The need for STEM programming will not be going away any time in the near future. The jobs of tomorrow rely heavily on the training and education tied in to STEM, but it lacks a critical component: the human touch. This is where game design really comes into its own as a complementary plank in education and library programs, not to mention something fun people can do at home. What might matter more for you is that your final products can be ways to entertain those closest to you. Game design necessarily includes art as there is an immediate need for the continued engagement of players with the game. Thus, game design focuses on STEAM to add that human touch.
Game design helps reinforce theoretical constructs by relying on visual models. This matters as brain development moves from exterior to interior processes. While this will be covered in greater detail later, consider how infants and children engage with the world. At first, babies are limited to touch and taste to gain as much information as they can. As they get older they try to assimilate other senses, but they do not have the benefit of experience to aid them. They ask questions and try to apply what they learn to each new experience to sort out how the world (and language) works. Games help with this by taking complex processes, like how to avoid hitting a car (the same math you use to figure out how to intercept a moving target), and making the concept easier to understand.
But, say someone you know is not interested in learning. One of the hidden values of game design for those who are interested only in fun is that education underlies effective game design in all areas of STEAM. The designer does not need to be aware he or she is using these elements to benefit from the educational value game design challenges encourage game players and designers to solve. What follows next is a synopsis of the five areas of STEAM and how they fit the design structure.
Previous
Learning by Design – Interstitial 1
Next
Learning by Design – The STEAM Model, Part 2