Formal Learning
Hundreds of schools and thousands of children have visited the museum where self-led visits and workshops have had outstanding impact on kids from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Self-led visits allow schools to follow their own paths through the museum, using resource packs on the history of videogames and videogames computing.
Key stage workshops are launching to provide a short curriculum of learning before, during and after the school visit, and focus on Computing, Design and Technology, English and Literacy, and Arts & Design. Courses on button-building, creative games writing, pixel art and videogame character design will launch in January 2022.
The NVM is an ArtsMark Partner.
See the National Videogame Museum’s Learning Programme in action.
Impact of our workshops on disadvantaged learners
Our Digital STEAM sessions in July 2019 welcomed 84 schoolchildren who gained new STEAM (science, tech, engineering, art, maths) skills. All participants demonstrated positive learning engagement and 26% of participants would consider further education or a career in videogame development (after only 1 day of workshops).
Working in partnership with Derby QUAD, we ran games development workshops for two Derby schools, Derwent Primary and Da Vinci Academy. These schools are located in the top 4% and 27% most deprived neighborhoods of the country respectively. 84 year 8 children engaged in whole day sessions in the National Videogame Museum on games design, animation, teamwork and sharing creativity with peers. They played games, analysed their designs, then built concepts and games artwork on paper and screen using accessible, free tools before discussing their work with their classmates.
- High satisfaction levels: Participants scored our workshops an average of 8.25 / 10:
- Positive classroom behaviours: 67% felt they had tried new things and 67% worked collaboratively with classmates in teams.
- Enthusiasm and confidence: 62% shared their work and 56% talked about their work
- Engagement and concentration: 54% proactively solved problems.
- Raised ambition and attainment potential: 62% said they experimented on new equipment and 56% said they had tried new techniques they didn’t know before.
- Want to learn more: 56% were keen to take more sessions.
- Careers and education: 26% said they would consider a career and/or education in videogame development, which is high for a single day programme.
Partner Testimonial
Learners were well engaged. They had made some excellent games in a short amount of delivery hours. They were ALL able to talk about their games, concepts, the software with confidence, and demonstrate how to use it and make changes. They tested each other’s games and gave useful and constructive feedback – the evaluation was well considered and subject specific (this indicated strong levels of understanding). There was a wide range of skills displayed – creative and technical, as well as interpersonal. Considering the short time frame and timetabling structure, the outcomes created are exceptional. This demonstrates great flexibility and well planned/structured sessions to promote the best possible learning opportunities for students on the part of the facilitator.
Sandra Greatorex, Educational Curator at Derby Quad