"As one of the main problems of the formal education is the high generalisation of the educational process, the main issue is to make students able to have a flexible thinking and to raise awareness of the necessity of skipping the irrelevant hypotheses and/or the ones not validated by the real life experience in favor of the relevant and viable hypotheses. In this respect, in the educational strategy envisaged in the project the interdisciplinary approach, as well as the use of teaching methods aimed to ease the learning process through a practical way, are focused on creating an environment in that the students can learn by play, by having fun and by using hands-on teaching and learning methods. In this way, the participants to the learning process will be more willing to discover the new and to generate immediate fulfillment of the educational goals. The fast development of the technology, as well as the perpetual changes of the natural and social environments, demand the education pathway starts at a younger age for allowing the long-lasting adaptability of the people mentalities to the technological changes. Given that the general objective of the European strategy for education and training for the period 2016-2020 focuses on an educational process tailored to the requirements of the labor market and centered on the personal development and social inclusion, the project ROBOGENIUS aims to: - develop people's skills and cover the society need to discover talents and shape them as specialist in the field at an early age - develop the students' skills by using a hands-on approach - adapt the outcomes of the educational pathways to the society needs - develop the creativity of the individuals - create a climate of mutual understanding aimed to support a better transition from the school to the labor market. The specific objectives of the project ROBOGENIUS were: - to explore the innovative approach of the learning pathways through interdisciplinary education and play, by using the new technologies and Lego education for interdisciplinary teaching by the development of robotics activities and related workshops with the target groups of the partners involved in the consortium and with the cooperation of the associated partners;- to identify the main obstacles at European/regional/national/local level through the implementation of the new approach to the different systems of education of the schools involved in the project;- to generate referential and inspiring results for the schools interested to include robotics and learning by play in their curriculum; - to insure a long-term sustainable impact to the partners involved in the consortium; - to create a platform for an international forum of robotics, seen as a ""nursery"" for the educational centers embracing the interdisciplinary approach through play and by using the hi-tech means and Lego Educational.The project addresses both to students at pre-university education level (general education and VET) and to teachers involved in the educational process with the mentioned students. By the long term impact and dissemination of the project results, it allows the creation of new educational communities by involving: - schools and adult education providers - teachers, trainers and people involved in formal, non-formal and informal education - students and young people from different countries with a passion to the exploration of the technological areas such as robotics, software programming and ICT application. The consortium developed the following intellectual outputs: - ROBOGENIUS training kit - Best practice guide and eBook ""Learning by empowering the new generations of innovators"" - - Contest methodology All the project results are available online in EN, FR, GR, RO, ES: http://robogenius.mysch.gr/en/home/."

In European society, video games are important both as a cultural and commercial industry and as an important aspect of people's daily lives. When compared to other economic sectors, the EU's video game market exhibits a rapid growth rate and makes up one-third of the total market value. The overall aim of the i-Game project is to create an accessible open-source game development platform that will facilitate the co-creation of games by diverse actors within different ecosystems of cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSI), to enhance innovation and to bring positive impact on social cohesion and sustainability. More specifically, i-Game aspires: 1) To engage video game stakeholders of different abilities, expertise, and disciplines, to contribute, learn, share and tap into new innovative and economic opportunities; 2) To provide a collaborative platform with the tools to co-create mobile and virtual reality games by engaging different users, from different backgrounds and sectors; 3) To develop an ethical-design culture in the video game industry; 4) To monitor, assess and manage the impact that the video games have on different sectors, especially targeting culture/museums, creative industries and fashion/textile; 5) To help understand why and how are online games positively impacting people, culture and society and help extract the ingredients necessary for developing a new generation of games targeted to improve people’s well-being. The i-Game partnership, composed by organisations with diversified backgrounds and expertise, reassures the interdisciplinary approach required to address the complex topic of the games’ impact on innovation, sustainability, social cohesion and economic growth. This multi-sectorial and inclusive cooperation shall stimulate an innovative and productive work and inspire cross-fertilisation across perspectives, disciplines and countries, under common European values.

Several studies show that technology has been actively used in everyday life, but much less in the learning context (The 25th International Conference on Computers in Education, 2017). According to our preliminary research, there are no European projects focused on teaching non-STEM subjects (e.g. history, social sciences, geography, arts, music, literature, foreign languages, religion) by using STEM, nor projects focused on using interdisciplinary approach, STEM and serious games at the same time, in teaching non-STEM subjects in compulsory education. In the light of the current situation in Europe, the InterSTEM project is innovative as it aims to use the inquiry-based learning approach in compulsory education at all levels by linking pedagogy, technology and STEM for more successful school results in learning non-STEM subjects. Moreover, as a result of the project, the role of the teacher shifts from delivering classroom instruction to giving guidance and support students’ self-regulated learning. Furthermore, InterSTEM project aims to support the development of innovative teaching strategies, increase the students motivation and the quality of education, as well as promote strategic cooperation between schools and other educational organizations. It is for all these reasons, the partners from France, Netherlands, Spain, Greece and Romania gathered to attempt to make the most of modern technology to develop a user-friendly, engaging and interactive digital tool for teaching and learning non-STEM subjects in compulsory education.The InterSTEM project targets firstly non-STEM teachers involved in compulsory education and secondly teachers of all subjects and educational staff from all compulsory education levels (e.g. primary, secondary and VET), as well as their students.The project intends to gather about 250 stakeholders during the national and European dissemination events (with an average of 50 per partner), as well as at least 150 people involved in compulsory education at all levels during the multiplier events (with an average of 30 per partner).The participants will be selected and involved in the different project activities according to the project needs, as well as to their background and experience in compulsory education.The main focus of the InterSTEM project is on the use of digital technologies, interdisciplinary teaching methods, gamification and STEM for teaching non-STEM subjects in compulsory education, with the following objectives: develop innovative didactic strategies and creative resources for teaching and learning non-STEM subjects in a more motivating way in compulsory education; build educators’ awareness on the advantages of using combined interdisciplinary teaching methods, storytelling and STEM in teaching non-STEM subjects in compulsory education; empower non-STEM teachers with the necessary soft skills to support students’ self-regulated learning, digital competence and autonomy in learning so that the student will have an increased learning motivation, will be able to lead the own learning process and choose the way of reaching the learning objectives required by the curriculum.The InterSTEM project starts from the experience of Quarter Mediation in the creative use of interdisciplinary teaching methods, storytelling, serious games, science and technology, as well as the experience of Cookie Box in creating computer games and using gamification techniques to create interdisciplinary games based on all of the above and STEM for teaching non-STEM subjects at different levels of pre-university education. The project includes two short-term training events: “Interdisciplinary methods of teaching based on storytelling and gamification” to be organised by Quarter Mediation in the Netherlands in May 2021, in preparation of the work to the InterSTEM game, and “Testing and fine tuning of InterSTEM serious game” to be organised by Cookie Box in Spain, after the creation of the InterSTEM game. During the entire project, the five organisations involved in the InterSTEM consortium will create interactive interdisciplinary InterSTEM serious lesson-games adapted to different levels of compulsory education and to teaching various non-STEM subject. It is expected that the 5 Intellectual Outputs of the project will have a significant impact on the teachers of non-STEM subjects and their students, as well as on teachers of other subjects involved in compulsory education at all levels. Moreover, they have a big transferability potential, as they will allow teachers to choose different levels of the lesson-game, depending on the students' level of education and the lesson-games will be available in 5 languages. Furthermore, the InterSTEM serious game will be optimized for mobile access and will function equally well on desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

CONTEXTThe job situation is still very problematic in Europe, including for the hard-to-reach adults. How to ensure a social inclusion to this type of public, how to ensure that they get offered job opportunities, when they lack self-esteem and confidence? Which method could apply and make the difference? Some methods don't work anymore; then arises the question of a new approach. An innovative method is necessary in order to offer an alternative to traditional methods whose limits we can observe. This project is offering a solution, at an experimental level.OBJECTIVESThe Gamification project aims at remobilising hard-to-reach adults and to foster their entrepreneurship spirit, through different ways. The innovation part of this project lies on the use of the game in the different sessions with hard-to-reach adults. The game, considered as a dynamic and participative tool; we use games with our kids. We consider its values for respecting the other, for personal development and learning about ourselves, for opening ourselves to the others, for communicating. Why not using these benefits for another kind of target group? It is important for hard-to-reach adults to get confidence. This two-years experimentation at the European level helped mobilise soft skills for these hard-to-reach adults through games.PARTNERSHIP AND PARTICIPANTSThe project was implemented by nine European partner organizations, each one of them with different profiles and roles. The practice partners were seven; they were in charge of implementing the experimentation at the local level.The knowledge partners were three, and through their expertise, helped the practice partners in understanding the gamification process and giving advice.Then a quality manager was ensuring the good implementation of the project within the limits of the application form and ensuring a good management of the project.KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSThe University of Coventry (United Kingdom), through its serious game laboratory, Cookie Box (Spain), company working in the field of gamification and transmedia storytelling, and then the University of Chester, through their combined expertise in the gamification domain, helped the partnership through a modelisation of the process. Their knowledge fed the experimentation process in each territory of test.PRACTICE PARTNERSFantom and ASSE associations (Romania) are very active in the development of their communities through European and national projects. Within the frame of this project, Fantom could rely on the local ressources and start a community centre in the town.The Chamber of Commerce of Sabadell (Spain) is a public institution which aims at promoting the economic development of the area, including through the development of entrepreneurial skills.The continuous training centre of the University of Helsinki works in the field of adult education, including towards hard-to-reach adults, and people over 45 years old.The Foundation Risorsa Donna (Italy) aims at promoting microcredit and works with isolated people.The social department of Ankara (Turkey) aims at promoting social inclusion of its citizens.Then, Pistes-Solidaires (France) promotes innovative solutions in order to foster social inclusion within the community, young or adults, through non-formal and informal methods.ACTIVITIES & RESULTSEach organization started first to create the activities in order to foster personal development of the participants, and keeping in mind the gamification aspect (with the help of the knowledge partners).Then, groups were constituted at the local level, trough the network of the press. The activities helped the participants to regain confidence in themselves, to mobilize their knowledge, their capabilities, their desire, et then to see doors opening. Some of them started a new job (local crafting, teaching, in a company), others got involved as volunteers in local organizations, or others were recruited in companies.A very diverse accomplishment but still very positive.