Think about the last time you got completely wrapped up in a game—maybe a board game, a puzzle, or even a treasure hunt. That sense of focus, motivation, and fun? It’s exactly what many teachers are trying to bring into the classroom. And in Πόρτο, from 13/07/2025 till 19/07/2025, a group of educators got hands-on experience doing just that.
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The course, Discover the Power of Game-Based Learning and Gamification in Education, brought together participants from all over Europe. From Germany’s Bayerischer Volkshochschulverband e.V. came Miriam Vanessa Mersch, Tobias Götz, Eirini Chaliasou, Yana Peil, and Svetlana Hartig. Renata Rottova joined from SPSE Frantiska Krizika in the Czech Republic. Nina Jeklič and Silvija Štraus came from Ljubljana City Library in Slovenia. From La Réunion (France), Marie Sabrina Nododus represented Lycée Professionnel Léon de Lepervanche, and Carlos Tessier Fernández joined from IES San Andrés in Spain.
The week kicked off with a tour of Porto and a dive into the basics: what’s the difference between gamification and game-based learning? How do games actually support learning? The group quickly saw how play can spark engagement, encourage participation, and build deeper understanding—especially in a world where students are growing up surrounded by digital experiences.

Next came the theory. Participants explored the psychology behind games—why we keep playing, what keeps us motivated, and how different types of game mechanics can push us to keep going. By breaking this down, the group could start thinking about how to bring these same ideas into their own classrooms.
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Midweek, things got practical. The group took part in a live escape room challenge at the hotel—solving puzzles and racing the clock in teams. Afterwards, they broke down the activity: what worked, what didn’t, and how to recreate that kind of energy using tools as simple as a digital form.
The adventure continued outside, where the group explored Porto through a gamified treasure hunt. It wasn’t just about sightseeing—it was a hands-on look at how learning can happen beyond four walls, using challenges and storytelling to make any environment a place for discovery.
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Back in the classroom, the focus shifted to designing their own materials. The group created interactive content and got personal feedback on how to turn a traditional lesson into something more playful, engaging, and memorable. By the end of the week, everyone had the chance to build their own mini-game or classroom activity based on what they’d learned.
What started as a group of teachers quickly turned into a team of creators, each with new ideas on how to make learning more dynamic. With new tools, fresh energy, and plenty of inspiration, they left ready to bring game-based learning into their own schools—and maybe even make a few “players” out of their students.
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