#exploreTask6

Implementation process and key difficulties…
As has been posted by many of the other educators here, I too have difficulties with getting students to adequately plan their work, thus leading to many problems with implementation due to a lack of preparation and understanding of the problem.

Some of the key difficulties with planning include:
• Students finding planning "boring" (they are impatient and just want to get to the fun bit of making the game)
• Students wanting to make a game similar to the ones they are used to playing on their console devices (not being realistic about what they can actually achieve for their first game given their experience and the time and resources available)

I encourage my students to realise the benefits of adequate planning and that if they choose smaller projects that allow them the time to plan and test their game, that they will learn more from these experiences than if they try to produce some epic game and falter more than succeed in the process – which can end up in them becoming frustrated and thinking its all too hard.

The methods and ideas in this Mooc have given me much to consider in terms of scaffolding game design activities and the emphasis placed on them. I can see the opportunity to teach Game Development over a semester with one term focussing on data gathering, analysis and visualisation surrounding the planning and design of their ideas. Given that I see Yr10s 3 times a week, there may also be scope to get them learning the general purpose language they will use to make the game during the first term of such a programme (probably C# with my group as they are all really keen to learn Unity).

The scope for the Yr9s will be smaller as they have Digital Technologies twice a week. I like Alison Goodall's idea of learning to program with Python in Minecraft. I hear there are many great opportunities with Minecraft Edu, but it is something I am yet to explore.

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