Game News Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Nintendo’s racing game at the service of school learning

This is due in particular to three different actors, namely the Digital Schoolhouse of l’UK Interactive Entertainment, the UK branch of Nintendo and Outright Games, that all this could be tested and possible on a larger scale within the country. The idea was to launch a kind of “professional experience”, reserved for students between 8 and 11 years old, with the aim of teaching them to organize and manage their own event.

You will understand, this is not just any event, in view of the actors present around this project, since it is a video game and more precisely, eSports tournaments. Thus, teachers have a six-week curriculum in line with the British curriculum for many subjects (computer science, English, mathematics, technology, personal / social / economic and health education , etc.), which begins with a first part of introduction to the world of eSports. Thanks to this, the children become familiar with all the roles involved in a tournament and the way in which each one collaborates in the good performance of this.

The lesson plan itself is tailor-made for the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game. However, teachers can adapt it very well, using standard course material, to the game of their choice.. As long as you respect the PEGI rating, of course. Throughout the module, students learn to organize a list of matches, For install computer equipment, For develop marketing materials, For Spread messages and communicate during the tournament. and, most importantly, to participate in the tournament.

As stated above, the program went through a testing phase in 2020 and could be expanded. At the moment, only seven schools have been able to benefit from it for a total of 700 students, but the encouraging results could tip the balance.

Of all the teachers selected to try this program, all highlighted a real motivation on the part of the students: 55% of them considered themselves “highly motivated”, the remaining 45% were “extremely”. A fun program that, according to 55% of teachers, resulted in better student results compared to other courses.

This awareness has also had an impact on teachers themselves since 91% of them declared, immediately after the program, that they would be ready to continue with this discovery of eSports by accompanying their class to physical events.such as national youth tournaments.