GameZone Edu

Edutain Me 8.0 – Inclusion and diversity in games

Come by the Jugendhaus Mitte on site or tune in on Thursday, 05.05.2022 from 14:00 and be there live!

14:00: PlayBern – a small festival crosses all borders
14:15: Games development in the classroom – presentation of the online course “Creating Games Classroom
14:45: Games in the classroom – gender and sexuality in games
15:15: Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg VR – an enchanting interactive story about the witching hour in virtual reality
15:30 h: Timetris
15:50 Break

Starting at 4:00 p.m., experts will discuss how games can be used effectively in the classroom, what criteria should be taken into account, and how the introduction of digital media can be useful in shaping lessons.

Panelists:

  • Sandra Boser MdL (Staatssekretärin im Ministerium für Kultus, Jugend und Sport)
  • Dr. Jan-René Schluchter (TU Dresden)
  • Jonas Kirchner (Pixelcloud)
  • Malene Zimmermann (Kastanie Eins)

Moderation: Laura Cloppenburg

In cooperation with LFK, der Medienanstalt für Baden-Württemberg

PlayBern – a small festival crosses all borders

“PlayBern-Festival for Games & Culture” combines socially relevant topics such as “accessibility” or “migration” with gaming. Other “PlayBern” focal points are the connection of gaming with other arts, such as dance, and the topic of “mediation” Another “PlayBern” goal is the exchange between the different language regions of Switzerland.

Game development in the classroom – presentation of the online course “Creating Games Classroom”

Computer games enjoy widespread popularity and serious games have also long since arrived in education.

In cooperation between the LFK, the ZSL and the Stuttgart Media University, the digital Moodle course Creating Games Classroom was developed, which will be presented in this lecture. The video-based online course provides interested teachers with a tool for using game development in the classroom. The course covers the topics of game design, game art and game play programming in three chapters. With the help of the course, students learn how games are conceived and designed. In addition to instructive videos, there are useful tutorials on graphics creation and programming. The course is designed for grades 9 and up, and no prior experience is required. The course is fundamentally oriented and can be implemented with freely available software.

Gender representations and sexual diversity in games

Although the design of female characters has become more multilayered over the last decades and queer identities are increasingly represented authentically in media, there is still a need to catch up in the field of digital games. Not least because male characters also tend to be represented in a one-sided way. Moreover, the video game industry is still male-dominated and uses common stereotypes that often prevent a gender-sensitive representation of characters.

This lecture is intended to provide an insight into this complex topic and to contribute to the sensitization of teachers and other educators by taking into account the educational plan. Several examples will be used to show which gender-sensitive games can help to dissolve prejudices against other ways of life, to promote tolerance and to strengthen the dialogue about social diversity.

Games in the Classroom

Digital games have great potential for use in the classroom – if they are used properly. On the website Games im Unterricht (Games in the Classroom), an offer of the Landesanstalt für Kommunikation (LFK) in cooperation with the ComputerSpielSchule Stuttgart, MFG Baden-Württemberg and the agency Kastanie Eins, teachers can find a lot of information and practical materials. The offer ranges from suggestions for games and teaching concepts to scientific backgrounds on the topic. Game developers* have the opportunity to present their games for use in class on the platform and also make them available.
For a diversified teaching. For a diverse game culture.
Visit us at www.games-im-unterricht.de

didacta – the education fair

“didacta – the trade fair for all educational perspectives” – this is the motto of didacta 2022. Personal exchange remains an important element for didacta say partners and exhibitors and therefore the next didacta will again take place as a presence trade fair in June 2022 in Cologne. As the world’s largest and Germany’s most important education trade fair, didacta brings together teachers, educators, trainers and representatives from politics, business and science every year.