Did you know that play is considered a crucial component of cognitive development from birth through adulthood? Think about your favorite games: isn’t it true that you never get tired playing them? Being it hide and seek, puzzles, construction games, board games, there are invisible threads linking our memories, experiences and feelings in connection to playing games and they are all linked to the intrinsic motivation and engagement they trigger in our mind!   

​The new edition of the course “Discover the power of Game Based Learning and Gamification in education​” took place in Bologna from 24/11/2024 to 30/11/2024. The participants came from all across Europe, with Johannes Prester from Berufliche Oberschule Straubing (Germany), Simen Finnøy Amdam and Frank Robert Lien from Eikeli videregående skole (Norway), Rosa Maria Grima and Marta Bargalló I Bernat from Escola Sant Gervasi (Spain).

This week-long training was designed like a video game, inviting participants to embark on an educational journey filled with challenges, activities, and discovery. Just like players starting a new game, participants began by creating their avatars—symbolic characters or superheroes representing their unique strengths and passions. This activity revealed the diversity and richness of the group, a reflection of the classroom dynamics they encounter daily. 

During the first level explored the value of games in education and how they stimulate learning. Participants acknowledged that as teachers—often “digital immigrants” in a world of “digital natives”—it’s essential to understand students’ natural affinity for gaming. Using a crossword puzzle and interactive slides, we examined how games support cognitive and emotional development, fostering skills like problem-solving and collaboration.

​As the main outcome of the second level, through an engaging activity, participants compared gamification, which applies game elements in non-game environments, with game-based learning, where learning occurs through gameplay itself. Participants dove into gamification frameworks, focusing on the Octalysis Framework which highlights eight internal and external motivators that drive human engagement, such as achievement, social influence, and ownership.

The third level was dedicated to game-based tools and apps. We listed and actively explored several traditional games and we reframed them all together into more engaging learning tools. We espacially explored the escape rooms which are very educative and interesting to catch students’ interests, and in this part players embraced active learning with a challange to find our trainer Isabel who was kidnapped and needed someone to escape from the room.  Also, players helped Rapunzel to escape from the tower through Google Forms. Participants then practiced creating their own escape rooms using tools like Google Forms. This hands-on activity empowered them to tailor gamified experiences to their students’ needs and interests. 

In the penultimate level, “players” lived the most active and engaging experience. We went outside to enjoy a actionbound game in the city center and tried to solve riddles and puzzles to complete the game. Participants finally tried to find the best way to gamify their own classrooms taking into account their students’ needs and characteristics.

The final level was dedicated to integrating all the skills and tools learned throughout the week. Participants designed and tested their own escape rooms, using platforms like Actionbound and Genially to craft engaging activities. 

By the end of the week, participants had leveled up their teaching strategies, equipped with tools to gamify their classrooms and transform learning into an exciting adventure. They got acquainted with modern online tools able to produce a significant improvement of students’ engagement and bring a spark in the classroom! This journey proved that when education feels like a game, both teachers and students can become eager players in the pursuit of knowledge.
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Discover more about this course here.