Educational Game Development: Partnering with K-12 Schools
Educational Game Development: Partnering with K-12 Schools - A presentation summary from the 2006 Toronto Independent Games Conference - David Hutchison, Ph.D.
While the eyes of most video game publishers remain fixed on the risky, but potentially lucrative consumer games market, an increasing number of independent game developers are turning to markets other than the general gaming public. One such market is K-12 school districts which each year invest millions of dollars in the purchase of computer hardware and software for elementary and secondary school classrooms and labs.
For the last several years, educational software publishers, such as Tom Snyder Productions, have recognized that the educational software market is potentially lucrative in its own right, so long as the needs of the end users - teachers and students - remain fixed in the developers' crosshairs as the most important ongoing concern. There are, of course, a number of educational games which are already well established in the K-12 market. They range from basic practice-drill-and-reward games to ambitious adventure and simulation games that reinforce scientific literacy and social studies problem-solving skills.
Here are ten points that independent game developers should keep in mind when planning a development project for the K-12 school market:
Partner with a single school. It is certainly possible to develop a formal proposal and then pitch it to the head of a school district's Media department, but for independent game developers without a track record, partnering with an individual school is likely to meet with greater success early on. Your key contact here is the school principal who has (limited) access to discretionary funds. Partnering with one or more teachers in the school who are especially keen on your idea is also crucial. Target schools that are already investing heavily in computer related instructional programs. Not only do they probably have access to the latest technology, they are also more likely to be receptive to your educational game proposal.
Familiarize yourself with the K-12 curriculum. The curriculum in U.S. and Canadian schools is highly formalized and there are clear expectations that teachers will cover the required content in the subjects they teach. Each state and province has its own curriculum guidelines which outline the content for individual subject and grade levels. Demonstrate your understanding of the curriculum by pitching a game development proposal which targets a single grade and subject area, but also emphasize the interdisciplinary skill set that students will acquire by playing the game (e.g. reading, writing, math, and problem solving). Above all, target untapped content areas for which there are few (if any) electronic resources available.
Develop for a minimum system configuration. If your video game is destined to be played in a specific school, develop for the computers that are in place. Otherwise, be mindful that many school districts are only able to upgrade their computers every three or four years. Also keep in mind that an increasing number of schools rely on inexpensive laptops instead of tricked out desktop computers. Unlike the competitive consumer marketplace, educational games do not require the latest graphical bells and whistles to be successful. Indeed, complex and distracting graphical embellishments can sometimes get in the way of the learning your game aims to promote.
Solicit the feedback of teachers and students. Conducting beta tests and focus groups is always a good idea when developing a video game, but it is absolutely essential when developing an educational game whose overriding purpose is to teach a specific skill set and/or content area. In particular, ensure that your game is easy to learn, fun to play, culturally sensitive, appropriate for the target grade level, and accurately addresses the content it is designed to cover.
Demonstrate learning outcomes. Work with teachers to design and conduct pre- and post-tests with students in order to assess the effectiveness of your educational game in teaching a specific skill set and/or content area. Also consider partnering with a university in order to turn your game development project into a research study about the educational benefits of video games in the classroom.
Market to teachers. Design a website and marketing materials that highlight clear curriculum connections and demonstrated student outcomes. Include testimonials from teachers and students who have played the game. Don't assume that the teachers and school board officials who review your marketing materials are gamers themselves. Lead them gently through the educational benefits of your game and refrain from using industry jargon.
Provide extra value. In addition to the game itself, prepare value-added materials, such as unit outlines, lessons plans, and on and offline learning activities that show teachers the best ways of integrating your game into the curriculum. Also provide downloadable rubrics and other assessment instruments for evaluating student learning. Include information about adapting instructional use of the game to special populations of students (e.g. special needs, younger, and older students). Consider hiring an experienced teacher on a contract basis to help you design these materials.
Offer pricing alternatives. If you choose to self-publish your educational game, offer a variety of pricing options, including educational pricing, workgroup and lab pack pricing, and school district wide pricing. For the latter options, indicate whether it is permissible for teachers and students to install a copy of the licensed video game on their home computers.
Offer training services. Independent game developers can also serve as (unaccredited) teachers in schools and offer after-school developer tutorial services to interested students (similar to piano teachers). Teaching game design may not be your ultimate goal, but it could well pay the bills while your game is in development. Working with students on a game development project is also rewarding in its own right. Moreover, such work gives you an "in" with the school.
Volunteer your time to start. At the end of the day, schools are public institutions with limited budgets. Some may be very keen to partner with you, but lacking in funds to support that partnership. Consider working pro bono with a school, but ensure that you retain full rights to the game that you produce. In this scenario, the school becomes the testing ground for your game which you are then free to market to other schools and educational software publishers.
This is an exciting time to begin investing in educational game development. There is increasing support in the academic community for the view that video games have educational value when properly integrated into the K-12 curriculum. Even a notorious game like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas adheres to an open world design that has educational value in terms of it's structure, if not its controversial content. Open world games, adventure games, driving games, puzzle games, and simulation games with enough thought, each of these genres can find their rightful place in schools, especially when married to content areas that teachers are looking to explore with students in a thoughtful and engaging way.
