Edu-Game Namibia on Transforming Traditional Education

By Zimkhita Kweza

In a continent often labelled as being technologically behind the rest of the world, young people exist at the forefront of using technology and gamification to solve real-life issues. Edu-Game Namibia is challenging the orthodox ways of educating the youth and igniting a renewed interest in learning and problem-solving.

Edu-Game Namibia is an innovation hub that promotes game development and gamification in Namibia—founded in early 2022 by Tutaleni Ilonga, Vaughn Weiss, Ndamono Shikoyeni, and Veronica Frederica. Edu-Game Namibia is an academy specifically designed to teach and train individuals in the field of game development. The academy’s mission is to provide comprehensive and focused instruction on various aspects of game creation, including programming, design, art, audio, production, and project management. It empowers the younger generation to become consumers of gaming products, creators, and entrepreneurs in their own right.

Background

In 2021, the founders of Edu-Game Namibia were part of a program called the Creative Entrepreneurship Program

(CEP), run by the Goethe Institut Namibia and an organisation called Dololo. After attending this program, equipped with the necessary skills and business acumen, they were inspired to combine their multifaceted professional backgrounds to create a hub that will empower the youth, thus the inception of Edu-Game Namibia. Edu-Game Namibia consists of a robust multidisciplinary team spread across different professional backgrounds in design, game development, engineering, architecture, people management, policy analysis, psychometrics, labour migration, and film, to mention a few.

Implementing a modern approach to teaching and problem-solving

Traditional teaching techniques are often teacher-led, but Edu-Game

Namibia prides itself on implementing modern teaching techniques like info videos, audio challenges, critical thinking challenges, and pitching. Resulting in more engagement and increased students’ interest in STEM subjects.

Educational games often require critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making, which help develop these essential cognitive skills. They also allow for experiential learning, where students learn by doing, which can be more effective than passive forms of learning. In many developing countries, access to quality education is hindered by inadequate infrastructure, lack of trained teachers, and insufficient learning materials. Edu-Game Namibia encourages everyone to play physical or board games, especially those delivered via mobile phones or low-cost tablets. Thus, the gap can be bridged by providing standardised, high-quality educational content accessible to a broad audience.

To ensure that the content is accessible and engaging for students of different ages and backgrounds, the organisation tailors the content to students’ age groups, levels of understanding, and experience with gaming. Tutors are available to assist the students, and there is also an online platform where the students can access content.

Stories of Success

To date, one of Edu-Game’s students has created a board game that makes it easier for African households to have uncomfortable conversations relating to topics like sex, gender-based violence, and pregnancy. Another example of Edu-Game students using gamification to solve real issues is a game that makes it easier for players to learn about financial literacy, where they can start a business and navigate the journey of growing a business.

Many edu-games adapt to the learner’s pace and level of understanding, providing personalised learning experiences. “We had a student who came to us last year, and his life skills teacher had a problem with his behaviour and performance in subjects like English and Computer studies. After a few weeks of teaching and providing him with mentorship, we saw an improvement in his attitude at school, and his grade average went up. He participated in a coding competition, where he came in third place. He expanded his skills this year, from drawing characters to creating his first 2-vol comic book. Ever since he joined us, he’s transformed into a leader at the age of 15”, Vaughn Weiss.

Diversity and inclusion

Edu-Game Namibia is intentional about diversity and inclusion. It creates characters from different ethnic groups who interact with each other to show students that diversity is essential. Students also have the liberty to bring their own teachings and experiences into the creation of games; this way, they all learn from one another and showcase their cultural backgrounds.

The hub regularly has outreaches and exhibitions at schools, and platforms like the Namibia Careers Expo allow the organisation to reach students from rural schools in Namibia and expose them to gaming and its benefits. Furthermore, the organisation’s female co-founders constantly strive to bridge the gap of female representation in the industry. They have capacitated themselves by participating in initiatives such as Women in Tech Africa, emphasising women’s technological empowerment.

Lastly, the organisation has partnered with the Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST), which has provided support from academia to reinforce the development of the game development curriculum. Allowing for the curriculum to be vetted and verified by local and international academics. In addition, Edu-Game Namibia has also partnered with a Namibian-based NGO to provide services to communities in rural areas, ensuring accessibility.

Measuring social impact

Edu-Game Namibia measures the social impact of the games created by its students by using quantitative data such as the number of students enrolled, their direct households’ personal stories, or feedback from their community and parents. Students often get the chance to present their work to the community, and through that, the hub can measure how much or how good of an impact the teaching has had. In the future, the organisation plans to have students pitch at competitions, which will help provide tremendous input on the impact of Edugame Namibia.

Finally, gamification and edu-games present a powerful educational approach that can address several challenges developing countries face, particularly in Africa. By making learning more engaging, personalised, and accessible, these tools can significantly improve educational outcomes and provide youth with the skills they need to succeed in the modern world. As digital infrastructure continues to improve, the potential for gamified education to transform learning in these regions will only increase.