Middle School Students Develop Video Games in Padua Province
The second edition of Play/Ground, aimed at Italian middle schools, wrapped up in Padua, with participation from schools in Sant'Elena, Sant'Urbano, Castelbaldo, Merlara, and Casale di Scodosia. This initiative, organized by Istituto Comprensivo di Villa Estense and Istituto Comprensivo della Sculdascia and supported by a national cinema grant, focused on teaching students about water management through the creation of visual novels. Students toured the Vampadore water pump in Megliadino San Vitale, with guidance from Consorzio di Bonifica Adige Euganeo. Under the direction of Valentina Paggiarin and Francesco Berton, six visual novels were created, including Fuggire per Coraggio and Le Esploratrici. Teacher Mariapia Borghesan remarked on the project's positive impact on students' artistic and digital skills, noting that many had primarily engaged with action games like Minecraft and Fortnite.
Key facts
- Second edition of Play/Ground project for Italian middle schools concluded in Padua province.
- Involved schools in Casale di Scodosia, Merlara, Castelbaldo, Sant'Elena, Sant'Urbano.
- Organized by Istituto Comprensivo della Sculdascia, Istituto Comprensivo di Villa Estense, GLASS studio, and IVIPRO.
- Funded by Piano Nazionale Cinema e Immagini per la Scuola.
- Students created visual novels about water management in Padua territory.
- Students visited Vampadore water pump in Megliadino San Vitale, built in the 19th century.
- Collaboration with Consorzio di Bonifica Adige Euganeo.
- Six visual novels produced: Fuggire per Coraggio, Due Occhi Gialli, La Maschera Nera, Le Esploratrici, La Notte della Vendetta, Detective Nutrix e il Diamante d’Acqua.
- Assisted by film producer Valentina Paggiarin and game designer Francesco Berton.
- Teacher Mariapia Borghesan highlighted engagement of students' artistic and digital skills.
- Students from Merlara created Fuggire per Coraggio about two kids meeting at the pump.
- Many students had never played visual novels before, only Minecraft, Fortnite, FIFA.
- Visual novels use hand-drawn and digital illustrations, photos, collages.
- Le Esploratrici addresses parental loss.
Entities
Artists
- Valentina Paggiarin
- Francesco Berton
- Mariapia Borghesan
Institutions
- Istituto Comprensivo della Sculdascia
- Istituto Comprensivo di Villa Estense
- GLASS studio
- IVIPRO (Italian Videogame Program)
- Consorzio di Bonifica Adige Euganeo
- Piano Nazionale Cinema e Immagini per la Scuola
- Microsoft
- Epic Games
- Electronic Arts
- Wattpad
- Amazon
- Artribune
- Scuola Internazionale di Comics di Firenze
- Gravure
- FISAR
Locations
- Casale di Scodosia
- Merlara
- Castelbaldo
- Sant'Elena
- Sant'Urbano
- Padua
- Padua province
- Italy
- Este
- Megliadino San Vitale
- Vampadore water pump