MAGICAL: Collaborative game building as a means to foster reasoning abilities and creativity

This proposal describes the aims and the expected outcomes of the MAGICAL (MAking Games In CollaborAtion for Learning) project that was funded in 2011 under the LLP transversal ICT Programme. MAGICAL is proposed here as an example of how digital games can fruitfully be employed to support students' intellectual development, which actually represents one of the main objectives of contemporary education. As a matter of fact, MAGICAL ultimate aim is that of triggering and enhancing students' key/transversal skills among which reasoning abilities, creative attitudes and digital competence. The project investigates game creation as an innovative educational framework and addresses the development of the above mentioned abilities/attitudes by adopting a collaborative, "learning by doing" approach to digital game construction (game building in groups), which is actually quite new in the field. The outcomes of the project, which is still on-going, will hopefully trace new avenues for engaging students in both highly motivating and effective game-based educational activities. In a wider perspective, the working methodology adopted in this project could also be fruitfully re-used to inform further different educational initiatives.