Game Tech

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America GameTech Program utilizes principles of active learning to teach how to program computer games via non-digital exercises and Scratch. The curriculum is designed to expose Club members to a number of important skill sets—systems thinking, introductory programming concepts, principles of game design, and the process of iterative design. The program utilizes a four-phase system modeled on the iterative design process—Think, Design, Play Test and Change.

The program was originally tested with Boy & Girls of America clubhouses in Newark, NJ, Austin, TX, Santa Monica, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Chicago, IL. These sessions were used to discover how to improve the curriculum for both participants and facilitators before the final launch of the program. The sessions in Newark, NJ were also supported by representatives from Center for Children and Technology, who provided valuable feedback and insight into the development of the program.