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Two decades ago, video games were a teacher’s worst nightmare. As if most parents didn’t already have a bitter hatred for gaming, back then, it was often worse on school grounds. You couldn’t even bring the almighty TI-83 calculator into classrooms, as the most basic versions of Snake and Tetris were deemed way too distracting.
Oh, how times have changed.
Today, many teachers embrace video games as a productive pathway to student growth and career development. By adopting esports and gaming clubs, schools are now “meeting students where they’re at” and giving more non-traditional athletes a chance to excel in a team or group environment.
As schools find more ways to lean into gaming education, they also create a stronger talent pipeline for tech-based industries. This also plays a role in the emergence of new business ideas and models in gaming technology. One example of this is the Big Game Theory, which aims to educate kids about the future of automated labor – like virtual driving, robotics, and AI – through gaming.
From online courses for kids like Zelda and World Mythology to colleges that are building esports arenas for training and competition, there are so many ways for students to pursue a career in gaming.
Sure enough, due to its rapidly developing web3 ecosystem, Parallel can also play a positive role in education. Below are four simple ways in which the blossoming franchise could be used to educate students that are passionate about gaming.
Through Echelon Prime Foundation’s $PRIME token economy, students can learn key web3 literacy skills that prepare them for a career in cryptocurrency or blockchain gaming. Even though web3 is a fast-moving industry, learning the fundamentals will allow students to upskill themselves in areas like DAO’s, metaverses, consensus mechanisms, asset management, and other interoperable-based economies.
One of the biggest hurdles that schools will face is the many stigmas associated with cryptocurrency. But this is no different than what schools faced over the past two decades with video games. Eventually, crypto-based technology will be embraced in schools because more industries are using it on a daily basis.
Still, schools are finding ways to connect blockchain literacy to problem-based and project-based learning (PBL). I think PBL models are perfect for the web3 space, due to the hands-on approach to solving real-world problems using the latest technology in the classroom.
In the world of scholastic esports, the benefits for students are often broken down into hard and soft skills. The “hard” skills are technical-based and mainly focus on direct knowledge of a process, like coding, game design, and video editing. The “soft” skills are usually related to how students cooperate and behave in a competitive gaming environment – like adaptability, leadership, and communication.
NASEF is a great example of a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting competitive esports in middle schools and high schools around the world. Since Parallel will be a highly competitive and strategic trading card game, their esports endeavors could open the door for hundreds of jobs (like shoutcasters, event managers, marketers, and tournament directors) beyond the actual playing field.
Extended reality is anything in the augmented (AR) or virtual (VR) realm. With this technology becoming more widespread and accessible, especially on mobile devices, more careers in XR are emerging. From the development of hardware to software production and designing futuristic user interfaces, if students can imagine new ways to entertain today’s population using this technology, there’s a career waiting for them.
UX design courses are already plentiful, so there are many pathways for students to follow. This also includes research, project management, marketing, and much more. We’ve already documented a lot of Parallel’s AR-enabled assets, as well as the interoperability of these items that can be built into future types of XR experiences.
This one is low-hanging fruit due to the deep lore and rich universe that Parallel is building.
Game writing and design include a multitude of tasks like creating the storylines, dialogue, scripts, and the characters themselves. You can already take a Master Class for game writing, where you can learn from experts on how to work alongside programmers, designers, and developers.
Game design also requires a number of soft skills, including teamwork, adaptability, and resilience.
As you can see, Parallel makes an excellent vehicle for educating students in all of these areas, as their universe is expanding on a daily basis. From the digital trading cards to the new comic series, the sky is the limit for the future of Parallel as a learning model. As time goes on, the franchise will unlock doors for students to develop their skills and pursue gaming careers that are valued, necessary, and primed for continued growth.