Games are carefully designed, learner-driven systems.
Games produce meaning.
Games are dynamic systems.
Games are immersive.
Games are interactive and dynamic, requiring a player’s participation.”
This is taken from the Institute of Play’s report “Quest to Learn” However, this definition is true of many things – other than games. Social work being one of them.
Martine Pedersen is a social worker with thirteen years experience, and a start up “Indspark”, under her belt. She has worked with with many age groups, and dealt with a number of issues, including drug abuse, anti-social behaviour and, family support.
Early on she saw that behaviour couldn’t be looked at in isolation; that many things contributed to a person’s life situation.
The more she talked about how she saw Social Work, and the methods she uses with her clients, the more we heard applied game design, and knew we had to have her.
Her presentation was advanced game design, applied systems design, and great social work and an absolute asset to the course.