From smartphones to knowledge: gamification and digital teaching for a co-evolutionary school

The study analyses the impact of gamification and smartphone-supported digital teaching on the learning processes, self-esteem and self-efficacy of lower secondary school students. The intervention, carried out in a school in Naples, involved the design of digital escape rooms using the Genially platform, with the aim of transforming the school environment into a cooperative, experiential and inclusive learning space. The research adopted a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative tools with qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers and students. This approach allowed for an in-depth analysis of the cognitive, motivational and relational changes generated by the intervention. The results show a significant increase in self-esteem and self-efficacy in the experimental group compared to the control group. Particularly significant effects were observed in students with dyslexia, who experienced more equitable participation and a strengthening of personal confidence. The interviews confirm greater involvement, better collaboration and an increased perception of competence, as well as a more positive emotional and relational climate in the classroom. The discussion interprets these results in the light of co-evolution pedagogy, conceiving learning as a dynamic and relational process between the individual, the environment and technology. Digital teaching thus emerges as an enhancement of traditional teaching, capable of promoting personalisation, inclusion and the construction of meaningful knowledge.