What is the Australian STEM Video Games Challenge and why should young people take part?
The Challenge is a free national video game development competition for students in grades 3-12. This is a great way for students to engage in units of work that go beyond her authentic STEM-based curriculum.
We know that jobs in STEM fields are growing twice as fast as non-STEM occupations. Research shows that students need to be reached by age 15 to impact long-term participation in STEM. The Australian STEM Video Game Challenge aims to engage students in their STEM subjects, enable students to develop real-world skills and enable more students to choose their STEM careers. Masu.
We recommend that students work in groups of up to four people. This mimics a real work environment and helps build communication and conflict management skills. Also, making video games is hard work. So why not share your workload? Additionally, many of our participants commented on how much fun they had building games with their friends.
Do you have a favorite challenge success story?
There are so many great stories I've heard from mentors about increasing student engagement in school in general and STEM subjects in particular. We hear over and over again about the effects on students who are disengaged from school. It's not uncommon for teachers to seek us out at his PAX, the gaming expo that showcases the winners, and thank us for running the challenge. They then talk about specific students who have been difficult to reach. They seemed to have tried everything. However, as I started working on the STEM video game challenge entry, I noticed that the student was coming into the classroom, participating in discussions, and completing assignments. It's a very unique opportunity for students to create something tangible that feels relevant to them. For some students, it can be a lightbulb moment.
My favorite story is about a team of students in Queensland who created a game where team members were separated by 500km. The team included his three brothers who lived in one town and were teamed up with students on the other side of the state. They only met in person once and created the entire game virtually. You can see how they did it here:
Many schools are putting STEM video game challenges at the heart of learning. Can you describe some of the creative ways schools and students have approached this challenge?
Many schools have made this challenge a central part of their semester or semester program. The challenge has a new theme each year, giving schools new problems to solve in the video game. These schools typically have a strong culture of commitment to STEM subjects. An important part of developing this strong culture is recognizing student work through some kind of celebration when entries are submitted. This is often done in the form of a party, where parents and other classes are invited to join and play the games entered in the challenge. They focus on the process and effort students have shown to do something as difficult as create a video game. This assessment empowers students to try other difficult things and has a very positive impact on their confidence.
How do I participate in the challenge?
First, students need an adult to lead their team. Mentors can be classroom teachers, specialist teachers, lunchtime activity coordinators, parents, or adult friends. The mentor is responsible for team registration and acts as a liaison between the student and the challenge coordinator.
To complete the challenge, teams must submit a playable game and a Game Design Document (GDD). A GDD is a report that documents the planning, game instructions, problem solving, testing, and reflections of the game development process. This is an important adjunct to the game and forms part of the entry's overall score. This will help the examiner understand what the student intends to do in order to award the highest possible mark for each assessment criterion. Teachers will also be provided with specific initiatives to support student reporting.
Mentors can find GDD templates on the website differentiated according to three age groups: 3 to 6 years, 7 to 9 years, and 10 to 12 years. Our website has created a useful resource that maps each component of GDD. His GDD or game development process for the Australian curriculum.
How important are mentors in the STEM Video Game Challenge?
The main role of a mentor is project management. These will help your team keep expectations realistic and manage their time to ensure input is completed by submission date. Teachers make great leaders even if they don't have great digital skills. Popular game development platforms like Scratch, GODOT Engine, and Unreal Engine all have great tutorials on their websites. Students love to dive into these and tend to understand the technical aspects of programming through trial and error.
STEM video game challenges are a win-win for teachers, engaging for students, and can serve as a reporting tool for students. Our GDD templates and grading rubrics are designed to help teachers keep their teams on track. We have included a reflection section in his GDD and the Curriculum Links section of our website shows exactly what parts of the Australian Curriculum are being demonstrated through our work on STEM VGC entries.
What would you say to young people and leaders considering joining the Challenge?
STEM VGC is the only competition of its kind where teams create complete products from start to finish. This is an opportunity for your team to immerse yourself in something meaningful that you can not only share with friends and family, but also play together.
It's also a great way for mentors to learn alongside their students and build their own confidence and skills.
Ready to take part in the 2024 Australian STEM Video Games Challenge? Registration is now open and details for the current theme 'Stars' are available. Get ready to register now for the submission window starting July 8th.
