Challenge-based learning as a tool for creativity and talent expression

After the stop caused by the pandemic, the University of Trento and its newly born FabLab reopened the doors to DigiEduHack (https://digieduhack.com/en/), the decentralized hackathon dedicated to the most pressing challenges of digital and innovative education. More than 30 multidisciplinary students have ventured into the design of innovative learning tools to meet the challenge thrown at them: prototyping educational board games; multimedia artefacts and installations at the intersection of big data, art and technology; co-designing festivals in a combination of art, science and fun; laboratory images to be presented in the classroom. In this short paper, as a case study one, we will outline the DigiEduHack initiative, focusing on the potential of a challenge-based approach in stimulating and strengthening introspection, creative thinking and talent’s expression. Supported by a set of qualitative data collected before and after the event, this work reports an education case study and shows the progress and preliminary reflections of the students and educators involved.