EduGame - educational games development

"<< Background >>The project ""EduGame"" - educational games development aimed to raise the quality of youth work (YW) and non-formal education (NFE) through the learning of the creative process of EDUCATIONAL GAMES (EG) development and gamification of YW processes, and digitalization of games for online use.“Games were considered the most elevated form of investigation” as stated by Albert Einstein. We agreed that games were one of the most inspiring, engaging, driving forces of creativity, learning, and development. Johan Huizinga, in his book ""Homo ludens,"" had proven that play was an indispensable part not only of culture and society but also of human nature as such. Animals had started to play before humans did, and this was a pure form of improvisational fun not constrained by any rules or regulations. The Games, on the other hand, were a more complex, structured, and ""programmed"" form of play that had enormous power over humans due to playfulness in its foundation. Nowadays, games were one of the main pastimes of people. The games field grew and developed fast and diverse.<< Objectives >>To discover the specifics of games, gamification, toys, and play, their purposes, and differences.To discuss what made games and the gamification process educational.To increase awareness of the importance of using games and gamification in the learning/educational process, in social and youth work.To learn how to use games in education and how to create educational games.To create educational game prototypes for social and educational purposes.To increase awareness of the importance of using games and gamification in the learning process.To create physical educational games.To share games with interested partners and institutions.<< Implementation >>1. Training course for 20 Youth workers, educators 13-20.12.20222. Development of 10 games prototypes for testing3. Dissemination activities in 3 local communities4. Working on the final games due to feedback received and creation of ""ready-to-go"" sets5. Dissemination and follow-up activities6. Creation of 2 ""ready-to-go"" games7. 3 Multiply events in all partners communities<< Results >>1 Training course for YW and educator20 YW, educators trained in residential training96 YW, educators trained and got familiar with game based development during the whole duration of the project122 young people participated in multiply events10 educational games' prototypes 2 „ready-to-use” educational games3 multiply testing-events of final products 3 local phases after the training complete set was created for each educational game, including descriptions, rules, materials, and layouts of the game (ready-to-use games). A collection of these created games was gathered, and the results were shared in open sources.Influence of participants:84% discovered the specifics of games, gamification, toys, and play, including their purposes and differences.78% shared personal experiences in using games and reflect critically on learning outcomes.82% discussed what makes games and the gamification process educational.81% learnt about the opportunities and limitations of games and gamification.89% learnt how to use games in education and how to create educational games.100% created educational games on social and educational topics.100% tested the created prototypes with other participants"