Gamification in education – SIGE

When it comes to learning, focus and motivation are one of the key elements of improving the learning experience. Motivation is especially important for the low-skilled learners

with migrant background. The response of the educational system, and the implementation of adequate support strategies plays an enormous role in helping learners with migrant background to overcome the obstacles they face, and has a huge impact on the learning and emotional wellbeing of these learners. Gamification and game-based learning as tools can offer a way to make education more enjoyable and fun, but at the same time increase the productivity and learners’ motivation. Therefore, parts of the Erasmus+ KA2 project SIGE are developing a flexible educational offer based on blended gamified learning activities allowing learners to develop the key competences: digital skills, English, language of the host country, soft and communication skills.

After identifying the need in each of the seven partner countries, partners have gathered for the first time in Bologna for a partner meeting and an intensive gamification course.

The Intensive training course organised by the lead partner ELA on e-learning and gamification supports the other partners in developing the e-learning component of the blended education course. Besides determining the distinction between game-based learning and gamification, partners have learned that gamification isn’t just about “collecting points and badges”. The complex nature of gamification is best visible in the Octalysis model of Yu-kai Chou, which served as a base for the course. Partners have learned which e-tools can be used in the new curriculum and have shared their experience about use of e-learning in the classroom.

Next step of the project was the local training of trainers, which Craft College organised for its staff and experts from partner institutions working with migrants. These trainers will use the new developed curriculum with the 5 modules focusing on the above-mentioned key competences and test it on a sample of learners. The curriculum encompasses a set of game-based and gamification activities for each of the determined learning outcomes with detailed description and possibility of usage.  All the test results together with the activities will be included in the Handbook for adult educator, which will be developed in the next phase of the project.