local history also provides opportunities to learn from past mistakes and successes. This valuable insight can be useful for decision-makers and community planners.

Telling a variety of stories

Overall, knowledge of local history provides a valuable perspective on the development of the community and a grounding in one's own cultural heritage. It can also enhance cohesion and help build bridges between generations, creating awareness of how the past shapes our current reality.

Local history can also be an attraction for tourists and visitors. A rich history can contribute to increased tourism, which in turn can have positive economic effects on the community.

Digital Cultural Heritage with Wittario

To pass knowledge on to younger generations, new tools are needed. With our platform, you will find solutions that enable you to create games for children and young people, making it fun to learn about the history and culture of where they live.

You can choose from various games. Some are suitable for indoor use, others are designed for outdoor use, and the last type of game can take place both indoors and outdoors.

Many have used our games to create digital presentations of local history and cultural heritage. Here are four examples:

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1. Local historical walking game in Knapstad

The historical walking game in Knapstad was initiated by Hobøl Historical Society in Indre Østfold Municipality. The digital trail contains 14 posts, and the game is designed for school students, among others, but also for other history enthusiasts in the area. There is a lot to learn along the new cultural trail, with presentations of Knapstad's thousand-year history via the posts.

Using the Wittario app, QR codes, pictures, and quiz tests at each post, participants walk around and learn history along the way. Each post is marked with a specially designed sign with a QR code for further information.

2. Digital game with historical Church Path on Hvaler

Hvaler Cultural Heritage Association has created a historical Church Path game on Kirkøy on Hvaler. Among the first to try the digital game were pupils from the local primary and secondary school. Along the way, there are posts and tasks where one can be active while learning a lot about Hvaler's local history and the long church route many had to take.

3. Walking game engages students at Malakoff High School

Moss Historical Society has chosen to use Wittario as a tool to create learning experiences based on local historical themes. They have seen success in engaging youth through digital outdoor games. Students at Malakoff High School in Moss have benefited from the walking game.

The students can take "The Old King's Road" into Moss. This unique route game takes participants through nature, history, industry, and important cultural heritage sites.

4. The history of Enebakk Valley - a local historical game

“History Gives Belonging” is the motto of Enebakk Historical Society. Together with Wittario, they have created what they consider to be a historical orienteering game. Using posts with QR codes, both young and old can walk through Enebakk's history, with surprising and exciting knowledge.

Perfect digital history learning for students

Many high schools now see the potential in integrating digital game-based learning to engage students in a new way. From being consumers of information, students now have the opportunity to produce learning content, providing a deeper understanding.

Wittario Studio is the platform that makes it easy for students to create their own local historical games. Already produced content can be easily integrated into route games, distance games, or QR code games, and can be shared for free with everyone in the Wittario app. This technology has also opened up fruitful collaborations between local historical societies and high schools, creating new opportunities for engaging and effective learning. Wittario is proud to contribute to a new form of learning that delights both young and old.

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