Make Learning Fun

Building educational games is a growing niche that could prove lucrative for entrepreneurs with the right ideas.

- Jade Mathieson

When it comes to addressing the serious challenges faced by the South African education system, there is any number of players trying to come up with viable solutions. One option which seems attractive is building educational games.

Research has shown a positive correlation between gaming and educational outcomes such as decisionmaking, cooperation and problem-solving. For educational gaming evangelists, things only get more exciting when factoring in South Africa’s high mobile penetration rates, which represent an ideal mass distribution platform.

But before you rush off to try and develop an educational game aimed at building a brighter future for South Africa’s learners, there are a few things worth considering.

Understand why you’re building a game

A game, no matter how well it’s designed, is never going to replace the set curriculum. Classroom teaching is about the transfer of explicit knowledge. Games, by contrast, are about teaching skills in an implicit way, making kids more engaged and more able to understand their skills and limitations, rather than just recalling knowledge. Importantly, they also give kids a sense of agency and a safe space to fail. Those principles should guide you through every aspect of the game’s design, development, and distribution.

It’s okay to start by developing for where the market is going