Inclusion through Gamification

"<< Background >>We wanted to design a project to help us transform classrooms in our schools into friendly places for children, where their internal motivation to learn will be supported. In this context we decided to work together on designing and testing the use of gamification (as the use of game elements in education) to address our shared needs and challenges of effective education. We agreed to focus on piloting gamification in teaching of mathematics, natural sciences (as STEM subjects) and English as a foreign language. At the same time, we wanted to use the innovative methods to make education accessible and easier for those children who struggle with some form of exclusion, or with health, social or other disadvantage. Although we had some experience of using several game elements in our schools, we could not directly talk about gamification. Students earning points, grades, and at the end of each school year, moving ""to a higher level"" – a system that does not automatically increase students' interest in studying and achieving better personal results. Therefore, it was important for all three partners to better understand gamification and to have a better insight under what circumstances its elements could change children's behavior. << Objectives >>For the students in the participating schools we wanted to design and implement pilot lessons encouraging their active participation and supporting their personal motivation to learn and to improve the level of their skill acquisition in mathematics, natural sciences and English.For the teachers and their teams in all three partner schools we wanted to create an open and experiential environment that could directly motivate them to work on themselves and to learn - discovering innovative learning and teaching methods continuously. We wanted to support the teachers to pilot and share the practical examples of using gamification and experience more fun, interaction and active participation together with their students. In the overall context of the project partnership cooperation we also wanted to promote inclusion and improve the quality of life of involved school communities and the quality of students` lives inside their school communities.<< Implementation >>Three international teacher exchanges, number of project meetings and pilot activities took place in the schools and classrooms of all project partners. 1st exchange in Košice, June 2022. Guest teachers had opportunity to observe and better understand modern educational methods and materials used by the Slovak colleagues. All teachers had presentations and discussions clarifying ideas about gamification and compared gamification practice in classes. 2nd exchange in Istanbul, November 2022. Guest teachers experienced gamified teaching in the host school. All teachers exchanged valuable feedbacks from the pilot lessons. They learnt what works or needs to be adapted and improved. 3rd exchange in Targu Jiu, June 2023. All teachers focused on inclusion dimension. They shared observations, experiences and working models for creating and maintaining of inclusive environment in the classroom. They also exchanged good practice examples from gamified teaching. Cultural discoveries and exchange were integral learning dimension of the whole project implementation and strengthened the overall experience of diversity, mutual understanding and cooperation importance in any possible context – gamification and inclusion in teaching as well.<< Results >>By designing and leading 30 pilot lessons demonstrations, preparing and executing 15 international online project meetings, implementing questionnaire for teachers and students, hosting 3 international teachers’ exchanges, organising various local dissemination activities and developing common guide for inclusion of gamification in teaching mathematics, science and English - more than 30 teachers of all project schools improved their teaching skills and key competencies and acquired a better understanding of educational practices and trends in a wider European context. And up to 150 students of pilot classes from all partner schools had opportunity to benefit from more dynamic and engaging environment in their classes and improved inclusion practice in their school community, as well as to improve their skill acquisition in English, mathematics and science."