Spotlight on Digital Media And Learning

1.10.11 | “Gamestar Mechanic,” a gaming platform that teaches kids to design their own games, has just won a prize for excellence in children’s interactive media.

Released in September by E-Line Media, “Gamestar Mechanic” promotes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts while teaching the principles of game design.

The prize was part of the second annual Kids@Play Interactive KAPi Awards, which honors innovations in children’s media—including games, software and apps for kids from birth to age 15. The awards were announced at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week.

“Gamestar Mechanic” was developed on the belief that when kids learn to design games they build technological, cognitive and social problem solving skills they’ll need in the future.

Kids can play adventure games where they learn games design tools. They can build and publish their own games and join a player community where they play and review the games of their peers and enter game design competitions.

Created through a public-private partnership involving foundations, nonprofits, academia and the gaming industry, “Gamestar Mechanic” is now being used by educators around the country. (You can read more about Gamestar’s curricular resources for educators here.)

Kids@Play selected “Gamestar Mechanic” as the winner in its “Digital Creativity and Empowerment” category. The game was chosen by a panel of journalists and publishers from a pool of 500 contenders, using a public nomination process.

The game was one of 11 honorees that included Mind Candy in the development of Moshi Monsters, a virtual word where kids can adopt and care for their own pet monster, and Vito Technology in its Star Walk app. The app uses the iPhone’s GPS capabilities to present an on-screen view of what stars and constellations should be visible on a clear night from a user’s location.  Last year the group honored honored Scratch developer Mitchel Resnick of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab as a “Digital Pioneer for Kids.” (Watch Spotlight’s interview with Resnick here.)