Context Common voles (Microtus arvalis) are the most common vertebrate pests in central European agriculture. During outbreaks common vole populations can increase to an enormous number of individuals; however, this outbreak risk varies regionally. Aims In this study we tested whether topography and soil properties are suited to explain the regional variability in the outbreak risk of the common vole in Eastern Germany. This study provides the first detailed large-scale study of the association of site characteristics and small mammal outbreak risk at a regional scale. Methods Data on common vole outbreaks were recorded by active burrow counts at 82 sampling sites in Eastern Germany from almost four decades. Data on topography and soil properties – i.e. groundwater fluctuation index, soil air capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil class and elevation – were obtained from soil maps and a digital elevation model in a geographic information system and were related to outbreak risk classes, applying classification and regression trees (CART). Based on these results a map of the outbreak risk was developed for the area. Key results Classification and regression tree analyses revealed that the mean elevation, area-related percentage of Chernozem soils and soil air capacity were the site characteristics best suited to explain local variability in outbreak risk. In the northern German lowland, below an elevation of ~83 m above sea level, the outbreak risk is generally very low. The region of the central upland has an increased risk for outbreaks of common voles. Within the region of the central uplands the risk was again elevated if the area covered by Chernozem soils was higher than 36%, and increased further if the area covered by soils with a moderate soil air capacity was higher than 90%. Conclusions Topography and soil properties, and accordingly the character of a landscape, are static parameters that affect the local risk of common vole outbreak. Further detailed field investigations of soil properties are required to link the variation in regional outbreak risk to site characteristics with relevance to common vole ecology. Implications Areas of varying regional outbreak risk of common voles can be defined according to static site characteristics identified in this study. They can provide a spatial framework to relate dynamic parameters, such as meteorological parameters, as well as biological parameters, such as food availability, to common vole outbreaks. This could be used in the future to develop improved predictive models to forecast common vole outbreaks.

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This paper will present a cross-European experience of game jams as part of a Horizon 2020 funded project: No-one Left Behind (NOLB). The NOLB project was created to unlock inclusive gaming creation and experiences in formal learning situations from primary to secondary level, particularly for children at risk of social exclusion. The project has engendered the concept of game jams, events organised with the aim of designing and creating small games in a short time-frame around a central theme. Game jams can support engagement with informal learning beyond schools across a range of disciplines, resulting in an exciting experience associated with strong, positive emotions which can significantly support learning goals. This paper will disseminate experience of two cross-European game jams; the first a pilot and the second having over 95 submissions from countries across Europe, America, Canada, Egypt, the Philippians and India. Data collected through these games jams supports that coding, designing, reflection, analysing, creating, debugging, persevering and application, as well as developing computational thinking concepts such as decomposition, using patterns, abstraction and evaluation. The notion of game jams provides a paradigm for creating both formal and informal learning experiences such as directed learning experience, problem-solving, hands-on projects, working collaboratively, and creative invention, within a learner-centred learning environment where children are creators of their own knowledge and learning material. This paper explores the use of a mobile app, Pocket Code, in schools across Europe in two game jams during the academic year 2015-16 with children aged 11-18. Pocket Code provides an environment which supports learners in easily creating apps directly on their smart-phones and tablets through a visual Lego®-style programming language where users can put code bricks together to form scripts. We draw on a range of data to support how game jams can be used as a design research method to observe the creation of knowledge in fast-paced, collaborative environments across a range of disciplines. Our data evidences that learners can be more motivated through game jams and that learners who are less likely to create games are nevertheless more engaged in a game jam setting. We will also present the frameworks for 3 games from different disciplines: Chemistry, Languages, and Mathematics.

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The constructionist approach is more interested in constructing personal experience than about acquiring information. It states that learning is most effective when building knowledge through active engagement. Experiential and discovery learning by challenges inspire creativity, and projects allow independent thinking and new ways of learning information. This paper describes how the "No One Left Behind" (NOLB) project plans to integrate this approach into school curricula using two concepts. The first one is to enable students to create their own games with Pocket Code by using its easy-to-learn visual programming language. The second concept is to foster collaboration and teamwork through hands-on sessions by conducting Game Jams using Pocket Code, so called Pocket Game Jams. We present insights into such a Pocket Game Jam and give an outlook on how we will use this concept.