SESAME – We’re learning Game Design

Today, the smartphone is an integral part of everyday life, in particular with young people. Most of them pick up on digital trends and new techniques in no time at all, long before their teachers become aware of these.

At the same time, the job market is desperately looking for programmers. Despite their affinity for the digital, young people generally don‘t take a keen interest in the technology behind their Apps or games. Even as a subject at school, computer science is not very popular.

This is where SESAME seek to find a remedy by introducing game design into art classes. The project pursues the idea of stimulating an interest in programming with pupils by means of creativity and “seducing” them so to speak to embrace computer science in a creative context. Video games are particularly suitable for this, as most are familiar with playing game, while designing them requires a lot of creativity and artistic skill. Game design begins in the analog with drawings, material collages and plasticine. But only programming breathes life into the created game character and fantasy world.

Our partners in the project have many years of expertise in how to familiarise “young and old” with the world of the digital and video games – but only outside formal education. Together with art and computer science teachers, we will be exploring the potential of game design in the classroom and develop a hybrid approach of art and technology. We will test practical guidelines for teachers and carry out a pilot project at school.

The project results are expected to have a positive impact on effectively introducing game design in schools as part of the art and computer science education.