The paper “Gamification and AI in Professional Development for Teachers and Trainers” authored by Vladimir Trajkovik and Maja Videnovik, was presented online by Vladimir Trajkovik at the International Conference on Education and New Developments (END 2026), held from 20–22 June 2026 in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. The paper brings together expertise from the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje and the Center for Innovations and Digital Education Dig-Ed.
The research explores how gamification and AI-supported instructional design can be integrated into the professional development of teachers and trainers to support the creation of more engaging and learner-centred learning experiences. It draws on three implementations of an intensive professional development programme in Georgia, combining motivational design, hands-on development of gamified activities, peer feedback and AI-assisted content creation. The findings highlight positive participant experiences, increased self-reported confidence in designing engaging learning activities, and the potential of combining gamification principles with AI tools as part of practical and sustainable professional development for educators.
Participation in END 2026 provided an opportunity to share these experiences with the international education and research community and to contribute to the wider discussion on how emerging technologies can support innovation in teaching, learning and educators’ professional development.
