Target audience
Teachers at different educational levels, school counsellors, educational psychologists, support teachers, social educators, adult educators, youth workers, project coordinators, trainers, mentors and professionals interested in designing educational board games, game-based learning activities or serious games for learning, prevention, awareness-raising or social intervention.
This course is especially suitable for professionals who want to move from using existing games to creating their own educational game prototypes adapted to the needs of their learners, organisations or projects.
Duration
Objectives
1. Understand the key concepts related to educational board games and serious games, including game-based learning, gamification, playful learning, learning objectives, mechanics, dynamics and player experience.
2. Define the educational purpose of a game by identifying the target group, learning needs, expected outcomes and the type of knowledge, skills, attitudes or behaviours to be addressed.
3. Explore the basic principles of board game design, including rules, components, mechanics, feedback, challenge, progression, uncertainty, cooperation, competition, narrative and player interaction.
4. Develop and test low-cost prototypes through practical design tasks, playtesting, observation, feedback collection and iterative improvement.
5. Design and present an educational board game or serious game prototype, which will be assessed by the trainers according to its pedagogical coherence, playability, feasibility and potential educational impact.
Methodology
The course follows an eminently practical, active and experiential methodology. Participants learn by analysing games, designing game systems, creating prototypes, testing them with other participants and improving them through feedback.
Each session combines brief theoretical inputs with practical design challenges, group work, guided reflection and hands-on prototyping. Participants explore how educational objectives can be transformed into game mechanics, player decisions, challenges, rules and meaningful interactions.
The training includes the analysis of existing board games and serious games, the design of educational goals, the creation of cards, boards, tokens, roles, missions and scenarios, and the development of low-cost prototypes using simple and accessible materials.
A strong emphasis is placed on playtesting and iteration. Participants test their prototypes, observe how players interact with them, identify design problems, balance difficulty, improve clarity and refine both the game experience and the educational value of their proposals.
At the end of the course, participants work individually or in small groups to design and present an educational board game or serious game prototype. These proposals are assessed by the trainers, who provide feedback on their pedagogical coherence, playability, feasibility and potential educational impact.
As part of the cultural and social dimension of the training, participants will also enjoy a guided visit around Valladolid and, on one of the afternoons, a tapas experience to discover the city’s local gastronomy in an informal and friendly atmosphere.
Contents
– Educational board games and serious games: key concepts, differences between gamification and game-based learning, and examples of games designed for educational, social or awareness-raising purposes.
– Designing from learning objectives: how to define the target group, educational goals and expected learning outcomes, and how to translate them into game mechanics, player actions and meaningful decisions.
– Core principles of board game design: rules, components, mechanics, dynamics, challenge, feedback, uncertainty, cooperation, competition, narrative, theme and player engagement.
– Prototyping, playtesting and iteration: creation of low-cost prototypes, testing with players, observation of gameplay, identification of design problems, balancing and improvement of the game experience.
– Presentation and assessment of educational game prototypes: participants will design and present a serious game or educational board game prototype, which will be evaluated by the trainers according to its pedagogical coherence, playability, feasibility and potential educational impact.
Participants
Language
Dates and Course Venue
Dates and schedule can be adapted to the needs of the sending institution or group.
The course can be delivered in Valladolid, Spain, or in other formats agreed with the organising institution.
Cost
Info and registration
For further information, please write to: info@ludusmagnus.es
To register: https://forms.gle/bcBWHpw9jBwCFnk56
Trainers
Azael Herrero is a Full Professor at the Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes, UEMC, and holds a PhD in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences from the University of León, with European Mention and Extraordinary Doctorate Award. In addition to his teaching work, he has held university management positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Vice-Rector for Academic Organisation and Faculty Affairs, and has a consolidated research career.
In the field of education, he stands out for his specialisation in gamification, board game-based learning and serious games, with more than 15 years of experience applying modern board games for educational purposes and gamifying his university teaching since 2017.
He is the founder of Ludus Magnus – European Institute for Modern Board Games – and leads training and educational innovation initiatives linked to local and European projects such as Erasmus+. His work involves primary education, vocational education, higher education, adult education and older adults, exploring how modern board games can support learning, motivation, social interaction, cognitive development and wellbeing.
Miriam Herrero Martín is an Educational Psychologist and Psychopedagogue, and she also trained as an Early Childhood Teacher. She holds postgraduate qualifications in Social Psychology and Sexology, and has eight years of professional experience as a school counsellor, supporting students, families and teaching teams in relation to learning, wellbeing and educational guidance.
She is currently completing a PhD at the University of Valladolid focused on the use of board games in Primary Education. Her work is strongly connected to active methodologies, educational innovation and the use of modern board games and digital tools to enhance motivation, learning and socio-emotional development.
Miriam has contributed to more than ten educational innovation initiatives and Erasmus-related projects, bringing a valuable psychological and pedagogical perspective to Ludus Magnus training courses. In this course, her expertise is especially relevant for connecting game design with educational objectives, learner needs, socio-emotional development and practical intervention proposals.