An amazing way to learn STEM concepts developing sustainable cities idea in the citizens of the future: the methodology of erasmus+ project DIGITgame (digital improvement by game in smart city projecting)

DIGITgame intends to improve scientific skills and competence through more effective and innovative teaching methods, from January 2018 to December 2019; activities are already in progress and the present work intends to communicate the methodological approach that has been adopted by the project Consortium. The strategy to reinforce learning skills, is based on Smart City projecting actions by the development of a didactic mini-game with challenges based on the scientific concepts acquired. DIGITgame proposes a new approach to communicate and teach traditional topics of environmental sciences using the new thematic of Smart Cities and taking advantage introducing the videogame solution. This didactic strategy will permit to reinforce the achievement of advanced and high quality competences, both in scientific topics and digital knowledge. The mini-game is organized around a set of "basic variables" that design the virtual city contest, the students challenge is to project and build the "assets" from a dare point of view, balancing costs, scores, constrains and final goal. Each asset presents a subject of the official national school's curriculum in IT and TK and it will be the subject of in-room lessons and seminars. The match between traditional approach, gamification challenge and informatics is the keystone to turn young students in involved and aware citizens. All the project steps are driven by questionnaire that have showed us the present under involvement of young people in environment knowledge and planning and will supply the Consortium in tuning the skill in a more effective students training.