DEVELOPING SERIOUS GAMES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Gaming industry continues to be the fastest growing industry. Young generations are born with easy access to technology and the number of young gamers is increasing at a faster pace than that age population growth. Taking all this into consideration, we are still lacking the implementation of technology within formal educational systems that could significantly benefit the students as well as the community in general. The most beneficial would be low-and mid-income countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina where funding for educational purposes is almost non-existent. Furthermore, although there exists a number of serious games that foster the education, they are mostly developed in English language and therefore not adequate for children with disabilities, struggling with one (mother) language. The work presented here, promotes the development of serious games and their use with pre-school and elementary school children. The games are developed within the Computer Graphics module offered at University Sarajevo School of Science and Technology. The games foster the education of letters, colours and shapes. Professional guidance was given by professionals working at an NGO "EDUS-Education for All", program devoted to evidence-based work with children with disabilities. The received positive feedback on game design and logic, as well as the readiness of teachers to use a new technological approach in the learning of basic skills for children, provides solid basis for continuing the project.