Digital tools for better schools

We applied for this project because the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for digital education, a key component in Europe's digital transformation. The European Commission's 2020 public consultation revealed that nearly 60% of respondents had never used distance or online learning before the crisis. Moreover, 95% agreed that the pandemic marked a permanent shift in the use of technology for education and training. The consultation also indicated a significant demand for online learning resources to be more relevant, interactive, and user-friendly. This scenario has created a crucial moment for advancing digital education. It underscores the necessity of leveraging digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning and to develop digital skills for everyone. Additionally, the surge in online disinformation and misinformation during the pandemic (as well as later on during Russian invasion of Ukraine) has highlighted the importance of fostering digital and media literacy, which is now vital for navigating an algorithm-driven world. By participating in this project, our aim was to address these needs and contribute to developing digital skills of all.

The project "Digital Tools for Better Schools" aimed to contribute to the digital transformation and readiness of schools and teachers in the partner countries. The project also focused on building the digital and media literacy of teachers. Our effort to support the effective shift towards digital education was achieved through meeting the following objectives: O1: To develop quality and free digital educational content (e-learning) that enhanced the competence development of teachers, enabling them to provide high-quality, inclusive digital education through digital games and other digital tools. O2: To develop an understanding of how best to incorporate digital tools, including digital games, into subject-specific teaching. O3: To build the digital and media literacy of teachers and provide them with the knowledge and tools that they could employ in their work, thus increasing the resilience of students to disinformation, fake news, and propaganda.

The project produced three key results, organized five multiplier events, and held two TPMs.

The project resulted in the following concrete outputs: PR1: A research study on gamification and game-based learning in schools was developed to understand how best to incorporate digital tools, including digital games, into subject-specific teaching. The study was titled "Gamification and game-based learning through teachers' eyes: A comparative study in Cyprus, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania". PR2: The three e-learning modules (i. Game based learning; ii. Gamification, and iii. Media Literacy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence) were created to enhance teachers' competence development as well as their digital and media literacy. PR3: The Open Education Platform Motimore and Gamifactory was scaled up to create a platform where project outputs could be accessed by teachers. KPIs reached: KPI 1: A total of 2 334 teachers registered for our e-learning module (R2). KPI 2: 197 teachers participated in the research study (IO1) by filling out questionnaires, participating in focus groups, and engaging in personal discussions KPI 3: Total number of participants reached in the ME: 57 local and 119 virtual participants. Additionally, four multiplier events were organized, one in each project country, which facilitated the dissemination of project results, extended the project's impact, and informed the practices of relevant stakeholders. The project also strengthened the partnership among the four project partners, characterized by its innovative cross-sectoral nature—civil society organizations collaborating with private sector partners toward a common goal.