Who we are

CHALLEDU is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that pioneers new models of learning, inclusion, and engagement. CHALLEDU is one of the leading R&D experts in game-solutions for education innovation and social inclusion of various target groups.

The aim of this article is to briefly present the importance of game-based learning and how it could be applied in educational settings. Then, we will briefly present the cocreation methodology we use to design games working with intergenerational groups. The games per se are also targeted to intergenerational groups.

Why to use games as an educational tool?

Qian and Clark define game based learning (GBL) as “the achievement of defined learning outcomesthrough game content and play and enhancing learning by involving problem-solving spaces and challenges that provide learners, who are also players, with a sense of achievement” (Qian and Clark, 2016).[i] In other words,  GBL is an nnovative educational paradigm that utilizes games as a mode for transferring learning (tan, Ling et al., 2007).

Oxford learners dictionary defines game as “an activity that you do to have fun, often one that has rules and that you can win or lose”[ii]. When one engages in a playful activity it is a personal, voluntary action.

Having in mind these definitions, game can be considered as a profoundly safe space for all learners despite their age or span of abilities. More specifically, players benefit from engaging in a game activity (even an educational one) in various ways. They mainly experience 4 forms of freedom (Scot Osterweil, MIT Game Lab) (What is play - The 4 Freedoms of Play - Plush & Nuggets, n.d.)[iii][iv]

• Freedom to fail. Making mistakes and reflect on one’s wrong decisions could be a very effective learning strategy. Players act in a simulated world, trying different ideas and enjoying their failures in a playful and safe environment.
• Freedom to experiment. Experimentation, in our thinking, is linked directly with the freedom to fail.  When acting in a simulation environment, players are freed from several restrictions and can try unobtrusively any new ideas they may come up.
• Freedom to embody another identity. Role playing – embodying new identities is another play freedom. When impersonating a certain persona, players can familiarize with previously unknown situations, understand facts from another perspective and empathize.
• Freedom to effort. Making effort while playing is closely linked with surpassing challenges. Challenges are a vital ingredient of games otherwise they might be boring. Trying, for example, to solve a history related mystery, could be an alternative to a solely theoretical history class. Or solving math riddles to escape from a certain room, makes learners put effort needed in a playful manner.

For these reasons, in Challedu, we do believe that games can be a very useful educational tool for learners of any age. But how can an educator – who might be not a game designer – design from scratch game based educational tools and evaluate them as well?

What to consider if you want to design an educational game from scratch? And how to evaluate the result produced?

First of all, the educators have to think of what type of game they consider to be appropriate. Could a physical (eg tabletop or card game) or a digital game would serve more their needs? Could a phygital game be used as well? Or informal activities such as escape games, role playing eg would be more suitable?

There are several models to evaluate game based educational tools. The one presented in this article is created by Rabail Tahir and Alf Inge Wang, researchers from Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. The LEAGUE (Learning, Environment, Affective-cognitive reactions, Game factors, Usability, UsEr) framework proposes. Then, according to League framework[v], educators have to focus on the following dimensions (Tahir,R., & Wang, A.l 2020)

• Learning: The first dimension is to define the learning results they aim to achieve. The learning experience must be engaging and motivating learners to be actively involved to these procedures.
• Environment: this dimension is linked highly with the place the learning experience takes place and involves technical and environmental aspects that affect positively the learning.
• Affective and Cognitive reactions is linked on the engagements and motivation of learners. The learning experience with game-based tools should be for sure fun and entertaining.
• Game Factors: this element leads us to the basics of game related elements. More specifically, it involves the game mechanics used, and the aesthetics and narratives used. Game Factors should consider the target audience and be adapted to their needs if needed.
• Usability refers mainly to the game design and the interfaces used. Learning games should be as accessible as possible and create a feeling of satisfaction to learners.
• User identification is a dimension related to our target group’s specific cognitive and psychological needs.

Having in mind the dimensions of the LEAGUE FRAMEWORK, educators can easily design themselves and/or cooperate with game designers for the creation of educational games. The game design process can be realized in game cocreation workshops.

A cocreation methodology for designing game – our methodology

A quite large numbers of games Challedu designed were drafted and then finalized to become playable games through game cocreation workshops. More specifically, we used this methodology so as to achieve the inclusion of various  intergenerational target groups (eg adult people with intellectual disabilities and their families and carers or people with dementia, family, healthcare professionals and careers) by fostering equity, engagement, and cooperation among our main learning target group and other related (groups) eg educators, carers, university students, game-designers and other people from the local community.

We tried to involve them towards achieving a common target: to create an idea for a serious game (boardgame, phygital or digital game) that strengthens the skills of our main learning target groups. In this way all the participants were engaged and with a creative attitude designed game prototypes. During the workshops, all the participants crated social bond enabling the inclusion of our main target group

We could briefly describe the steps applied to these workshops. Before the co-creation game workshop, we reach the groups of people to be involved eg  main learners’ target group, educators - adult trainers, social workers etc), carers (caregivers). volunteers (eg. university students, game designers, children etc), people from local community.

A brief agenda of such workshop could be

• introductory informative session about our main learners’ groups learning needs that aims to inform the rest participating groups about the learning needs of our main learners’ groups the best practices when trying to interact and communicate with them and examples of games and activities targeted to them
• game sessions with existing games in mixed groups that aims to understand the needs and skills of our main learner’s target groups
• co-creation of game prototypes that aims to create game ideas for certain learning objectives
• playtesting of prototypes of games

But how can game designers find a common ground with educators on creating playful and educational experiences for intergenerational environments? And how can you involve people without any prior experience to your co creation workshop?

To learn more about it please check this video from the collection of E4ALL knowledge pills.

The project “E4All – More attractive and inclusive education for all generations” is coordinated by Foundation of Alternative Educational Initiatives (Poland) in collaboration with EduVita (Italy), Escuela Oficial de Idiomas Madrid-Villaverde (Spain), Challedu (Greece), European Initiative for Education (Austria), Ecological Future Education (Latvia)