Discover MWorld - Monash University

This review of Discover MWorld was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 5 May 2016.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Discover MWorld contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

This app was reviewed to level 4.

App description

Discover MWorld is an educational app designed by Monash University. The central objective is to learn from a set of lessons, and gain points by answering a variety of quizzes. The skills involved in playing this app include reading and comprehension, as well as motor skills.

Reviewers comments

When the app is first opened, players are asked to log in with an MWorld account. They are prompted to create one, and it is requested that they input their first and last name, as well as email address. By creating account, users agree to the app terms of use, and the creation of an MWorld Account is necessary before proceeding to gameplay. Once an account is created and logged into, the player is greeted by an on-screen avatar that explains the purpose of MWorld: to level up and attain higher ranks by completing quizzes, up to the rank of ‘grand master’.

From the menu screen, players can choose to customise their avatar as well as ‘check their status’, or ‘explore’ (which takes the player to a screen with various options). There are nine customisation options for each avatar body part, and players can choose to be represented as either a male or a female. Within the ‘explore’ menu, there are ten unlockable options (each containing five unlockable lessons), all of which cannot be accessed unless paid for with in-game credits. There are also three additional free options. Players can use credits, of which they are provided two initially, to unlock two out of the fifty workshops. The workshops feature a variety of topics, including Animals, Early Civilisations, The Modern World, People and Places, and The Wonders of Science. The free topics are Art and Music, Space, and The Natural World.

Selecting a topic downloads a pack into the MWorld app, and players can then access a lesson where they are educated on specific topics. These begin with an introductory video explaining the subject matter. There are five lessons within each topic, where players can learn about and answer quiz-based questions. Within these quizzes, players must click and drag words that they believe correctly answer the presented question, and place these in the allocated location. Questions ask things such as ‘Name the city that is being discussed in the lesson’.

Lessons can be purchased for one credit, and credits can be purchased in packages for real-life money. These can be purchased in packages of: 5 Credits for $9.99, 20 Credits for $29.99, and 50 Credits for $49.99. With each new lesson opened, there is a lengthy download required and players would likely need to be connected to Wifi (otherwise data charges would potentially apply). The exact file size of these downloads is not mentioned.

In App purchasing

Packages of Credits can be purchased in this app, with 5 Credits for $9.99, 20 Credits for $29.99, and 50 Credits for $49.99.

Online information

When the app is first installed, players are asked to connect via their email address, and supply their full name in order to create an MWorld Account.

Gambling

No gambling content was found during this review.

Advertising and product placement

N/A.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

N/A.

Coarse language

N/A.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

This app is not a game, but a series of informative lessons for school children. The requirement to create a MWorld account may be of concern to some parents. 

Other

N/A.

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