In November, the partners of the Erasmus+ project Co-Create EcoTrade: Collaborative Learning for Sustainable VET Education met in Miranda de Ebro, Spain, for the second Learning, Teaching and Training Activity: LTTA 2 – Pilot Testing and Evaluation.

Hosted by Fundación Instituto Técnico Industrial – ITM Miranda, the activity brought together the project partners from Spain, Greece and Italy: ITM Miranda, Dracon Rules Design Studio and Training 2000. The main aim of the meeting was to test the EcoTrade educational board game in a real vocational education context and collect feedback from students, educators and partners.

From co-creation to testing

The EcoTrade board game was developed as an innovative learning tool for Vocational Education and Training. Its purpose is to help learners understand international trade, logistics, sustainable transport, company decision-making and environmental impact through interactive gameplay.

After the first co-creation workshop in Greece, where partners worked on the game concept, mechanics and educational content, the activity in Miranda de Ebro represented the next key step: testing the game in practice.

During the activity, participants explored the final version of the game components, including the game board, shipment cards, event cards, company development cards, player boards and tokens. The partners also reviewed the rulebook, trainer’s guide and supporting educational materials.

Learning through gameplay

Throughout the workshop, participants tested the game by taking the role of companies managing shipments across Europe. Players had to choose means of transport, complete trade routes, respond to unexpected events, invest in company upgrades and balance economic growth with environmental sustainability.

This practical testing phase allowed the project team to observe how the game works in a learning environment. It also helped identify how students interact with the rules, how they understand the link between gameplay and sustainability, and how educators can facilitate discussions around international trade and green skills.

The activity focused not only on whether the game was enjoyable, but also on whether it was clear, accessible and useful as a teaching tool. Feedback from the testing sessions was essential for improving the final materials and ensuring that EcoTrade can be easily used by VET teachers and trainers.

Connecting EcoTrade with VET education

One of the most important aspects of the Miranda activity was the connection between the board game and real vocational education needs. EcoTrade was designed to make complex topics more understandable by transforming them into concrete decisions and visible consequences.

Through the game, learners can explore questions such as:

How does the choice of transport affect time, cost and environmental impact?

How can companies invest in greener practices?

What happens when unexpected events disrupt international shipments?

How can logistics decisions become more sustainable?

These questions are directly connected to modern VET priorities, especially the development of green skills, practical problem-solving and responsible professional behaviour.

Evaluation and improvement

The LTTA 2 activity also included an evaluation phase. Partners discussed the strengths of the game, possible improvements and ways to adapt it to different classrooms and learner groups. This feedback helped refine the game rules, educational guidance and final dissemination materials.

The testing process confirmed that EcoTrade can be used as a flexible educational resource in VET settings. It supports active learning, collaboration, critical thinking and sustainability awareness, while also giving educators a practical tool to make lessons more engaging.

A step closer to the final EcoTrade results

The activity in Miranda de Ebro was an important milestone for the project. It helped move EcoTrade from a developed prototype to a tested educational resource ready for wider use and dissemination.

By bringing together educators, students and game designers, the activity showed the value of international cooperation in creating innovative teaching tools. It also demonstrated how board games can support vocational learning by connecting theory with practice.

The EcoTrade partnership will continue working to make the game and its supporting materials available to educators, trainers and learners across Europe.

EcoTrade proves that when learners play, decide, discuss and reflect, education becomes an experience.