School to play

Background The project builds on the results and outputs of the previous project supported by the Erasmus+ program ("Way to live"), which aimed to find new ways of applying to the labor market for young creators of experiential events and beginning youth workers. At the same time, it was aimed at spreading information about larp as a way of spending free time and as a way of personal development. At its end, several topics were defined for further joint activities of the involved groups. The "School to play" project benefits from the real outputs of the previous project and directly responds to defined needs. The result of the analysis of individual needs in the preparation of the "School to play" project was the determination of the priority need to continue the current activity. Members of the involved groups felt strong need to move their activities to an even higher level, so that they will be able pass their experience to other young people and improve their chances of finding employment in what fulfills them. The decision to strongly focus on supporting the motivation of elementary school students resulted from previous communication with teachers, who defined this as space for improvement. Objectives A/ Create and apply a motivational and gamification system for schools and thereby provide educators in the countries of the participating groups with a tool supporting the teaching process in primary schools through a positive impact on student motivation and their orientation towards results. Achieving this goal is directly related to the development of skills and competencies of the implementers - direct participants in the project. This was to improve their chances of finding professional employment in what fulfills them and to provide them with important experience and competences necessary for their eventual own business. B/ Through the above-mentioned system, we wanted to introduce RPG games to students and teachers as an attractive way of spending free time, which can be an interesting way of personal development. C/ Create material containing instructions for the application of the mentioned system, which would be intended primarily for educators, but also for youth workers, and youth leaders, and thus enable schools and organizations to try RPG elements themselves in the context of motivating their students and wards. (We perceived the goals of the project as equivalent.) Implementation The core activity of the entire project is "the preparation and implementation of a system of motivation and gamification of the teaching process at the class level using elements of RPG games and the application of experiential and outdoor events" (NANOVO). NANOVO • It is a year-round game in which the students of the class present the characters of a fictional story. Through them, they have the opportunity to influence the game reality and achieve game goals. • Usual activities in the classroom or school are represented in game reality by the actions of the character in the story. • It rewards fictitious player characters (and therefore also players - students) for direct academic and other successes. OUTDOOR EVENTS • They complement the supporting elements of the NANOVO with action elements. • They help to get instant feedback from students. • They have an impact on motivation as such and are one of the rewards for participating in the project activity. Achievements The outputs and results of the entire project included: • Significant development of the skills and competences of the direct participants (of the skills mainly organization and management, objective assessment and planning / of the competences it was mainly communication in the native language, initiative and entrepreneurship, or cultural awareness and expression). • Broader insight of the participants into activities related to business and their own direct experience with these activities. • Better employability of direct participants. • 59* teachers from directly involved schools, who were introduced to the NANOVO - motivational and gamification system as a useful tool to support their work with the class and individual students. At the same time, they will become more familiar with RPGs and their elements as a form of informal education and a means of personal development of young people. • 128* young people (students of directly involved schools) who tried RPG elements as an interesting way of actively spending their free time. • Material enabling other schools and organizations to apply NANOVO - motivational and gamification system within the scope of the project even after the end of the project.