PLAY STORM, the first italian edition of the event dedicated to board games and, more broadly, to exploring the educational value of play and gamification in teaching, is set to begin. The initiative will take place from 4 to 6 February 2026 at the ISS “Battisti” in Bolzano and is aimed in particular at students from upper secondary schools in the local area.
During the days dedicated to students, INDIRE, CNR and ITE Battisti will provide eight educational games – seven board games and one digital game – designed to stimulate active learning, critical thinking and collaboration. The games address highly topical scientific and technological themes, ranging from materials chemistry to the circular economy, from blockchain to quantum physics, offering students an immersive and participatory learning experience.
PLAY STORM – BOLZANO was created with the aim of promoting innovative teaching practices and encouraging dialogue between schools, research institutions and the local community, directly involving students, teachers and the wider educational community. In this context, CNR-ISOF is among the organizing institutions and contributes to the event both through activities for bith students and teachers.
The days of 4 and 5 February will be entirely devoted to playful and educational activities for students, while 6 February will be reserved for teacher training, with a focus on the theme “Gamification in teaching – The educational value of board games.” The programme includes a plenary session and six parallel workshops, with the participation of university lecturers and researchers from INDIRE, CNR, IPRASE and IUL.
The event is organized by CNR-ICCOM (Tuscany), CNR-ISOF and CNR-ISSMC (Emilia-Romagna), CNR-INO (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol) and CNR-STIIMA (Piedmont), in collaboration with INDIRE, ISS “Battisti” and the Italian Education and Training Directorate of the Province of Bolzano.