I-GAME

Funding programme

Erasmus+ KA210-ADU – Small-scale Partnerships in Adult Education

Project reference

2021-1-EL01-KA210-ADU-000035026

Period

2022–2024

Coordinating organisation

Challedu (Greece)

Participating countries

Greece, Poland, Romania

Official project website

Visit official website

I-GAME aimed to modernise the use of serious board games in adult education by bringing together expertise in contemporary game design, manufacturing, educational practice and social inclusion.

The project sought to improve the competences of adult educators and other professionals working with disadvantaged groups, particularly people with intellectual disabilities, minorities and individuals experiencing social exclusion.

Specific learning objectives

• Modern board-game-based learning: Introduce educators to contemporary board game design principles, mechanics and applications that can enhance educational experiences beyond traditional educational games.
• Professional competences: Improve the knowledge and practical skills of adult educators, trainers and professionals interested in designing, selecting or implementing serious board games.
• Inclusive education: Explore how educational board games can be designed and adapted to address the needs of people with intellectual disabilities and other disadvantaged groups.
• Social inclusion and diversity: Promote educational practices that encourage participation, social interaction and mutual understanding among people from different cultural and social backgrounds.
• Game design and development: Familiarise participants with the stages involved in creating a board game, including needs analysis, game mechanics, rules development, production and testing.
• Interdisciplinary cooperation: Encourage collaboration between game designers, manufacturers, adult educators and organisations supporting vulnerable populations.
• Accessibility: Improve awareness of the practical considerations involved in making educational games understandable and usable by learners with different abilities, experiences and needs.
• Upskilling in adult education: Support the development of innovative learning opportunities that may increase participation in adult education, particularly among underserved populations.
• Intercultural understanding: Explore how collaborative gameplay and culturally diverse themes can facilitate communication, cooperation and appreciation of cultural differences.

The project focused primarily on developing professional expertise and inclusive game-design practices rather than delivering a standardised educational intervention targeting a single learning outcome.

I-GAME developed an original educational board game, The Soup Game, as a practical outcome of its international training and collaborative game-design activities.

Game developed

1. The Soup Game: A collaborative, food-themed board game designed to encourage social interaction, decision-making, cooperation and intercultural understanding.

The game invites participants to prepare recipes representing different culinary traditions by collecting and managing ingredient cards. Its theme uses food as an accessible context for exploring cultural diversity and encouraging interaction among players.

Main game components

• Ingredient Cards: Cards representing food ingredients such as tomatoes, eggs, bread, cheese and herbs. Players use these resources to complete recipes.
• Recipe Cards: Cards representing dishes from different culinary traditions. Each recipe specifies the ingredients needed for its preparation.
• Plates: Physical components used to represent completed recipes and indicate progress during gameplay.
• Rulebook: Instructions explaining game preparation, objectives, components and rules.

Gameplay approach

Players collect and use ingredients to complete recipes, making decisions about resource management and the preparation of different dishes. The game encourages collaboration and communication within a multicultural culinary setting.

The use of dishes associated with different countries provides opportunities to discuss cultural traditions and experiences. Examples highlighted by the project include Romanian mici and Polish pierogi.

Development process

The initial concept was developed collaboratively during a Learning, Teaching and Training Activity in Athens. Consortium partners spent approximately five hours defining the basic concept, objectives and rules.

Challedu subsequently developed the visual design with support from interns and a graphic designer. The game underwent playtesting at Challedu’s premises and during the final international training activity in Arad, Romania.

Game approach: Custom-designed educational board game developed through a collaborative game-design process.

Availability: The game is publicly available through downloadable rules and print-and-play components in English, Greek, Polish, Romanian and Spanish.

Official game resources: The Soup Game – Rules and printable materials.

I-GAME adopts a collaborative and practice-oriented Board Game-Based Learning approach in which modern game design, professional training and inclusive education are closely connected.

Unlike projects focused exclusively on implementing an existing educational game, I-GAME places considerable emphasis on understanding how board games are conceived, designed, manufactured and adapted to the needs of different learner populations.

Methodological framework

The project organises professional learning around four interconnected areas of expertise, addressed through international practical training activities.

1. Game manufacturing and technical development: Participants explore the physical production of board games, including materials, manufacturing processes, graphic development and technical considerations.
2. Game structure and mechanics: Participants examine contemporary board game mechanics, rules development and the relationship between gameplay, educational objectives and user experience.
3. Inclusive design for people with intellectual disabilities: Participants consider the needs of learners with intellectual disabilities and explore how game-based activities can be made more accessible and appropriate.
4. Inclusive design for minorities and socially excluded groups: Participants examine how board games can facilitate participation, social interaction and learning among people experiencing cultural or social marginalisation.

Collaborative game-design process

The participating organisations contribute complementary expertise in education, game design, manufacturing and social inclusion.

The Soup Game illustrates this interdisciplinary approach. Its initial concept, objectives and rules were collectively developed during an international training activity, followed by graphic production, playtesting and refinement.

Rather than treating game development as a purely technical process, the project encourages participants to consider educational purpose, player experience, accessibility and inclusion from the beginning of the design process.

Role of the facilitator

Trainers and educators facilitate practical workshops, introduce relevant design principles, support collaborative discussion and help participants connect game-design decisions with the needs of intended learners.

When using The Soup Game, facilitators can encourage interaction, cooperation and discussion of cultural differences through its culinary theme and collaborative activities.

The precise facilitation arrangements depend on the activity and target population. The reviewed public sources do not establish a single standardised classroom or workshop protocol for using the game.

Reflection and debriefing

The project emphasises the exchange of experiences and knowledge among participating organisations, including reflection on game mechanics, educational relevance and inclusive design.

However, the reviewed sources do not establish a mandatory post-game debriefing protocol for The Soup Game.

Facilitated discussion of cultural diversity, cooperation and decision-making would be consistent with the game’s intended educational purpose, but should not be presented as a systematically documented or evaluated intervention component.

Distinctive methodological feature

I-GAME combines two complementary learning processes: professionals learn how to design and adapt serious board games, while the resulting games can subsequently be used to promote interaction and inclusion among their intended audiences.

I-GAME was implemented through a European partnership involving organisations from Greece, Poland and Romania, combining expertise in board game manufacturing, game design, adult education and social inclusion.

Implementation

• International consortium: The project was coordinated by Challedu (Greece), with Dracon Rules Design Studio (Greece), Archon Studio (Poland) and Asociația Share Education (Romania) as partners.
• Kick-off meeting: The partnership held its initial project meeting on 30–31 March 2022 to establish cooperation and organise the planned activities.
• First Learning, Teaching and Training Activity: Held in Piła, Poland, in July 2022 and hosted by Archon Studio. Participants explored board game manufacturing processes, materials, 3D design, graphic production and technical considerations. The activity also included opportunities for interaction with members of the Ukrainian community and Polish volunteers through games.
• Second Learning, Teaching and Training Activity: Held in Karditsa, Greece, in December 2022 and hosted by Dracon Rules Design Studio. This four-day activity focused on the history and evolution of game mechanics, rules development, game-design principles and quality control.
• Third Learning, Teaching and Training Activity: Held in Athens, Greece, in June 2023. During this activity, consortium members collaboratively developed the initial concept of The Soup Game, defining its objectives, basic mechanics and rules.
• Fourth Learning, Teaching and Training Activity: Held in Arad, Romania. The final activity included collaborative testing of The Soup Game, providing an opportunity to gather partner feedback and refine the game before its dissemination.
• Game development: Following the initial co-design session, Challedu developed the visual components of The Soup Game and organised additional playtesting at its premises.
• Dissemination: The project produced newsletters, promotional materials, reports and other resources documenting the international training activities and their outcomes.
• Public availability: The completed game was published with downloadable rules and physical components, enabling its reproduction outside the original consortium.

Evaluation and evidence

The available documentation provides evidence of international professional training, collaborative game development, practical workshops and iterative playtesting.

Project partners report that feedback obtained during testing contributed to adjustments in gameplay and the refinement of the final game.

However, the reviewed public sources do not provide sufficient methodological information to establish a systematic evaluation of the project’s educational effectiveness.

No controlled comparative study, validated pre-test/post-test assessment or statistical evaluation of improvements in professional competences, social inclusion or learning outcomes was identified.

Similarly, the available documentation does not establish whether The Soup Game was systematically evaluated with representative samples of adults with intellectual disabilities or people experiencing social exclusion.

Evidence classification: Documented international training, collaborative game development, iterative playtesting and resource dissemination; educational and inclusion outcomes not established through a controlled evaluation in the sources reviewed.

Limitations: The evidence primarily documents project activities and partner experiences. Information about participant numbers, assessment instruments, accessibility testing with target populations and long-term outcomes remains insufficient for determining educational effectiveness.

I-GAME provides educational resources documenting its collaborative approach to modern board game design, professional training and inclusive adult education.

Available resources

• The Soup Game: An original collaborative board game using international cuisine and recipe preparation to encourage social interaction, cooperation and intercultural understanding.
• Game rulebook: Instructions covering the game’s components, preparation, rules and objectives.
• Ingredient Cards: Printable cards representing the ingredients used to prepare recipes during gameplay.
• Recipe Cards: Printable cards representing dishes from different culinary traditions and specifying the ingredients required to complete them.
• Plates: Printable game components used to represent completed recipes and progress.
• Multilingual game materials: The game is available in English, Greek, Polish, Romanian and Spanish, facilitating its use across different linguistic contexts.
• International training reports: Four reports documenting the Learning, Teaching and Training Activities, including professional experiences and knowledge acquired during the project.
• Dissemination materials: Five project newsletters, an information flyer and other communication resources describing activities and outcomes.
• Video resources: The project envisaged audiovisual materials documenting participants’ experiences and the knowledge acquired during training activities. The public resources section identifies a video category, although the availability of a complete video collection could not be independently confirmed.
• Game-development documentation: Public descriptions of the creation, visual development and playtesting of The Soup Game provide additional information about the project’s collaborative methodology.

Transferability

The availability of printable components and instructions allows educators and organisations outside the original partnership to reproduce The Soup Game.

The game’s culinary theme and multilingual resources offer opportunities for use in multicultural settings and activities focused on social interaction.

The international training reports also provide insights into the interdisciplinary process of designing educational board games, although they should not be assumed to constitute a complete, validated training curriculum.

The specific licensing conditions governing modification and redistribution of the materials should be checked before adapting them for other contexts.

Replicability assessment: Game reproduction is supported by publicly available rules and components. The collaborative game-development process is documented through training reports and project descriptions, but a fully standardised and evaluated instructional protocol was not identified.

Resources: Official educational resources and training reports.

I-GAME represents a distinctive example of Board Game-Based Learning in which the development of educational games becomes part of the professional learning process itself.

Its principal methodological contribution lies in connecting contemporary board game design practices with adult education and social inclusion through an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach.

Methodological strengths

1. Board game design as a learning activity. Unlike projects focused exclusively on using games developed by external designers, I-GAME involves participating professionals in the process of understanding, designing and developing an educational board game. The design process itself becomes an opportunity for professional learning, reflection and knowledge exchange.
2. Interdisciplinary cooperation. The consortium combines expertise in game manufacturing, mechanics and rules development, educational practice and the needs of disadvantaged populations. This approach acknowledges that educational board game development involves more than designing entertaining mechanics or selecting instructional content.
3. Connection with the modern board game industry. The participation of organisations specialising in contemporary board game design and production provides access to professional knowledge that is often absent from educational projects. The manufacturing activity hosted by Archon Studio is particularly relevant because it exposes educators to the technical and material requirements of producing functional games.
4. Inclusive design as an explicit objective. The project recognises the importance of considering learners’ abilities, experiences and social circumstances when developing educational games. Its attention to people with intellectual disabilities, minorities and socially excluded groups provides an important framework for discussing accessibility and inclusion.
5. Collaborative prototyping and iterative development. The Soup Game emerged from a relatively short international co-design activity and subsequently underwent graphic development and playtesting. This illustrates how collaborative workshops can produce an initial playable concept that can be refined through successive iterations.
6. Intercultural learning through accessible themes. The Soup Game uses food and recipes from different cultural traditions as a familiar context for interaction. This may facilitate participation by reducing the need for specialised prior knowledge and providing opportunities to share personal experiences and cultural perspectives.
7. Practical transferability. The publication of printable components and multilingual instructions makes it possible for organisations outside the consortium to reproduce the game and explore its use in their own activities.

Methodological limitations

The project’s emphasis on collaborative design and professional exchange provides a valuable model for developing educational resources. However, the available documentation does not establish whether this process produced measurable improvements in participants’ game-design competences or subsequent educational practice.

Similarly, the development of The Soup Game demonstrates the feasibility of creating an inclusive educational game through international cooperation, but the reviewed sources do not provide robust evidence that playing it improves social inclusion, intercultural understanding or other intended outcomes.

A particularly relevant limitation concerns accessibility. Designing a game with disadvantaged groups in mind does not automatically demonstrate that it is accessible or effective for those populations. Such claims would require documented testing with representative users and appropriate assessment procedures.

The project also raises questions about the balance between educational purpose and recreational value. Although the culinary theme provides an accessible context for interaction, the available documentation does not establish whether the game has sustained recreational appeal independently of facilitated educational activities.

Ludus Magnus assessment

I-GAME offers a particularly useful example of interdisciplinary cooperation between education professionals and the modern board game industry.

Its strongest contribution is the recognition that developing effective educational board games requires combining pedagogical knowledge with expertise in game mechanics, user experience, accessibility, manufacturing and iterative testing.

The project also illustrates an important distinction between two complementary approaches to Board Game-Based Learning: using games as educational tools and using game design itself as a professional learning methodology.

Nevertheless, the development of a custom educational game should not be considered the only possible outcome of such interdisciplinary cooperation.

For some educational objectives, analysing, selecting and adapting existing commercial board games may offer advantages in terms of recreational quality, availability, development costs and potential use beyond the original educational context.

I-GAME therefore provides an interesting model of collaborative design expertise that could also be applied to the pedagogical adaptation of existing recreational games.

Transferable methodological lesson: Educational board game initiatives can benefit substantially from integrating professional game-design expertise and inclusive educational knowledge. However, the quality of the design process, accessibility of the resulting game, recreational appeal and demonstrated educational effectiveness should be evaluated as separate dimensions.