DIALOGICA Educational Games: Innovative Approach in the Non-Formal Education in the Republic of Moldova

• The National Conference entitled ‘Educational Games for Everyone’ took place on the International Children's Rights Day, which summed up the results of ‘Dialogica’ project.
• ‘Dialogica’ is a tool that can be used both in traditional and online environment. It allows children and adolescents to start a dialogue on important and topical matters; it helps develop logical and critical thinking, team work and negotiation skills.
• The ‘Guidelines on the Organisation of Educational Games’ and 70 rounds of questions focused on the Sustainable Development Goals were developed under the ‘Dialogica’ Project. Over 300 teachers and representatives of youth organisations attended the training course and got acquainted with the methods and peculiarities of the organisation of educational games. Over 1,500 students from grades 7 to 12, representing 160 educational institutions from all over the country, took part in the online educational game focused on the Sustainable Development Goals ‘Good Health and Well-Being’ and ‘Quality Education’.

Chisinau, 19 November 2020. Representatives of more than 100 educational institutions and youth organisations all over the Republic attended the online Conference ‘Educational Games for Everyone’, dedicated to the International Children’s Day. The Conference was organised under the ‘Dialogica’ Project, implemented by the Association of Intellectual Games of the Republic of Moldova with the support of UNICEF Moldova.

‘Dialogica’ is a tool that can be used both in traditional and online environment. It allows children and adolescents to start a dialogue on important and topical matters; it helps develop logical and critical thinking, team work and negotiation skills. ‘Dialogica’ includes guidelines on the organisation of educational games both in traditional and online environment, as well as 70 rounds of questions focused on the Sustainable Development Goals, such as ‘Quality Education’, ‘No Poverty’, ‘Zero hunger’, ‘Climate Action’, etc.

‘The initiative of the Association of Intellectual Games of the Republic of Moldova came at the right time. Last spring schools were closed. Currently, 8 educational institutions and 150 classes are in quarantine. However, the desire to study, to gather knowledge cannot be placed under quarantine. The educational games are available to almost everyone due to their simple organisation and because they have an important driver – the desire to win’, noted Ilija Talev, UNICEF Moldova Country Representative ad interim.

Concurrently with ‘Dialogica’ Project, the Association of Intellectual Games of the Republic of Moldova, in partnership with ‘ARTICO’ Republican Centre for Children and Youth, organises the Republican Intellectual Games Championship ‘Sub cusma lui Guguta’ [lit. Under the hat of Guguta]. The championship games take place online and attracted over 150 teams from all over the country.

‘We are positive that this type of games is important for children. The pandemic showed us that it was necessary to find innovative methods for the education of students, particularly in the online environment. The Ministry is ready to invest in the non-formal education’, said Marcel Marin, Head of Youth Department, Ministry of Education Culture and Research.

‘Thanks to the Project all those interested will be able to organise and conduct educational games in teams, both online and traditionally – offline. We believe that educational games represent not just entertainment, but also an effective tool for passing information to children, for helping them to adapt to the realities of life and urging them to have a socially responsible lifestyle’, noted Evghenii Poleacov, the Chairperson of the Association of Intellectual Games of Moldova.

Over 300 teachers and representatives of youth organisations attended the DIALOGICA training course. At the end of the course, each participant organised an educational game in their community.

Dinu Putere, a young opinion leader from Abaclia village, Basarabeasca district: ‘I attended the online training course on the use of the Guidelines. My homework was to organise an educational game for the young people from Abaclia village. The participants and teachers who attended the course were pleased with such an activity. Now I am planning to hold such games all over the district! I believe that educational games are a good tool for establishing and strengthening the communities of young volunteers.’

Remember that over 1,500 students from grades 7-12 representing over 160 educational institutions from all over the country participated in the online educational game held under the Project in October this year. The game was focused on two Sustainable Development Goals: ‘Good Health and Well-Being’ and ‘Quality Education’.

The International Children’s Day is celebrated worldwide every year on 20 November. It allows to promote, raise awareness and raise money to address the most urgent topical issues that children all over the world face.

The Convention on Children’s Rights was adopted on this date in 1989 and it lists the children’s rights (right to education, right to health, right to protection, etc.), including the fact that for a full and harmonious development of the children’s personality it is necessary for them to grow up in a family environment, in a happy atmosphere and to have the possibility to play and develop.