Erasmus+ KA121 School Education in Italy: Dracon as invited expert
From the 26th to the 28th of May, Dracon Rules Design Studio participated as an invited expert in the Erasmus+ KA121 project “Accredited projects for mobility of learners and staff in school education”, project code 2024-1-IT02-KA121-SCH-000227497, organised by USR Marche – Ufficio Scolastico Regionale per le Marche.
Dracon was invited as an expert organisation to present and discuss the use of board games as tools for education, socialisation and inclusion, bringing our experience in game design, game-based learning and Erasmus+ educational projects to schools and institutions across the Marche region in Italy.
During the programme, we had the opportunity to meet educators, school staff and students from several educational institutions, including IIS Corinaldesi Padovano in Senigallia, POLO3 Istituto Tecnico e Professionale in Fano, and IIS Vanvitelli Stracca Angelini in Ancona. Through presentations, discussions and hands-on activities, we explored how board games can support learning processes, encourage teamwork, develop critical thinking and create more inclusive educational environments.
A key part of the programme was the presentation of Dracon’s work in the field of educational board games and Erasmus+ project results. We shared examples from past projects, including EcoTrade, Green Chef, Tethics and Sciborg, both in physical and digital formats. Students also had the chance to engage directly with some of the games through practical sessions, discovering how game mechanics can be connected with topics such as sustainability, ethics, science, cooperation and social learning.
In addition, our projects and methods were discussed with the director and inspectors of USR Marche in Ancona, as well as with international representatives from the Académie de Normandie in France, the Inspectoratul Școlar Județean Dâmbovița in Romania, and Berufliche Schulen Bretten in Germany. These exchanges created a valuable space for sharing experiences, exploring future cooperation and reflecting on the role of game-based learning in different educational systems.
We also had the opportunity to promote the work developed within the Playcracy project, coordinated by Asociația Share Education, including an example activity from the project handbook, as well as the GDE – Game Design for Education project. GDE aims to create a practical handbook with tips, methods and tools for using game design in education, socialization and inclusion.
For Dracon, this experience was another important step in our mission to show that board games are more than entertainment. They can become powerful educational tools that bring people together, support creativity and make learning more active, inclusive and meaningful.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research (INDIRE). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Project Reference: 2024-1-IT02-KA121-SCH-000227497
