Abstract
The great ambition of using games as the cornerstone of education is hindered by its associated teaching workload. The BEACONING project developed a framework based on an authoring tool for gamified lesson paths, which has been rolled-out in large scale across Europe. It includes stages for planning game-based educational activities, plus their deployment, monitoring, and assessment.

Abstract

Abstract
This article introduces a Special Issue that gathers a collection of effective tools to promote the teaching and learning of writing in school-aged and university students, across varied contexts. The authors present the theoretical rationale and technical specificities of writing tools aimed at enhancing writing processes (e.g., spelling, revising) and/or at providing writers with automated feedback to improve the implementation of those processes. The tools are described in detail, along with empirical data on their effectiveness in improving one or more aspects of writing. All articles conclude by indicating future directions for further developing and evaluating the tools. This Special Issue represents an important contribution to the field of technology-based writing instruction, in a moment in which online teaching and learning tools have shifted from being an instructional asset to a necessity. We hope that in the future the validation of each tool can be expanded by reaching out to different populations and cultural contexts.

Abstract

Abstract
Invasive species present a global problem that requires better awareness from the general population. Serious games can serve as a tool for bringing attention to issues of this kind. People who are not informed cannot distinguish the invasive species apart from the ones native to a particular ecosystem. In this wok we present a serious game designed with the primary objective of informing people about the main characteristics of invasive plant species in Portugal, as well as showing proper ways of removing and disposing it, without allowing to spread throughout the local ecosystem. A game prototype was developed for mobile devices, since these are the most widely used platform, allowing the game's message to have a wider reach. Currently, the game has a single level focusing on a plant species, the water hyacinth, that thrive in rivers and lakes. User tests were performed to evaluate the prototype and to gather feedback and suggestions for future improvements. Results revealed a positive reception and an interest in further developments.