In a world in which making is key in STEM education, EdTech designers go above and beyond to create gadgets. We all know that kids love video games as well and one of the big questions of the day is, “How can we create a learning tool that makes the time kids are spending on their gaming devices more meaningful?” Well, how about having them build their mobile gaming platform themselves? You can with the Gamer Kit from Tech Will Save Us.
One of the latest Tech Will Save Us kits.
The innovative minds over at Technology Will Save Us, creators of such DIY projects as the Thirsty Plant Kit and Electro Dough (featured in our 2016 Holiday Trio), have created a new DIY Gamer Kit, suitable for students aged 12 and up. It empowers kids to create their own portable gaming device and their very own games! When they build the kit, children develop real engineering skills, design innovative devices, and code original games using TWSU’s software.
This was the Eduporium Experiment I was most excited about—I’m a huge gamer, and building my own system? That sounded like tons of fun! Unfortunately, my assembly attempt was quickly thwarted since I was missing a key piece of equipment: a soldering iron. To their credit, it does clearly say on the box that a soldering iron is needed to complete this project. But, in my excitement to start, I missed that piece of information.
Coding with the DIY Gamer Kit.
However, I’m still very happy that such an easily accessible project would allow kids to learn skills like soldering. In an engineering environment, that kind of skill certainly is critical! I’m hoping that we might be able to get a soldering iron for the office soon and that I might be able to write a Part 2 to this experiment when that happens. For now, however, I’ll stick to talking about the capabilities of the kit and the learning opportunities it offers.
Looking at the materials on the TWSU website, I quickly discovered that there is also a pre-soldered Gamer Kit available for a comparable price for those little inventors who aren’t quite able to master the concepts of soldering (understandable—it’s tricky and does involve very hot wire). No matter how students assemble it, however, the benefits remain the same: kids can play awesome games right out of the box, take it a step further by coding them, and find out exactly how they work and why. And, all of these are incredibly essential pieces of foundational knowledge for any new game developer!
What else is included with the Gamer Kit?
The kit comes with included software, which helps walk students through making games of their own or modifying the ones already on their device. They can learn how to make Flappy Bird, hack and play Snake, and master Tic-Tac-Toe…and that’s just for starters! The possibilities are as boundless as their imagination. Plus, without the need for complex graphical engines, the kit helps kids explore the basics of game programming and serves as a perfect introduction to the world of game development for any enthusiast—young or old! Trust me, it’s a great tool to mix STEM education and fun learning in or out of school! Check out the Gamer Kit on the Eduporium store!
If you have a suggestion for a product you’d like to see featured on the Eduporium Experiment, let us know! Send us a message on Twitter or Facebook!