Developing students’ digital competences through collaborative game design

This exploratory study engaged teams of elementary and middle school students in the collaborative design digital games. Game is theoretically examined this as a form knowledge-creating learning that characterized by efforts to advance shared object activity, i.e., game being designed. Using mixed methods, we how experienced project fostered connected learning, is, integration students’ personal interests supportive peer relations with their schoolwork, self-assessed competences developed. The 98 comprehensive across Finland were traced using pre- post-questionnaires. post-questionnaire also included validated measures on learning. Quantitative methods used analyze structured measures, qualitative open-ended measures. Students an inspiring, challenging activity. student sustained, create artifacts. Their involved great deal mutual support knowledge sharing. Participation improved self-reported technical artistic competences. informal, interest-driven, sociodigital participation; inspired engagement; schoolwork practices. appeared be pedagogically meaningful way engaging connecting students' formal informal sparked motivation learn, competences, enriched environment. • inspiring yet enabled develop had positive effects both out activities. assisted integrating