Civic engagement in school encourages students’ active participation in local, national, and global matters. It promotes critical thinking and helps with developing skills and understanding that pupils need to participate in a democratic society. But how can we promote these skills so students become empowered citizens in today’s world?
We interviewed Michelle Blanchet, an educational consultant and author with a deep interest in the topics of citizenship education, social-emotional learning and most interestingly, gamification.
“Policy shapes our lives.” Civic education should strive to ensure students are not only informed, but develop a sense of agency so they can engage in shaping policies and work together to create a desired future. Michelle commonly refers to “gamification” as a tool in her teaching. But what does exactly gamified education mean for her?
Gamified Education
Gamified education uses game elements to create immersive learning experiences that help students build essential skills. “It’s not enough to simply lecture or explain. Students often need to experience a concept to fully grasp it, and games provide that opportunity.”
Traditional teaching methods often fail to fully engage students or to help them understand the complexity of certain ideas. “Games provide a practical way for students to develop critical skills such as collaboration, empathy, and decision-making, while also immersing them in simulations that help bring complex challenges to life.”
Civic Engagement, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), and Gamification
Social-emotional learning (SEL) focuses on five key skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. For Michelle, these skills form the base for preparing young people to effectively communicate and collaborate, which are also essential for active citizenship.
SEL and civic participation skills are strongly linked and playing games helps students practice them. While SEL can enhance a game’s effectiveness, it doesn’t always have to align directly with the civic engagement theme. “It’s still up to us as educators to transfer those skills into civic engagement activities. For example, if we have students debate an issue or execute a changemaker project in their community, these SEL skills will come into play.” However, teachers need to make young people aware that they are using these skills, and why these skills are relevant. Furthermore, educators must guide students in understanding the importance of democratic processes and their role in preserving them.
Michelle shares some examples of games that integrate SEL and civic education, this includes the SDG Game, which focuses on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and the World Peace Game, which encourages students to solve global challenges collaboratively. Most games require interaction that inherently supports SEL, and this in turn enhances civic engagement.
Challenges in Gamification
Implementing gamification in civic education comes with challenges. Michelle identifies time as a significant constraint, particularly for educators new to game design. “It can be challenging to align game mechanics to the desired educational outcomes if there isn’t support, but game design can get easier with practice.”
Additionally, misconceptions about games may restrict people from adopting them. “Some people dismiss games as merely fun, overlooking the valuable skills developed through play.” Content-based games are sometimes seen as tools for rote memorization, “like a Jeopardy-style game focused on facts.” However, games have a wide range of applications and great potential, “so keeping an open mind is important.”
Measuring Success
Michelle suggests that one way to evaluate the success of gamified activities is through observation and debriefs. “If we observe that students are practising the intended skills during gameplay, it’s a success.” Post-game discussions also provide valuable insights into students’ main takeaways.
Games significantly enhance students’ ability to collaborate and empathize. During observations, educators can also note these skills being put into practice. “Many civic topics require teamwork, understanding diverse perspectives, and making responsible choices.” Gamification allows students to practice these skills in engaging ways, emphasizing the value of experiential learning.
Advice for Educators and Resources
Michelle encourages educators to start small and experiment with gamification. “You don’t need to get it perfect, if you have an idea that builds skills or engages students, test it and iterate.”
For those interested in integrating gamification into their teaching, networks like NECE (Networking European Citizenship Education) and local museums, which often use games and simulations for educational purposes, are great resources. Practical guidance can also be found on platforms such as Edutopia’s “Using Game-Based Learning in Civics” and Game Genius. Michelle advocates for physical experiences as well, which she believes are more effective in supporting skill-building associated with SEL.
“You practice like you play. It’s not enough to talk about skills; we must create opportunities for students to build them.” Gamification, with its ability to engage and empower, offers a transformative tool for civic education and SEL.
About Michelle:
Michelle Blanchet is an educational consultant and author, motivated to support individuals and teams to act as local catalysts within their schools, organisations, or communities. After 10 years of experience working with young people, she founded the Educators’ Lab, which supports teacher-driven solutions to educational challenges. If you want to know more about their work, visit their website.
Also, check out her latest book titled “Preventing Polarization: 50 Strategies for Teaching Kids About Empathy, Politics, and Civic Responsibility”
This year, Michelle will attend our Annual Conference 2025, during which she will deliver a workshop about the power of games as part of the learning process. If you don’t want to miss it, we invite you to purchase your participation tickets! You can do it here.
