Afrofuturism and the Art of Empowerment: Lessons for Advanced Game Design in Imagining Futuristic Worlds
Afrofuturism is a cultural movement that envisions a future where black and brown people can thrive and showcase their talents. In recent years, this movement has inspired many to create games and stories that empower young people of color. South Africa has a rich history of storytelling that has been passed down through generations, and […]
The Game Changer: Exploring Reflections on Developing and Playing Games
When setting up a playtest using Playtestcloud, it’s important to carefully consider various factors to ensure a successful and informative testing experience. One key advantage of Playtestcloud is its user-friendly platform, which simplifies the process of conducting playtests and collecting feedback from testers. With Playtestcloud, we were able to order a playtest and quickly prepare […]
Leveling the Playing Field: How Black and Brown Youth Are Learning Job Skills and Financial Competencies Through Game Design
Unemployment is quite high in South Africa, especially among young people of African descent. The youth unemployment rate in South Africa is currently over 63%, with black youth being disproportionately affected. For many young individuals ready to enter the workforce and launch their professional lives, this is a heartbreaking reality. But, there is still a […]
Supercharging English Learning with Serious Games and Translanguaging: A Six-Week Journey in Design
In this blog post, we will take you on a six-week journey of designing serious games for English learning in a rural school in Limpopo, South Africa. We aimed to create an engaging, fun, and educational game for fourth-grade students, many of whom had learning difficulties, language deficits, or needed more exposure to English vocabulary […]
Equipping Black and Brown Communities for Mental Health: A Partnership with William James College
Mental health is a crucial aspect of our overall wellbeing, and it is essential that we prioritize our mental health, particularly in communities where resources are limited. Unfortunately, in many communities of color around the world, mental health resources are scarce, and individuals may not receive the care and support they need. Peniel Learning Experience […]
Changing the Game: How South African Youth are Disrupting Traditional Industries
Princess is a black girl from South Africa who is 15 years old and runs a t-shirt company. She is creating a positive impact in her neighborhood with the help of her business. Not only does she use the slogans of self-affirmation that she prints on her t-shirts for herself, but she also prints them […]
The Vitality of Learning Personas: Building Better Games through Research
Part 1: Gather & Analyze Some Information While working with the HuMEL program at Wits University, I got to administer a benchmark test to fourth graders at Selowe Primary School this week. Our objective was to assess the level of English and Sepedi comprehension among the student body. The test was administered in both Sepedi […]
Matrix Magic: Maximizing African Literacy through Matrix-Classified Games
Video games have been increasingly popular in recent years, especially in South Africa, as a means of fostering literacy. Video games are become a common form of entertainment in the nation as more young people have access to technology. However, representations of Africa in video games frequently lack depth and complexity. In this blog, we’ll […]
Playing to Learn: An Examination of Game Play in Air Traffic Control Training Simulations
The difference between simulations and serious games Simulations and serious games are two different approaches to learning that I have come across in recent years. Both have their own unique advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the right approach for a particular learning situation depends on the goals and objectives of the learning experience. According to […]
Goals, Goals, Goals…How can you use gaming to teach EVERYTHING?
In this advanced gaming design course, my goal is to use the power of gaming and virtual reality (VR) to help black youth in South Africa learn valuable skills and achieve success in the gaming industry and beyond. To achieve this goal, I plan to partner with Wits University, Tshimologong Innovation Hub and a local […]
