Introducing Game Jams for Ecology and Citizenship Education in High School Classes

This study presents preliminary results from a series of game jam events called EcoGJ LAB, designed to teach ecology and climate change within the Citizenship and Civic Education curriculum at Italian high schools. The research examines whether game jamming, a format in which students rapidly create a game around a set theme, can build skills and deepen engagement with ecological content in a country where game-based learning is rarely used in secondary education. The work is framed around two sub-questions: which skills game jamming can strengthen in students, and whether a dedicated event can increase their engagement with ecology.

The data come from a qualitative and quantitative study conducted during the 2022–2023 school year at a scientific high school in Trento, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northeastern Italy. Of 62 students aged 15 to 16 across three classes, 54 valid questionnaires were analysed, supplemented by field notes and observations. Students completed a metacognitive questionnaire self-assessing changes in personal, social, working, and scientific skills. Responses were coded in MAXQDA using deductive categories and inductively derived subcategories. Teams of no more than six students, mixing teachers and researchers, produced board game prototypes that were presented and playtested before a panel.

According to students' self-reports, the most strongly perceived gains were in group working, problem-solving, positive communication, and the ability to connect theory to practice. All 54 students reported improved social skills, and many said they had become more aware of their communication abilities. Thirty-four students described a shift toward a more systemic approach to ecological questions, and 40 reported very high engagement, alongside some fatigue and frustration. The authors note that the event appeared to help some shy or fragile students gain confidence. The findings are self-reported and preliminary, and the authors acknowledge that the nature and effects of integrating game jams into formal school curricula still require further investigation.