Leicester College Library programme wins national award for innovation

Gameracy wins CoLRiC Innovative Practice Award for 2024

Leicester College’s Gameracy programme has been awarded the Innovative Practice Award for 2024 by the Council for Learning Resources in Colleges (CoLRiC).

The programme, developed by the College’s Library team, is designed to support literacy, numeracy and digital skills. Gameracy is a tabletop game-based learning programme for disengaged students and helps to take the stress out of learning. The implementation of the programme has boosted wellbeing and encouraged key social skills such as teamwork and strategising.

The Gameracy programme, launched in 2019, was recognised for its excellence across all seven key criteria, including innovative service development, strong partnerships with academic staff and student support, and fostering student engagement and inclusivity. Its sensitivity to the diverse needs of the student community, measurable impact through assessments and feedback, and clear sustainability objectives further impressed the judging panel, leading to a unanimous decision to honour the programme for its potential influence on the broader further education (FE) library and learning resources community.

The judges commended the programme for its engaging student participation, highlighting the diverse range of games that appeal to all students and the inclusive, supportive environment created by the active involvement of library staff. They praised the submission as “well-considered with clear objectives, methods and outcomes,” noting its potential to guide other institutions in implementing similar projects and its thoughtful approach to addressing the challenge of student engagement in libraries.

Lucy Sears, Library Supervisor and Gameracy Co-ordinator, commented: “I’m delighted and proud that Leicester College Library’s Gameracy programme is this year’s recipient of CoLRiC’s Innovative Practice Award. When I pitched the idea back in 2019, we started with only one tabletop game and three students. The programme has grown exponentially and been refined over the years, now forming an integral part of our curriculum, highlighting how important learning through play is at any age.

“It also demonstrates how game-based learning can help to build better relationships between libraries, students and the curriculum. This award is a testament to the hard work (and play!) of the Gameracy team, the students who participated, the staff who supported it, and the unwavering support and encouragement of our Library Manager. I sincerely hope that Gameracy will inspire other FE colleges to take the plunge and use game-based learning to engage with their students.”

Shabir Ismail, Deputy Principal at Leicester College, said: “We are thrilled that the Gameracy programme has been recognised for its innovative approach to student engagement. This award is a testament to the hard work and creativity of our team, and we look forward to continuing to support our diverse student community through this dynamic programme.”