Game jamming as a participatory design approach to foster adolescents’ digital competence

Digital competencies are essential for German teacher training students to design contemporary German lessons. The acquisition of media literacy and the integration of digital tools into lessons are crucial factors for successfully preparing students for digital participation in society. Additionally, digital tools offer significant benefits for subject-specific didactic use in German lessons: planning and support, linguistic analysis and reflection, collaborative environments, visualization techniques, multimodal applications, and more. This potential is only limitedly utilized in Austrian schools.The current study investigates the possibilities and potentials of incorporating digital competencies into German teacher training with a focus on subject-specific didactic implementation. It proceeded under the framework of the funded nationwide project "Teaching Digital Thinking" (TDT), an initiative of the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Vienna, to promote digital competencies. Two years ago participatory action research (PAR) was started to study the explicit inclusion of learning objectives that address pre-service teachers’ acquisition of digital competences in the context of their initial experiences in teaching German to secondary level students (age 10-18). In this context the focus of the current study is on the most recent group of a practically oriented seminar in German (Bachelor) in the winter term 2024/25.The investigation is based on the following research question: What support do pre-service teachers need to expand their digital competencies and actively incorporate them into German lessons?To respond to this research question from the perspective of students as well as instructors, a Participatory Action Research Approach was taken, following Baskerville’s (1999) five phases: diagnosing, action planning, action taking, evaluating, and specifying learning. In the paper the authors are going to describe the phases and their outcomes in detail. To generate data for the evaluation phase, pre- and post-test questionnaires were used. The seminar design included the introduction of digital tools in a subject-specific didactic context. At the same time the participating students observed and taught at schools as part of the general school internship, where they were requested to observe the integration of digital elements at the practice schools. Reflective portfolios served to document and analyze students´ observations and experiences, with digital competencies creating a focus of reflection.The results of the first cycle of action showed that active confrontation with digital skills in the accompanying seminar had a positive impact on the use of digital tools. The majority of students reported back that the exchange with peers in the seminar contributed to the expansion of their own competencies and that they felt it was part of their task to support pupils with the acquisition of digital competencies. Based on the insights gained, the following measures are planned for the subsequent cycle of action to optimize the integration of digital competencies: systematic involvement of mentors in the project, invitation of external experts to the accompanying seminars and the creation of a digital resource collection with practice-relevant examples of application for German lessons.

The increasing demand for innovative and interactive learning media in education highlights the importance of enhancing teachers' digital competencies. This community service program, conducted under the Community Partnership Program (PKM), aimed to improve the digital skills of teachers at Integrated Islamic Elementary Schools in Pamekasan, particularly in utilizing Canva to create engaging and effective learning materials. The primary challenge identified was the low proficiency of teachers in using technology for developing creative and up-to-date media. To address this, a participatory approach was employed, combining theoretical instruction with hands-on practice. The training was implemented in stages, starting with basic hardware literacy and progressing to the application of Canva features for classroom-appropriate learning media. Strategies included providing training modules, live demonstrations, and group discussions to foster collaborative idea-sharing. The program's outcomes revealed a significant improvement in teachers' digital competence. Pre- and post-training assessments demonstrated an increase in hardware proficiency from 57.4% to 73.4%, alongside notable enhancements in Canva-related skills, such as creativity, usage frequency, and diversity of learning materials produced. Despite challenges posed by the limited digital literacy of senior teachers, the program successfully equipped participants with the skills to develop more engaging and diverse digital learning resources, ultimately fostering greater student participation and motivation..

The development of video games comprises engineering teams within various disciplines, e.g., software engineering, game production, and creative arts. Game jams are a promising approach for (software+) development projects to foster on new product development. This paper evaluates the concept of game jam, a community design/development activity, and its positive effects on new software product development with tight schedules in time-oriented, competitive environments. Game jams have received more public attention in recent times, but the concept itself has not been formally discussed so far. A game jam is a composition of design and development strategies: new product development, participatory design, lightweight construction, rapid experience prototyping, product-value focusing, aesthetics and technology, concurrent development and multidisciplinarity. Although game jams are normally used for rapid prototyping of small computer games, the constellation of the mentioned elements provides a powerful technique for rapidly prototyping new product ideas and disruptive innovations.

BackgroundDigital technologies are increasingly being introduced into the health care system and in settings such as hospitals and geriatric long-term care (LTC) facilities, offering potential benefits such as improved care quality, reduced workload, or enhanced documentation processes. However, the success of these technologies also depends on the acceptance by the primary users, that is, the nursing staff.ObjectiveThis review synthesizes empirical studies that have explored the acceptance of digital technologies by nursing staff in geriatric LTC settings, building upon the foundational work by Yu et al (2009). The goal is to identify influencing factors, assess the extent of existing evidence, and highlight research gaps in this care setting.MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 guidelines. The SPIDER (sample, phenomenon of interest, design, evaluation, research type) framework was used for eligibility criteria. Databases searched included PubMed, ACM Digital Library, Web of Science, and the Health Administration Database ProQuest. Studies were included if they empirically examined the acceptance of digital technologies by nursing staff in geriatric LTC settings. Two reviewers independently screened the studies, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality using the CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) checklist.ResultsA total of 3 studies met the criteria, highlighting a gap in research on this topic. The studies applied cross-sectional quantitative designs and highlighted critical determinants of technology acceptance, including perceived usefulness, ease of use, digital competence, and organizational support. The studies involved a total of 1019 participants from Germany, Australia, and the Netherlands. Barriers included lack of user involvement, lack of training, poor system design, and demographic differences in digital affinity.ConclusionsThis review shows that the acceptance of digital technologies by nursing staff in geriatric LTC settings is shaped by a constellation of individual factors, such as digital competence and perceived relevance of technology, as well as organizational factors such as access to training and involvement of staff in the implementation process. Despite these insights, the limited number of empirical studies highlights a research gap in this care setting. To ensure sustainable digital transformation in geriatric LTC, future research should prioritize rigorous and participatory approaches, using longitudinal, intervention-based, or multilevel study designs.

The wave of modernization threatens the survival of local cultural heritage, including Kumango Pencak Silat in Nagari Kumango, Tanah Datar. This community service program aims to revitalize traditional martial arts values through a digital learning media strategy. The implementation followed a participatory approach, involving the local community in video documentation workshops, interactive e-module development, and culture-based social media management. Results indicated a significant improvement in participants' digital competence, with an average score increase of 35 points. This initiative successfully transformed traditional techniques and philosophies into digital formats accessible to the younger generation. The program's success demonstrates that the integration of digital technology and local wisdom effectively strengthens cultural resilience and serves as a replicable model for preserving intangible cultural heritage in other indigenous communities.

Proceedings of the eighth conference on Participatory design Artful integration: interweaving media, materials and practices - PDC 04

Indonesia is one of the world's leading coffee producers, offering a wide variety of flavors and characteristics across its regions, including the eastern part of the archipelago. One promising area is Rende Nao Village, located in Lamba Leda Timur District, East Manggarai Regency, which is known for its Colol coffee. Despite its high quality and strong market potential, the use of digital media for marketing remains limited. The East Manggarai Coffee Farmers Association (ASNIKOM) has established an official website; however, low levels of digital literacy and ineffective content management hinder efforts to expand market reach and build a strong digital product identity. In response to these challenges, this community engagement program was conducted to introduce the concept of an interactive website as an initial strategy to enhance the digital marketing capacity of local coffee farmers. The program employed a participatory and educational approach, involving discussions, needs assessments, and demonstrations of basic website features. Rather than focusing on advanced technical training, the initiative emphasized conceptual understanding and content planning based on local input. As a result, the program increased awareness of the potential of digital marketing and led to the development of an initial strategy for ASNIKOM’s website, laying the foundation for strengthening farmers’ digital competencies as an adaptive step toward sustainable and technology-based coffee marketing practices.

Breathing Games is a global initiative that promotes respiratory health through the co-creation of respiratory games and devices by a community of patients, clinicians, interdisciplinary researchers and technology professionals. Using participatory approaches, such as game jams, hackathons, workshops (Decker, Eiselt & Voll, 2015) the project aims to educate people about respiratory health, make treatments fun, and inform clinical research, while co-producing knowledge. Breathing Games and similar knowledge commons are social initiatives that offer an alternative to competitive and proprietary systems, challenging dominant legal frameworks through the free/libre production and distribution of designs, software and hardware technologies.

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has fundamentally transformed media ecosystems and educational practices, prompting the continuous evolution of media education methodologies. This study examines the development of media education from traditional protectionist approaches, which emphasized critical analysis of mass media, to contemporary integrative models that combine critical reflection with digital and multimodal media production. Using a qualitative integrative literature review, this study synthesizes theoretical perspectives, international policy frameworks, and empirical research published between 2015 and 2025. Data were analyzed thematically to identify major methodological shifts, converging paradigms, and persistent challenges in media education. The findings reveal a clear transition from passive, analysis-oriented models toward empowerment-based and participatory approaches that position learners as both critical analysts and active media producers. Contemporary methodologies increasingly integrate critical media literacy with technical and digital competencies, addressing issues such as information evaluation, ethical media use, and digital citizenship in complex, algorithm-driven environments. International frameworks, particularly UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy initiatives, have played a significant role in shaping these integrative orientations, although their implementation remains uneven across educational contexts. This study contributes an integrative perspective on media education methodologies by linking historical foundations, theoretical debates, policy directions, and classroom practices. The findings underscore the importance of embedding media education as a core, cross-curricular component supported by teacher capacity building and institutional commitment. Such an approach is essential for preparing learners to navigate the challenges of the global information society critically, ethically, and creatively.

The background of this research is to produce professional teachers with digital competency through training in making web-based learning media. This study aims to analyze how effective the training on teachers' knowledge in generating web-based learning media is to produce professional teachers. This research used a quantitative study with the one-group pre-test/post-test design approach. This research was conducted by the 20 teachers at SMAN 2 Tondano who trained in making web-based learning media integrated by a project-based learning model (PjBL). Based on data analysis with the N-gain test, this study concludes that web-based learning media creation training on teachers at SMAN 2 Tondano has improved teacher knowledge in a medium category, with an average increase of 43%. The data has also been confirmed through a hypothetical test showing that the α0.05 significance value indicates that training activities are running effectively. These results indicate that training can improve teachers' knowledge, support a better learning process, and make teachers more professional with digital competency.

This article examines the development of students' digital competencies through the Merdeka Belajar – Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) Internship Program at the Regional Civil Service Agency (BKD) Office of Central Kalimantan Province. The MBKM policy aims to improve student competencies through flexible learning outside the campus, including internships that bridge the academic theory of the Islamic Education Management Study Program with workplace practices. The research method used a task-based participatory approach over a period of 4 months (July-November 2023), with intensive guidance from BKD staff and academic advisors, focusing on documenting routine activities, multimedia editing, and content production for social media. The results show that students successfully documented 12 morning assemblies, 8 morning exercises, and more than 15 BKD Head events, as well as educational content such as the “ASN Berakhlak” series published on Instagram @bkdprovkalteng, increasing the engagement rate through editing with Canva. The discussion emphasized the effectiveness of link and match in developing digital skills, creativity, and resilience, supported by relevant research references. The conclusion stated that this program was effective in preparing graduates for work, with recommendations for expanding digital ethics training and broader collaboration. This article contributes to the understanding of MBKM practices in local government agencies.

Objective: Although some serious games have been developed for physical therapy, little work has been conducted through a participatory design approach. Therefore, a game prototype was developed, which involved related stakeholders in the design process. Materials and Methods: The iterative participatory design process was adopted with the input of 18 patients with frozen shoulder symptoms, 4 health professionals, 2 game designers, and 5 researchers in an iterative process to design, test, and evaluate the game prototype. In total, 17 patients participated in the interviews to explore their needs and desires for a serious game. The health professionals participated in the interviews to understand the medical requirement and experience pertaining to frozen shoulder and were included in the workshop to give feedback on the game prototype. At the conclusion of the iterative design process, a Kinect-based prototype game with three levels was used for a case study with one patient who was diagnosed with frozen shoulder and has been receiving medical treatment in the hospital. Results: Based on the outcomes derived from data collected among diverse stakeholders, the prototype game underwent iterative development by the team and was assessed by a participant with frozen shoulder symptoms. Findings revealed that the participant demonstrated enhanced shoulder mobility and a reduction in pain intensity, despite the lack of significant improvement for health-related quality of life. Nevertheless, the participant reported a positive experience with the prototype game. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of involving diverse stakeholders in the development process to create more effective and user-centric serious games for rehabilitation. The participatory approach, exemplified by the prototype game, demonstrates potential improvements in both user experience and overall effectiveness during the rehabilitation process.

This diagnosis is essential for identifying strengths and areas for improvement in digital management capabilities, enabling the redesign of teacher training policies and the modernization of academic and administrative processes in Latin American contexts. The research employed a methodological approach that combined the epistemological focus of the positivist paradigm with a deductive, cross-sectional design and descriptive-explanatory approach. The technique consisted of a survey administered to 30 graduate program directors, comprising 45 subjects. The research instrument was constructed and validated in four phases, which included: definition and rationale of the theoretical construct, instrument adaptation, testing to assess reliability, and review by experts in the field of study. Statistical processing was subsequently performed using SPSS and Excel, with descriptive and inferential analysis. The results were calculated using percentage averages per faculty, considering the number of participants for each variable. The conclusion was that the digital competencies and university management capabilities of UNL graduate program directors were distributed heterogeneously by academic unit. Education-related faculties, such as the Distance Education Unit and the Faculty of Education, Arts, and Communication, excel at the highly specialized level. Technical and applied faculties exhibited variable performance, with the exception of the Faculty of Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources, which remained at an intermediate level. Furthermore, a direct and very high-degree relationship was evident between Digital Competencies in the Knowledge Society and Educational Management, specifically in the level of mastery of the participating graduate program directors. This allowed the optimization of administrative processes through the adoption of ICTs for institutional strengthening, thus positioning UNL as a benchmark for educational innovation in Ecuador.

Resilience and digital skills could be considered necessary competencies for the individual of the twenty-first century, which the current social reality suggests. For this reason we carried out a research in the institution of higher education -IES- Corporación Escuela Tecnológica del Oriente, of Bucaramanga-Colombia, which had a dual purpose: to describe resilience and digital competence in 356 of its students and establish a comparison between the values of these two aspects and those reported in other HEIs in Mexico, using a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design and descriptive scope approach, the SV-RES Resilience Scale instrument and a Questionnaire for the study of the Digital Competence of Higher Education Students.

Resilience and digital skills could be considered necessary competencies for the individual of the twenty-first century, which the current social reality suggests. For this reason we carried out a research in the institution of higher education -IES- Corporación Escuela Tecnológica del Oriente, of Bucaramanga-Colombia, which had a dual purpose: to describe resilience and digital competence in 356 of its students and establish a comparison between the values of these two aspects and those reported in other HEIs in Mexico, using a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design and descriptive scope approach, the SV-RES Resilience Scale instrument and a Questionnaire for the study of the Digital Competence of Higher Education Students.