My classroom functions like a game design studio. Students work independently and in collaborative teams to develop games with my support throughout the process. Further exploration of game mechanics will help them better understand the process as they design their own games.
My students are 7th and 8th graders learning about Game Design and Development.
Many are avid gamers and quite enthusiastic about the development process. We speak of game mechanics and explore them in a variety of digital games, but providing opportunities to play and analyze nondigital games will be an eye opening experience as they deconstruct the way a game was developed. This will lead to a far greater understanding of the iterative design process.
My students are eager to learn and I want to provide them with greater opportunities to learn based on their interest and passion in games.
My Project
I teach students to create video games. A big part of the process is the design aspect where students come up with a plan for their game, write up a design document, develop their game, and then iterate on their design through recruiting peer feedback.
Non-digital games provide insight into the design process as the ruleset is crucial to the success of the game. Games are developed, tested, and revamped as a designer gains an understanding of what works and doesn't with the game mechanics. Playing these games and breaking down the game mechanics will be a valuable experience for my students as they move on to developing their own digital and non-digital games. I plan to add a unit on creating non-digital games which will help my students understand and apply design thinking skills.
I aim to create an environment where students can play before and after school and during lunch. I also plan to organize and run family game night for the school community.
The educational benefits are definitely there, but beyond that I plan to further develop a community of students through gaming.
There is a growing number of students who would benefit from this both academically and socially. The family game nights will demonstrate a model for students to continue running activities to support their interests.
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