A Case Study of Developing Educator Digital Competences With Serious Game Design

Introduction

For over a decade, the course “ICT-Supported Learning Materials” has been taught to students in the Two-Subject Teacher Study Program, specializing in Computing Science at the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana. The course aims to introduce modern approaches to integrating ICT in education, designing, and creating ICT-supported learning materials and environments, and promoting awareness of multimedia's role in education, professional ethics, intellectual property, and sociological aspects of ICT use. Since the publication of the DigCompEdu framework in 2017 by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, led by Christine Redecker, the instructors have restructured the course to focus on equipping future teachers with the digital competences outlined in the framework. To achieve this, an instructional method called SADDIE has been developed, integrating principles of computer-supported collaborative learning, game design-based learning, constructivist learning theory, the trialogical learning approach, and problem-based learning. Throughout the course, students create educational computer games aligned with their subject area, specifically computer science. They follow the phases defined by the SADDIE method, enabling them to acquire the competences outlined in the DigCompEdu framework (Redecker, 2017).

Instructors of the course chose to focus the coursework on the design and development of an educational game because the design and production of a high-quality educational game is one of the most complex examples of learning materials development (Mitchell & Savill-Smith, 2004). In this way, they empower students to acquire a wide range of skills that can be utilized in the creation of various types of learning resources. By engaging in the complete process of game creation, encompassing conception, implementation, evaluation, and adaptation, students acquire a diverse skill set that extends beyond the development of learning materials. These skills are vital for effectively organizing and implementing ICT-supported pedagogical practices, ensuring a high standard of educational work. Hence, the game itself is not the primary outcome of the coursework; rather, the most significant achievement lies in the acquisition of skills through active engagement in the design, development, and evaluation processes. During the process of developing an educational computer game, students have the opportunity to collaborate with peers from other faculties. This collaborative experience provides students with a valuable chance to cultivate skills in digitally facilitating collaborative work.

Throughout the years, the instructors have continuously refined and improved the method based on their teaching experience, student feedback, and research findings in the field of game-based teaching and learning. An important advancement in the learning process was the collaboration with students from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, who worked alongside students from the Faculty of Education to create graphical elements for educational games. Each student group pursued their own learning objectives during the game development process, resulting in a diverse range of valuable experiences and knowledge for everyone involved. This collaboration not only served as an additional source of motivation for the students but also fostered enduring relationships that extended beyond the course's completion.