The “Video Games @ School” workshop is an experiential activity designed for teachers interested in exploring the educational potential of digital culture and integrating digital gaming tools into school teaching.
The workshop will be held in English and is designed to offer participants practical skills that can be immediately applied in everyday teaching, without requiring any particular technical or IT knowledge.
The first part of the workshop will briefly introduce the theoretical and neuroscientific basis of educational video games, why they are effective in school settings, and what characteristics make them inclusive and motivating teaching tools. Concrete examples of educational video games will also be presented, and basic technical guidance will be provided for their creation using easy-to-use digital platforms.
The second part will be dedicated to a practical activity in small groups (max 5/group), during which participants will design and create one or more educational video games using dedicated online platforms, guided step by step by the trainers.
The final phase of the workshop will include a brief presentation of the products created, followed by a group discussion and final feedback. Participants will also be provided with useful materials and resources to explore and replicate the activities proposed in their own school contexts.
The workshop will be led by experienced professionals in the education and healthcare sectors, including psychologists, neuropsychologists, and pediatricians with experience in research and training in clinical, educational, and digital fields: Dr. Amalia Egle Gentile (National Institute of Health), Prof. Agata Polizzi (University of Catania), Dr. Sergio Rinella (University of Catania), Dr. Lucrezia Micheli (National Institute of Health), and Dr. Gennaro Anastasio (University of Catania / National Institute of Health).