ICT and pedagogical innovation
DIGIPLAY – Digital & Analogue Games, Coding and Game-Based Learning
6 days
Digital and analogue game-based learning are converging: the best classroom practitioners combine physical board games, digital platforms and AI tools into a single coherent pedagogical strategy. DIGIPLAY gives teachers a complete practical grounding in this combined approach, from Scratch and Kahoot to AI game generation tools and coding games.
Unlike ICT courses focused purely on software tools, DIGIPLAY always keeps pedagogy at the centre: every digital skill is learned in the context of a specific learning design challenge. Participants build a complete digital and analogue game-based learning toolkit and learn to teach basic coding through game mechanics.
Learning Outcomes
Participants to the course will learn to:
Use digital game-based learning platforms (Kahoot, Gimkit, Blooket, Quizizz) as effective pedagogical tools
Introduce basic coding concepts to students through game mechanics and gamified programming environments
Use AI tools to generate, adapt and personalise educational game content at scale
Design hybrid lessons combining physical board games and digital tools in a single sequence
Develop student digital literacy alongside subject knowledge through game-based learning
Build a school digital game-based learning strategy integrating both analogue and digital approaches
Programme
DIGIPLAY – Digital & Analogue Games, Coding and Game-Based Learning
Monday | The Digital GBL Landscape — Platforms, Tools and Principles
Welcome and overview. Play session: participants experience digital GBL as students.
The complete digital GBL ecosystem: quiz games, simulation games, creation tools.
Research overview: what the evidence says about digital game-based learning.
Workshop: evaluating Kahoot, Gimkit, Quizizz, Blooket and Wordwall.
Tuesday | Coding Through Games — Scratch, Block Coding and Computational Thinking
Computational thinking: algorithms, decomposition and pattern recognition — taught through games.
Scratch and block-based coding: building simple games as a learning vehicle.
Workshop: participants build a simple educational game in Scratch.
Integrating coding-through-games into the mainstream curriculum without specialist knowledge.
Wednesday | AI for Game Content Creation
Using ChatGPT, Copilot and other AI tools to generate quiz questions, game scenarios and puzzles.
AI image tools for game asset creation: cards, boards and visual game materials.
Workshop: participants generate a complete custom digital game with AI assistance.
Ethics and limitations: AI accuracy, bias and age-appropriate content in games.
Thursday | Hybrid Design — Board Games Meets Digital
Designing lessons that combine physical games and digital tools in a single sequence.
Workshop: participants design and test a hybrid digital-analogue game sequence.
Peer feedback and iteration: refining the digital-physical integration.
Action planning: building your school digital GBL strategy.
Friday | Field Experience & Final Workshop
Cultural visit to selected Braga or Porto landmark relevant to the week's theme.
Final hands-on workshop: design and present your classroom action plan.
Group showcase: share the games, tools or activities created during the week.
Saturday | Certificate Ceremony & Closing
Presentation of each participant's final project or classroom toolkit.
Peer feedback and recognition of contributions.
Certificate presentation ceremony.
Group photograph and informal closing celebration.
Materials, digital tools & other learning resources
Course participants will receive training and engage in exercises designed to develop their skills as trainers. The provision of additional materials or resources will be determined based on the course structure and the instructor’s approach to meeting the learning objectives
Course package content:
Services and activities included in the course package are those described above. Please note that accommodation, transport, and meals are not provided.
Cancellation & changes:
Common sense prevails when it comes to cancellations, which are analyzed on a case-by-case basis.