Between September 9-13, 2024, CONCORDIA Academy organized in Vienna, Austria, a learning mobility dedicated to employees and collaborators involved in the development of educational programs and contexts for adults – beneficiaries of the foundation and professionals working directly with vulnerable groups.
Seven participants from Romania explored concepts related to game theory, the use of games and gamification in adult education, analyzing both the opportunities and limitations that arise when games are used as a facilitation tool.
A central moment of the program was the presentation of the game “Cosmic Clinic”, designed to be played in groups. To accomplish all the tasks in the game, participants had to develop an effective communication strategy, share responsibilities, use critical thinking and observe the team process.
The program also included a session dedicated to to stimulate creativity in workshops where participants played “The 5 Minute Game” – a quick exercise for any group to discover their creative potential. In this activity, participants worked in pairs and created a board game based on a set theme.
Another important aspect was the transfer of learning processes after playful experiences had. Participants were introduced to ORID technique (Objective, Reflective, Interpretative, Decisional) and shared their own facilitation methods and tools to support knowledge transfer. In the practical part, they adapted a game to meet different learning objectives.
The whole theoretical part was integrated into practical activities. The participants had the opportunity to practice conducting and analyzing game-based learning experiences in contexts such as trainings and workshops. As a result of the mobility, they improved their own educational formats, enriching them with playful elements, games and effective methods of transfer of learning. The whole training programme was organized by Playful Solutions.
