At the fifth edition of the Educating the Educators conference in Cyprus, Imptox members from Promoscience shared how game-based tools can support educators in teaching complex science topics - inside the classroom and beyond.

Can a well-crafted video game help students understand scientific complexity while supporting teachers with inclusive, engaging and adaptable tools? At this year’s Educating the Educators (ETE) conference in Limassol, Cyprus, Imptox contributed to this vibrant conversation with a hands-on workshop exploring how digital games can become meaningful tools in STEM education.

Organized by the International Centre for STEM Education (ICSE) at the University of Education in Freiburg, the conference took place on May 8–9, 2025, and brought together nearly 200 researchers, educators, and policymakers to discuss 21st Century Challenges in STEM Education. The conference focused on four thematic tracks - Diversity, STEM in the Digital Era, Interdisciplinarity, and Sustainability - and was further elevated by keynote lectures from Stanford University’s Professor Jonathan Osborne and Professor Hilda Borko. Their talks on scientific literacy and learning frameworks set the tone for two days of bold ideas and forward-looking pedagogy.

Hands-On Learning

In this dynamic setting, Sabine Kienzl (Science Communicator) and Erik Martelli (Front End Developer), both from Imptox partner Promoscience, led a one-hour workshop on May 9th that explored the power of video games to engage students across a wide age range. Their session, “Engaging STEM Education Through Educational Videogames: Present and Future Possibilities,” introduced participants to two free, multilingual games developed within the Horizon 2020 projects Imptox and InterLynk: Microplastic Madness: Catching PlastikPunk and Tissue Trek: The Scaffold Safari. Addressing topics like micro/nanoplastic pollution and 3D bioprinting, the games offer educators a way to integrate real-world science into the learning process while encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, and coding skills.

The session was far from one-sided. Participants - researchers, teachers, professors, and education professionals from across Europe (including Cyprus, Belgium, Austria, Malta, and Germany) and beyond (such as Israel) - played the games themselves, responded to Mentimeter polls and provided feedback that will directly inform ongoing development. Their reactions confirmed what the Promoscience team hoped to show: that educational video games - when thoughtfully designed - can support a range of learning needs and give educators new ways to connect science with students' lives. The games follow Universal Design for Learning principles and are inspired by constructionist and flipped-classroom methodologies, aiming to make science more accessible, interactive, and empowering.

From Research to the Classroom 

For Imptox, whose research focuses on uncovering how micro- and nanoplastics affect human health, this educational approach is a natural extension of its mission, combining scientific investigation with a strong commitment to public engagement and knowledge sharing - especially with younger generations. The games developed within the project are both outreach tools and practical classroom resources, giving teachers the means to introduce complex environmental health issues in ways that are engaging, scientifically grounded, and accessible to a wide range of learners.

Students as Creators: Shaping the Future of STEM Learning

Looking ahead, Sabine and Erik also unveiled a concept for a digital platform where students themselves will design educational games. This next step invites learners not just to play, but to co-create the future of STEM education - shifting the role of students from recipients to active builders of knowledge.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the entire organizational team for the excellent planning and welcoming atmosphere of the conference. Events like Educating the Educators remind us how vital it is to connect research with real-world educational practice. We are already looking forward to the next edition, hopefully returning with more innovations, fresh insights, and new ways to inspire the scientists and educators of tomorrow.

Curious to see more from the conference? Check out the conference page, book of abstracts and full agenda.

Sabine Kienzl (above) and Erik Martelli (below) explaining the main features of the Microplastic Madness educational videogame.