Information for Parents & Teachers

SUPPORTING 11 TO 16 YEAR-OLDS TAKING PART IN BAFTA YOUNG GAME DESIGNERS:

Many parents and teachers will already be aware of the extent to which video games can engage and immerse 11 to 16 year-olds. However, many young people are unaware that they could acquire the skills to make games themselves rather than just be consumers of them.

NESTA recently published a report entitled ‘Next Gen: Transforming the UK into the world’s leading talent hub for the video games and visual effects industries’ (http://www.nesta.org.uk/home1/assets/features/next_gen) which highlighted job prospects in the games industry and the qualifications in the sciences, technology, engineering, maths and art which are the key to success. The report also noted how games are being used in the classroom to improve skills in maths, physics and computer science.

BAFTA Young Game Designers introduces the career opportunities and skills development offered by video games. From general capabilities including teamwork, story-telling and problem-solving, to games design-specific skills including level design and working with control mechanisms, young people explore the process supported by contextual information and interviews from professionals.

The competition is designed to be worked on by teams of 11 to 16 year-olds independently and the final competition entry should represent their own creativity and thought processes. We have, however, provided lesson plans and worksheets for use in lesson time to help stimulate discussion and deliver ‘serious’ learning outcomes, or to use in after-school sessions to support informal and interest-driven learning.

We also understand that adult support may be necessary in competing the entry form, and thank you for your time.

PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT

Please note the Terms and Conditions of the competition. For parents/guardians this includes giving permission to use your child’s work and image for publicity purposes, the possibility of chaperoning nominees to the British Academy Children’s Awards in London in November 2011, and further prize-related activity.

LESSON PLANS & WORKSHEETS

Click on the links below to download. 

• Types of gameplay

• Characters and storytelling in games

• Platforms and control mechanisms 

• Marketing a game

• Computer programming for games

USEFUL LINKS

• Next Gen: Transforming the UK into the world’s leading talent hub for the video games and visual effects industries, February 2011 (http://www.nesta.org.uk/home1/assets/features/next_gen) 

Games Based Learning is a new and fast developing field .Innovative projects in the UK, US and other countries have investigated the potential for video games to engage and focus young learners in the classroom. For teachers new to this area, this project could be a first step before moving on to selecting a game designed for schools or adapting a popular commercially available game for educational use, and then creating an environment in which to develop and build on computer or handheld gameplay skills:

• Computer games, schools and young people: A report for educators on using games for learning, March 2009 

Click here to access PDF.

In addition to helping your children enjoy working through the requirements of the competition, parents may also be interested to look at the UK-wide review by Dr Tanya Byron of games and online activity for young people (Safer Children in a Digital World, March 2008). This review, its update in March 2010, and other public bodies highlight positive strategies for supporting children to enjoy new technologies, and also the potential of these technologies for children’s learning, developing and socialising in their own time:

• Safer Children in a Digital World: The Report of the Byron Review 2008, March 2008 (https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationdetail/page1/DCSF-00334-2008) 

• A review of progress since the 2008 Byron Review, March 2010 (http://www.education.gov.uk/ukccis/about/a0076277/the-byron-reviews)