The e-UCM group holds a workshop with serious games (Digital Awareness Training) at IES Carpe Diem
On May 25, our research group e-UCM visited high school IES Carpe Diem to hold a workshop aimed at engaging and raising awareness among students, using educational video games as a key tool for addressing current digital challenges.
The activity focused on raising awareness about grooming and managing the digital footprint—two critical challenges that young people face in their daily digital lives. To this end, the students used JustShare, a serious game designed specifically for this purpose.
The session, which lasted about an hour and a half, was divided into two parts:
- Gameplay (40 minutes): Students immersed themselves in the JustShare experience. Through simulation and decision-making in a safe environment, the students were able to experience firsthand the risks associated with online privacy and the dynamics of cyberbullying.
- Reflection phase (40 minutes): Following the game session, a discussion was held, led by the teachers and researchers from the group. During this second part, the behaviors observed during the game were analyzed, questions were answered, and key conclusions were drawn to help the young people identify warning signs and protect their digital identity in real life.
This collaboration with IES Carpe Diem not only allows our group to validate the effectiveness of JustShare in real-world educational settings, but also fulfills one of our core objectives: to transfer scientific knowledge directly to society and provide educational tools that help foster a safer and more responsible digital citizenry.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the administration, the faculty, and especially the students at IES Carpe Diem for their warm welcome, their enthusiasm, and the maturity they demonstrated throughout the workshop.
For more information about the game JustShare, visit its website here.
