BEACONING D7.1 Technology Watch: Game-based Learning 2016

Leveraging games for learning is not to be just another passing fad in the history of educational technology. Young minds are curious and primed for change, but equally strong in resisting reinforced change! BEACONING environment is designed to foster learning curiosity and ultimately intended to encourage learners (“feel the need”) to acquire knowledge and skills through the nurturing of intrinsic motivation as would be demanded in the gaming episodes, the same way it so happens in real-life. The document consists of three main sections. The in-depth market analysis of the education gaming in EU is presented, followed by an overview of the state of the art of the technology in using games for engaging students in inclusive education. The final section is a discussion about how to evaluate project outcomes in ways that not only serve for validation but also for actionable feedback towards further development. At the end of each section, there is a reflection exercise to derive lessons and portable ideas for the BEACONING project.