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Design Challenge 2004
3-6 January 2004
In association with GameLab London
Overview
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Introduction
"When Futurelab proposed the Design Challenge we recognised immediately the potential for the event. Not only does it provide an excellent chance for talented young designers, teachers and students to create exciting potential learning resources, but it is an opportunity to demonstrate the power of bringing together people with diverse skills to work on a common goal.
The DfES has long-since recognised the potential that new technologies bring to education and we support Futurelab in its work developing prototypes, researching the context of e-learning and bringing together communities most able to contribute to success in this area.
Given the depth of talent drawn together for this event, there is a huge opportunity to rise and meet the challenge laid down before the participants. I have no doubt that together they will produce fantastic examples of what might be possible in the future learning world and I wish them every luck in doing it."
The Rt Hon Charles Clarke MP, Secretary of State for Education
What is the Futurelab Design Challenge?
If interactive learning resources are to be engaging as well as educationally sound, then a combination of creative talent, technical know-how and educational expertise is needed to produce them. This is the founding principle of Futurelab and is the basis for the new Futurelab Design Challenge.
The Challenge, which is managed by GameLab London, brings together teams of five people - three from multimedia design and programming, one teacher and one student - to work together to produce a prototype of a new learning resource. The catch is that they only have three days in which to do it!
The output of the Design Challenge will be a collection of fresh ideas on learning with technology taken to the first level of demonstrator. The most promising of these will be taken up by Futurelab for further development. In addition the challenge will demonstrate the kind of achievements that can be made when diverse skills are brought to bear on a complex challenge.
The brief
After an initial session of team-building activities, the teams receive the theme on which they are asked to build their new interactive learning resource. Working within the realm of technology in learning, the theme is styled to give as much scope as possible within the preferred subject areas. In 2004 the theme is 'On the Edge' and the preferred subjects maths, science, modern foreign languages, performing arts and physical education.
Over the following month, the teams consider the issues around the theme, develop their ideas for learning resources and determine how to put these into action. The challenge really starts when the teams come together for a three-day hothouse session to create their new prototype.
Using software provided by Macromedia, each team develops a learning software prototype that is tested by an expert panel of judges drawn from the fields of design, education, multimedia and broadcasting. A special reception, held at BETT (the UK's main educational technology show), showcases the outputs and celebrates the new prototypes.
More information
For more information on the Futurelab Design Challenge, see us at BETT on stand W14 or contact Steve Sayers, Development Director, on 0117 915 8208.
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