Last autumn, Teknikens Hus and Ung Företagsamhet Norrbotten organised a regional school hackathon. The aim of the school hackathon has been for students to feel involved in societal issues and at the same time learn more about innovation, democracy and entrepreneurship.
Pupils in Year 6 were given a class assignment to build a shared world in Minecraft Education. Together in their classes, they then democratically selected groups to represent their class at the regional finals. The final and the jury, which was based at Teknikens Hus, named Svartbjörnsbyns åk 6 as the winner. Last Friday, they took home the prize, which was a full day out at Boden Business Park, together with Boden Game Camp, where they learned even more about games!
Emil Sandberg, business developer Boden Business Park, who was on the jury at the final and participated in the awards day, says this about Skolhackathon:
This is something that shows that when we assist with visualisation tools for young people, which is our family time, good things happen. By visualisation tools I don’t mean traditional powerpoints or images but games. I’m not surprised – but we were impressed with the results to say the least!
We have seen innovative solutions in Minecraft where students have visualised energy solutions, meeting places, food supply and even transport. It’s been great to be able to support and see the engagement games can bring, from hearing the students themselves express and show joy, to the teachers telling us about the tailwind of participation and interest in the lessons.
From a gaming industry perspective, it warmed our hearts to see our office space transformed into a gaming workshop on Friday when the students from Black Bear Village visited.
But if we don’t just think of games as games, then of course it becomes something even bigger. The games become a key to ideas and visualisation that can touch on everything from how to build a mine, a centre or present what you have learned in science at school. It can touch on so much more, and it feels completely relevant and right in the winds of the transition we are in the midst of now.
