The basics
Atiti Sosimi with her game, Ssh or Tell It!
Product: Shhh or Tell it – Family Fun Learning Board Game which encourages kids to consider the consequences of their decisions. Each card represents a tricky scenario and players have 15 seconds to decide to ‘Shhh’ or ‘Tell it!’ then reflect on whether they made the right move.
Home: London
Website: www.shhh-or-tellit.org / Shhh or Tell it on VoxAfrica
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ShhhorTellit
What are you best known for?
Being a creative, enterprising and passionate about education, learning and development. I’m also known for being happy to share my knowledge experience and journey. According to my friends and associates I’m a practical yet totally glamorous ‘happy-to-help ‘roll-your-sleeves-up’ kinda girl!
How did you get into educational games?
I stumbled into it, but once there discovered what I was experiencing not only made perfect sense, but it was also in my opinion if used effectively, the tool to transform the mind of the dis-engaged learner into the captivated engaged (in both interest and mind) learner.
My view is that it isn’t so much that educational games are a new phenomenon, but rather that there is greater willingness to embrace the use of games in /for education as a result of the fact that outside of formal learning, games and gaming as a whole constitute such a powerful contender for the attention holding and engagement of ‘the consumer’ (many of who are within the school, college, University age demographic) that it would be a monumental oversight not to find a way to openly welcome integrate and leverage the use of games into the education sector.
One of the key realisations I have gained from my exposure to educational games /gameplay is that whilst a game will often provide instructional direction/guidance, it leaves the loci of control in the hands of the player/learner enabling them to not only take the driving seat on their own experiential learning journey, but also report on their discoveries to peers and others of their choice without that fear of condemnation that prohibits many learners from openly responding to questions posed or requests for feedback in a typical classroom setting.
What edugame project are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently writing my MA Dissertation project on gameplay and the use of board games for learning important life skills in HE
Favourite game(s) as a child?
Hide and seek, Making up games
Board Game – Frustration (pop-o-matic) and Cludeo
Favourite game now?
Apart from Shhh or Tell it; Chess.
Dream project?
Shhh or Tell it scenarios are currently very generic, but as the game evolves grows and gets more exposure the objective will be to ask everyone who plays the game to send in scenarios for selection for the add on scenario packs and these will be categorised such as Kiddie cards, Workplace cards, Teen cards, His n Hers (Couples, Stag and Hen, Relationships), etc.
I also really look forward to one day transforming Shhh or Tell it into:
1. An electronic game
2. A lifesize TV gameshow
This looks like an interesting concept. I like the idea that the players are presented with learning situations and have to give the reasons for their decisions. It sounds like a wonderful tool for both teachers and parents to provide guidance in a fun way.