Changing the Face of Learning

While dropping my daughter off at school last week, my mind pondered on some questions: Will the child of today be able to adapt and do the work of tomorrow? How was I taught when I was in school? Did the way I was taught give me the ability to handle the work of today? How are the kids of today being taught? Can they handle the work and economy of tomorrow?

The education landscape has changed but to a very large extent how children are being taught in schools has not. With the rise of the pandemic, schools were forced to embrace technology in delivering education. However, with the use of technology have we been able to change how we teach or it is the same way we have always taught kids.

Looking back in time, how children learn evolved from time to time. During the era of hunter-gatherers, children learned through play and exploration. There was no formal way of teaching the kids, they learned through observation. Based on what they observed, they go about exploring and acting it out through play. By doing this, the hunter-gatherer children developed skills that were needed for adulthood.

With the rise of agriculture, children were no more given the opportunity to have a say in what they learned and how they learned. Learning was prescribed in a curriculum. The methods used to make children work in fields and factories were transferred to the classroom. This method was power-assertive which forced children to learn, killing their willfulness, playfulness, and curiosity. At this time, the education system only trained the memory of children. Children were not trained to ask questions or seek proof rather they were to memorize what was taught. This method of learning still persists today. Most children are taught to follow instructions and not to think, they are taught to be followers, not leaders. Only a handful of children know the reason they believe in certain things.

With the rise of technology, we have the opportunity to change how children learn. Giving them the opportunity to learn at their own pace, using play as a vehicle for learning, and developing a curious mind. This is what the child of today needs to be prepared for the economy and work of tomorrow. There is a need for us to review methodology, pedagogy, and the use of technology in our education system.

At Kucheza Gaming, we believe in nurturing curiosity and creativity in children through games and esports. Games are a core element of STEAM and we use esports as a vehicle to bridge the learning gap in our educational system. We do this through some of our projects which include;

• Mobo Game Jam: A game development and design competition for 8–18year olds
• School Esports League: A structured and competitive video gaming competition
• Esports Education: Educating students on the different career pathways in gaming