Site Network: Serious Games Initiative | Games for Health | Games for Change | Serious Games Japan


Games for Change (G4C) provides support, visibility and shared resources to organizations and individuals using digital games for social change. This is the primary community of practice for those interested in making digital games about the most pressing issues of our day, from poverty to race and the environment. We are the social change/social issues branch of the Serious Games Initiative.

Previous entry: Pos or Not: mtvU puts Twist on Hot or Not | Home Page | Next entry: Registration for the Annual Games for Change Festival is still open

Spreading Peace Early in Schools

Posted by Hsing Wei on 05-27-08

In the past few years, a good amount of attention has focused on the potential of video games for education.  Aside from reimagining how students and teachers engage with math, science, and other academic subjects, various organizations have also produced games to engage youth on social issues. 

image


Recently released (and previously shown in beta at a G4C expo) Cool School: Where Peace Rules is a free game that allows 5 to 7 year-olds settle 50 different fights without using fists.  The U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) invested $1M in the project, collaborating with USC, the University of Maryland, and the University of North Texas.  Inspired by FMCS work in schools and communities, Cool School is designed to reduce youth violence and encourage conflict resolution skills. 

The game is available for free downloading to teachers and families via Curriki, a nonprofit social entrepreneurship organization dedicated to improving education by empowering teachers, students and parents with universal access to free and open-source curricula. 

** For those interested in mobilizing around equitably harnessing digital media technologies to advance children’s learning, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center recently released several reports with recommendations and policy frameworks.