In October, I was honoured to lead a discussion at Games for Change Asia Pacific on games for the classroom.

 

Strangely, I felt G4C was catching up with me in New Zealand. At the same time, it also seemed like I had come full circle with G4C because it has been so instrumental in shaping the work that brought me here. More than anything, I felt super proud to be able to contribute to G4C's ongoing conversations about how we use games for impact.

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I started attending G4C in 2009, when it was a small gathering of game developers and academics. The entire conference occupied a single room in the basement of the NYU Science Building. As a classroom teacher, I felt out of my depth, but I also found the discussions fascinating.

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It is impressive to see how G4C has grown since then to have a global reach. I couldn't help but think about my journey and reflect on how G4C had influenced my practice. The discussions I attended both challenged and refined my thinking about designing relevant learning opportunities for students. 

 

One of the most formative keynotes I heard was James Paul Gee in 2012, speaking about the importance of affinity spaces. I had already observed how my students worked this way in virtual worlds and other games I provided in the classroom. By explaining his observations, Gee helped me refine my understanding and ignite a passion for creating these learning spaces for students. 

 

In the recording, you can hear me during Q&A asking developers to build these kinds of spaces. I laugh to listen to that again because I have become a broken record since. It has paid off because I have worked with many excellent developers, playtesting awesome games and platforms. However, I never dreamed a developer would actually build an affinity platform for students. 

 

Jim Taylor and Theta not only took on that challenge, they did the unthinkable; they wanted to build it with client input. They wanted students to help design it. That blew my mind. No one EVER asks the students, which is weird because what developer doesn't consult with the end user? 

 

CEO Rob Lee explained to me that Theta does not develop in isolation. Theta believes it is essential to connect with the community to create meaningful products. It's so simple, logical, and shocking that it is such a unique approach when working with students. Both Theta and Newlands Intermediate have seen the positive impact of this strategy. Mixiply is a remarkable XR maker space! It has been shaped by how students want to connect, collab and work. 

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It is powerful for students to work with real developers, contribute their ideas, know they have been heard and have helped to shape and create an authentic platform.

 

I'm grateful that Theta has invested in building something so meaningful for students. High school students return to Newlands Intermediate every week to attend the MiniDevs because it is their affinity space. Dan Miller and I donate time weekly to mentor them because it is also our affinity space. 

 

Imagine how we could change education if developers stopped creating content for students to consume and, like Theta, teamed up with students to co-design meaningful products for their community.

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