Technology for Change: STEM Video Game Challenge
The annual National STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Video Game Challenge, put on by publishers of digital entertainment at E-Line Media and multiple partners, is using technology for change quite a bit differently than most of the other T4C instances we’ve spotlighted thus far. The primary goal of the challenge centers on channeling youth passion for video games into interest and engagement in educational activities.
The inspiration for the STEM Challenge came from President Obama’s “Education to Innovate” campaign, a movement geared towards increasing participation and improving performance by American students in the areas of STEM. Created by a diverse group of companies, foundations and non-profits, the STEM Video Game Challenge supports the President’s initiative through video game entertainment. The challenge was designed “to help learners develop the skills, attitudes and responsibilities needed to succeed in a rapid-paced global society.”
STEM Video Game Challenge is sponsored by the AMD Foundation, the Entertainment Software Association and Microsoft and is administered by E-Line Media and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. Founding outreach partners include the American Library Association, the American Association of School Librarians, the Boys and Girls Clubs of American, BrainPOP and the International Game Developers Association.
The challenge is open to students in the United States enrolled in grades 5-8. Kids can enter the contest in one of three ways: creating a written design document, making a playable game using one of the platforms provided by the challenge, or making a playable game with any other programming platform. Entries are judged by their ability to engage players, their uniqueness, and their clarity, feedback, and balance of tests and rewards. Each submission is separately scored based on the extent to which it incorporates STEM themes into the gameplay. Winners can receive one of many exciting prizes, including cash and laptops. The Youth Prize winners for the 2010 competition were recently announced, and are featured at www.stemchallenge.org/press.
According to Alan Gershenfeld, the founder and president of E-Line Media, video games can offer many unique benefits for students. Some examples of the advantages of playing these games include interactivity, agency, failing in a fun and safe environment, complexity and collaboration. Making video games provides additional advantages such as improved problem solving and digital media abilities as well.
Still asking why promote video games to kids? “To genuinely engage youth in STEM learning, we must reach them on their own turf,” Gershenfeld points out. Through the STEM Video Game Challenge, E-Line and the other partners in the Challenge hope to pursue two methodologies. First, they seek to encourage talented game designers to achieve their developing potential. Secondly, the team aims to reach as many kids as possible and engage them in the project.
The STEM Video Game Challenge provides a fun and exciting way to develop skills that are important for the youth of our country, such as critical thinking, problem solving and creative design. To learn more, please visit the competition’s website at http://www.stemchallenge.org/.
We at Singlebrook are happy to share this story of technology for change! If you know of other great examples of T4C, we encourage you to join our movement by sharing them on Twitter using the hashtag: #SinglebrookT4C or in our LinkedIn Group: Singlebrook Technology for Change.
