Successful ACADIMIA Workshops in Akranes

On 10 February, Grundaskóli in Akranes hosted a vibrant afternoon of professional development, welcoming over 50 teachers to participate in a series of ACADIMIA workshops focused on creative and inclusive teaching methods.

The workshops, organised in collaboration between the School of Education at the University of Iceland and GeoCamp Iceland, form part of the international Erasmus+ project ACADIMIA. The event demonstrated strong interest among educators in approaches that actively engage students, foster critical thinking and respond to the diverse needs of today’s classrooms.

Two Parallel Workshops – One Shared Vision

The programme offered two parallel 80-minute workshops, each presenting a distinct but complementary pedagogical approach.

Gamified Learning was led by Tryggvi Thayer and Skúlína Kjartansdóttir from the University of Iceland’s School of Education. The session explored how game design principles and playful challenges can increase student engagement, motivation and problem-solving skills. Participants discussed practical strategies for integrating game mechanics into everyday teaching, particularly when working with diverse and mixed-ability student groups.

TalentMaker – Talent-Based Learning, facilitated by Ragnheiður Alma Snæbjörnsdóttir from Akurskóli, focused on activating students’ strengths through creative and flexible project work. Developed in blended learning environments following the Covid pandemic, the method allows students to work independently, in pairs or in groups, while building on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. The emphasis is on recognising and nurturing different talents within the classroom.

Part of a Broader European Collaboration

The workshops in Akranes are part of the wider ACADIMIA Erasmus+ project, in which GeoCamp Iceland and the University of Iceland are partners. The project brings together 11 creative teaching methodologies developed across Europe into one coherent framework. These methods draw inspiration from Montessori pedagogy, theatre and dialogue practices, gamification, and creative coding.

ACADIMIA aims to develop a shared curriculum on creative and inclusive teaching approaches and to deliver a series of teacher training workshops across all eight partner countries. In the long term, the ambition is to build a professional platform where educators can exchange ideas, inspire one another and integrate innovative methods directly into increasingly demanding school environments.

A Valuable Opportunity for Local Schools
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For Grundaskóli and the wider educational community in Akranes, hosting the ACADIMIA workshops was a significant opportunity. The strong turnout reflects a growing interest among Icelandic teachers in practical, research-informed and internationally connected professional development.

The success of the event confirms that creative, inclusive and student-centred approaches are not trends — they are essential tools for modern education.

GeoCamp Iceland is proud to support this ongoing collaboration and to contribute to strengthening teacher capacity both locally and across Europe.