SmartKids.School

What

SmartKids.School courses are based on an array of playful inquiry and innovation methods that serve as vehicles for complex problem-solving, improv theater, role-play exercises, low fidelity prototyping, simulations of work-related contexts, and gamification. We utilize an array of serious play methods to deal with complex problems using liberating structures and strategic play. While simply having fun playing with a selection of games like Minecraft, Kerbal Space Program, Astroneer, Members will have various degrees of focus on a task or challenge, while the play aspect emphasizes imagination and toying with boundaries to foster a deeper engagement also known as a state of flow.

Why

Being in a playful mode (engaging in playful processes and applying a playful, open mindset) can foster creativity and innovation as it emphasizes possibilities, freedom, and process versus outcome, self-consciousness, responsibility, and shame. 

Goals

Our main focus is in Education (Teachers/Parents/Kids), but serious play methods boost creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, in general management practices, and its benefits can be applied in numerous fields, Serious play methods can bring together diverse groups of stakeholders/collaborators, and elicit empathy, active listening, reflexivity, and high levels of participation. Our goal is to use videogames as vehicles for engaging individuals and teams in the five stages of the design thinking process: empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing.

Methodology

The methods are designed to create a fun and safe environment for exploring and sharing ideas and help engage teams in behaviors and mindsets that integrate disparate knowledge and align team efforts towards problem-solving, learning with goal achievement-oriented method (gamification) all of which offer different affordances in terms of knowledge creation, sharing, and conversion.