Modern board games can become powerful laboratories for teamwork, communication and social interaction. This hands-on course shows higher education professionals how to select, facilitate and debrief games to develop soft skills and psychological resources in university students. The training draws on Ludo Skills, an evidence-informed programme developed and evaluated in higher education.
Who is it for?
University lecturers, tutors, educational psychologists, student support professionals and educators interested in using modern board games to develop soft skills, teamwork and social interaction in higher education.
What will you learn?
1. Select modern board games according to specific soft skills and learning objectives.
2. Facilitate game sessions and manage group dynamics, participation and interaction.
3. Use structured debriefing to connect gameplay with academic, personal and professional contexts.
4. Explore different types of modern board games through hands-on play and analysis.
5. Adapt the Ludo Skills approach to your own educational context.
How will you learn?
This is a hands-on, experiential course in which participants learn by playing, observing, analysing and reflecting. Short theoretical inputs are combined with modern board game sessions, group discussion and structured debriefing. Particular attention is given to game selection, facilitation, group dynamics and transfer of learning to real higher education contexts.
Course contents
1. Soft skills in higher education: teamwork, communication, cooperation, empathy, decision-making, emotional regulation and resilience.
2. Modern board games as educational tools: characteristics, potential and selection criteria.
3. Game mechanics and social interaction: how different game structures generate different behaviours and learning opportunities.
4. Facilitation: preparing sessions, observing participants and managing group dynamics.
5. Structured debriefing: turning gameplay into reflection, learning and transfer.
6. The Ludo Skills model: design principles, implementation and adaptation to different higher education contexts.
Practical information
Duration: 20 hours
Participants: 8–20 participants
Language: English or Spanish
Dates & venue:
Dates and schedule are agreed with the organising institution. The course can be delivered in Valladolid, elsewhere in Spain, or internationally at your organisation.
Cost: Course fee tailored to duration, number of participants, location and specific training requirements.
Trainers
Azael J. Herrero is a university professor and researcher specialising in board game-based learning, gamification and educational innovation. He leads the Ludo Skills programme and conducts research on the educational and psychosocial effects of modern board games. He is also founder of Ludus Magnus / EIMBG and has extensive experience training educators in international and European contexts.
Miriam Herrero-Martín is an Educational Psychologist and Psychopedagogue with professional experience in student support, wellbeing, emotional development and educational guidance. She is currently completing a PhD at the University of Valladolid on the use of board games in Primary Education and has participated in numerous educational innovation and Erasmus-related projects. As a member of the research team involved in Ludo Skills, she contributes a psychological and pedagogical perspective on soft skills, social interaction, group dynamics and socio-emotional development.
Registration & contact
Interested in this course or need a tailored version for your organisation?
Contact us at info@ludusmagnus.es
