More than gaming – it’s digital creation

Imagine your students not just consuming video games, but building their own worlds from scratch. Imagine the spark when they realize they can control pixels, logic, and stories with their own code.

This 6-day Erasmus+ course empowers educators to integrate Game Jams, PICO-8, and AI-assisted coding into real classrooms. Through the charm of retro pixel art and the power of LUA scripting, you’ll master the complete game development pipeline — from design thinking to final deployment.

By the end of the week, you’ll walk away not just with a playable game, but with a dynamic teaching methodology, ready to turn your classroom into a collaborative creative studio.

Locations: Szeged, Békéscsaba, or Budapest – Hungary
Language: English (support in Hungarian available)

 

Who is this course for?

• Teachers, trainers, and education innovators
• ICT, Art, or STEAM educators
• After-school club leaders and digital mentors
• Erasmus+ participants eager to gamify learning

No prior coding or game design experience required — just creativity and a willingness to learn by doing!

 

Why educators choose this course

• You’ll build a retro game from scratch – and understand the logic behind it
• You’ll master the “Game Jam” methodology to boost student engagement
• You’ll explore AI-assisted coding (ChatGPT, Copilot) as a teaching superpower
• You’ll learn PICO-8: a free, accessible tool perfect for beginners
• You’ll foster digital storytelling and 21st-century skills

 

What you’ll experience

• Learn the foundations of the PICO-8 fantasy console and LUA script
• Design characters, maps, and narratives using pixel art
• Prototype and test gameplay mechanics in a team environment
• Use AI tools to accelerate learning and solve coding bugs
• Take part in a mini “Game Jam” to create and launch a finished project
• Reflect, share, and plan how to run game dev clubs back home

 

Course Overview – 6 Days of Making and Learning

Day 1 – Enter the Retro World

Get inspired by the Game Development Lifecycle.
Create a safe, creative environment and dive into the basics of PICO-8 through an engaging blended learning approach.

Day 2 – Design, Draft, and Jam

Kick off your classroom Game Jam!
Learn the fundamentals of LUA scripting and apply Design Thinking to sketch your game’s narrative, mechanics, and core concept.

Day 3 – Pixel Art & Digital Storytelling

Bring your world to life visually.
Collaborate with your team to create maps, sprites, and assets, and write the code that makes your characters move and interact.

Day 4 – The AI Co-Pilot

Learn how GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT can revolutionize coding education.
Use AI assistance to implement advanced mechanics and practice creative problem-solving.

Day 5 – Demo Day & Future Creators

Polish your code, fix the bugs, and publish your game.
Showcase your work in a “Demo Day,” receive peer feedback, and plan how to transfer these digital skills to your own teaching practice.

Day 6 – Future possibilities

Plan how to adapt game design and development to your own classroom.

 

Tools You’ll Use

PICO-8 • LUA Script • GitHub Copilot • ChatGPT
Pixel Art • Game Design •  Blended Learning

 

What you’ll gain

• Practical skills to teach coding through game development
• Innovative approaches to boost creativity, problem‑solving, and design thinking through game design
• Expertise in organizing game jams and guiding participants through the full development cycle
• A fully playable retro game to inspire and engage students
• Confidence in leveraging AI for creative projects
• Blended learning strategies for effective STEAM integration
• Enhanced creativity and teamwork skills

 

Ready to press start?

Your classroom can be the next game studio.
Your students can be the next digital creators.
Join us in Hungary — and let’s make learning fun again.