Blog

When Game Design and Science Collide

Joshua Frisch • October 27, 2022

 

Today we are highlighting one of our classes in Texas that is doing great things with our   Web Game Design course. Tracy Curry is the Technology Teacher and Yearbook Advisor at S&S Consolidated ISD in Sadler, TX who is teaching the course to her students. 

 

The Web Game Design course teaches students about all aspects of game design including game-level design, game mechanics, game story, game music, sound effects, asset creation, and more. Students also learn about branding and marketing strategy, personal leadership, ethics in the workplace and more. This approach prepares students with not only the technical skills but also the soft skills that so many employers look for. Students finish the course with a well-rounded understanding of game design as well as real-world portfolio projects.

 

The Flying Monkeys section of the Web Game Design course teaches physics, which game design almost always involves. As Tracy’s students worked through this section of the course, they went to the gymnasium to “fly” some stuffed monkeys, record data and then analyze the flight characteristics so they could see how data can be used to predict actions in the real world. The students later used this data when creating their games. The students loved the activity, and it gives teachers like Tracy the opportunity to share how they are teaching a game curriculum that has the science aspect of STEAM education front and center. 

 

 

The whole curriculum is a project based learning experience; however, later in the curriculum the students take part in a project with a twist. The project is story-based and first-person and includes a customer, co-workers, bosses, mentors and the students living the design process. 

 

 

Students also have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized Web Game Designer certifications backed by the industry group Web Professionals Global . These certifications are created by industry professionals and underwritten by a consortium at no cost to the school, students or teachers. This partnership between CTeLearning and the Web Professionals Global Organization gives Tracy’s students the chance to earn their certifications step by step as they go through the course, with no big exam at the end.

 

Hear From the Teacher

 

Tracy talked about working with CTeLearning: “I got tapped to teach game design. This is my first year teaching this curriculum, so I was really nervous because I’m not a video game person. For me as a teacher, it’s been very easy. I’ve been working through the course and it has been easy for me to stay a couple of steps ahead of my students. I often have students that come by the room and are jealous because they’re not in the class. They ask me when they can take the class, and so I encourage them to sign up next year. I was a little bit worried about the coding part of it, but the kids not having coding experience isn’t a problem. The CTeLearning curriculum does a great job establishing the basics. Everything is so self explanatory, and the students love the interactive tutorials and sandboxing. I typically worry about pacing a course, but the CTeLearning team has done a great job reassuring us that we are on track.”

 

 

Tracy also talked about the sequence of the curriculum: “The text adventure is a great place to start. The students are really getting into it and writing these great stories. Again, this shows how multidisciplinary our CTE program is. My students are creating interactive fiction, and a story that becomes a game. They love doing creative writing but do not realize it since they just think they are making a game. Students will be students and a few are doing just the minimum, but most of my students are doing more elaborate games. Overall, they love this class. If you are lucky enough to teach something students love, it is what every teacher wishes for.”

 

 

Tracy talked about what really excites her about teaching the curriculum: “One of the best parts is these different professional voices inside the curriculum speaking to the students about careers. It’s not just abstract coding, because students hear from professionals about what it is like on a day-to-day basis as a game designer. I like how the curriculum teaches both industry skills and soft skills. This curriculum really helps my students get a better idea and a better feel for what the career demands and whether they might want to try to go down this career pathway. I especially like that one section that we just finished about different game design careers. I think it puts little nuggets in their heads going forward in the curriculum for them to analyze from different job titles within the video game design career cluster. One other thing that is different about you guys is that no one else gives me the same level of support. I really, really appreciate that, and it’s a valuable part of what you all bring to my classroom.”

 

 

She also talked about how her administration has supported the course: “T he way I found CTeLearning is unique in that we used to teach Video Game Design a few years ago, but it hasn’t been offered in quite a while. It was important to me to find courses that our students wanted to take, so we created a survey for our students. Video Game Design was at the top of their list of desired courses. I began researching and looking for a curriculum and started digging through my file cabinet and found one of CTeLearning’s original VGD curricula! Then I contacted Steve and got a quote. When the Director of Student Services for S&S CISD, Lance Johnson, found out that there are industry certifications connected to the curriculum, he was impressed and approved my request. Not only am I lucky at the district level, but my students and I are so fortunate to be supported by our great admin team here at the high school including Principal Jorge Rubio and Assistant Principal Randy Miller. Both of these administrators fully support and endorse the class.”

 

 

Steve Waddell, founder and lead developer of CTeLearning, said this about working with Tracy and her students: “We are so thrilled to see all that Tracy’s students are accomplishing. One of the things we enjoy most about our work is seeing students get excited about the course and tell their friends about it. This creates a buzz around the course, and new students enter the classroom eager to learn. These students are learning skills as well as earning certifications that will translate to whatever they do next, whether it be educational or professional pursuits. We live vicariously through our teachers. We enjoy training, supporting and building relationships. We have teachers that retired years ago that we still regularly talk to. It is just so much more fun to work alongside your friends. The Flying Monkeys activity is one of the activities that I came up with, so I love getting pictures from our teachers when they are flying the monkeys so I can share with our team members who came up with it. And we are so thankful to the Web Professionals Global Organization for partnering with us to make these industry credentials obtainable for high school students. They are an organization that truly lives their motto of Community, Education and Certification.” 

 

Learn More About our Web Game Design Course

 

Get your students engaged and excited about possible career pathways with our innovative Web Design Course. Contact us directly today at 913-764-4272 or swaddell@ctelearning.com to schedule your free 20-minute demo. 

 

Share To

Get in touch with us today!


You can book a demo directly using Calendly, call us directly at 913-764-4272 or 877-828-1216, or submit the form and we will reach out to you.


We look forward to helping you and your students.

students with STEM certifications

Most Recent Posts

Equipping the Next Generation With AI Skills

By Steve Waddell • May 1, 2025
Today we are highlighting one of our long-time partners, Dr. Maurico Castillo, and his students. Dr. Castillo teaches in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology at California State University, Los Angeles and is an Advisor for Web Professionals Global , the professional association for all things web. This semester, Dr. Castillo has been teaching students at the Esteban Torres High School Engineering & Technology Academy. He is teaching CTeLearning’s AI for the Workplace course . 30 students worked their way through the course that teaches students how AI can be harnessed in the workplace, no matter what the future educational and career paths of the students may be. The course features the PromptScout tool, which helps students learn how various AI prompts can be used in a variety of professional settings to streamline work. The 5,360 prompts cover 63 different industries ranging from welding and business and cosmetology to agriculture. We caught up with Dr. Castillo to hear about his experience working with CTeLearning and teaching the course: “AI is here and is becoming a part of every career pathway. As CTE educators we must prepare learners for their future, and their future will include AI. AI will not replace people in their chosen pathways, but I see it helping to do more in less time. For example, people in a variety of career fields including welders, electricians, mechanics, solar techs, cosmetologists, web designers, and arborists are small business owners and entrepreneurs. As a welder, you have a craft that is high-paying and you may own your own business. AI can help you with many administrative tasks including digital marketing, customer service communications, and even safety reviews and codes review. AI is becoming the new career literacy. Every student needs to learn about how AI is a valuable tool and not something we should be afraid of. I was the first to deploy this course in CA. I took the opportunity with a class at a local high school that had 30 students. As a member of the advisory committee of Web Professionals Global, I got to see much of the early development of the microcredential and its supporting curriculum. So, when I had the chance to give it a test drive, I could not resist. I am a professor, and so like all professor types I am passionate about learning and can talk forever on any topic I love. I am excited for you to hear from the first class of certificate earners.” Hear From the Students Let’s hear from Dr. Castillo’s students about how they liked the course.  “What I liked about the CTelearning course is that it made you learn ways you can work with AI without letting the AI control your work. It helps you understand how to make the AI work with you and what you want to create. I also like the scenarios because it helps us get an experience of what it's like to use AI to help which work. ” –Veronica Perez “To learn about AI is a great thing considering that’s what is increasing in this economy. I feel like this program is doing a good thing teaching us high school students how to use it. Learning AI can help us in the future as we can find a path in an AI-based career or even in common life situations. I’m very glad to be able to have this opportunity as I see this as something very useful for my future.” –Josie Beltran “There were many things that I enjoyed about the AI in the Workplace course. Before this, I was always skeptical about AI, and even considered myself a hater. When I started reading the modules, I really enjoyed the new information I was learning about AI and how helpful it can be in work life, but also in real life. I also liked how there were sections in the modules that showed the dangers and cons for AI. A lot of people who are passionate about something seem to only show the bright side of it, but I really liked that the course didn’t show any bias and showed how AI can be bad as well. Another reason why I liked this was because it taught me new ways to use AI and all the capabilities it has.” –Derrek Aparicio “The program was very helpful because it helps you learn completely different things and can help prepare you for the future.” –Jesse Mendez “What I like about the program is the attention to detail throughout the course. Each action is divided into different topics, making it more accessible to users.” –Emely Perez “What I liked about the program we took was the scenarios. They allow me to see situations where I could use AI in real life. The situations were mainly in work environments, where I could really use AI to help me in situations.” –Abel Gonzales Your School Could Be Next Contact us today at hello@ctelearning.com or 877-828-1216 to schedule your free 20-minute demo. One of our team members will show you how you can bring this innovative AI curriculum into your classroom and prepare your students for success.

In Pennsylvania - Approval for New Animation Certification

By Steve Waddell • April 10, 2025
Frequent readers of our blog know we like to highlight our teachers and students across the country who are doing great work. Today we are highlighting Patrick McLane and his students. Patrick is the Illustration and Design Instructor at the Career Technology Center (CTC) of Lackawanna County in Pennsylvania and will be delivering a new certificate opportunity to his students in Fall 2025 thanks to a new partnership. Recently, career and technical education (CTE) programs in PA schools worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Career and Technical Education (BCTE) to provide an alternative to Adobe certificates for high school and CTC students. Thanks to this effort, the Certified Web Animator Certificate is now recognized in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) by the state of Pennsylvania. The certificate is part of our Web and Computer Animation course and is backed by Web Professionals Global , our industry partner. Web Professionals Global is the industry association for all web-related careers, and all certifications are created and backed by industry professionals. The Learn and Earn partnership with Web Professionals Global allows students to earn career-building certifications while still in school, and the cost of certifications are underwritten by the CTeLearning partnership with the professional association. Editors’s Note: Formerly known as the World of Webmasters (WOW), Web Professionals Global underwent a rebranding in 2022. Certifications in state listings may still appear under the WOW umbrella. Today, most educators and industry members recognize that WOW is now known as Web Professionals Global. Patrick’s students will be exploring an exciting career pathway and earning certifications that they can take with them in their future educational and professional careers. Another bonus Patrick and his students will enjoy is the fact that the curriculum is PC, Mac and Chromebook ready. It also includes a robust online animation editor tool suite that is free with the curriculum, and there is nothing to install on the student’s device. This will ensure complete flexibility and mobility for all his learners. Let’s hear from Patrick to hear about his experience getting the certificate approved by the state and what he is looking forward to when his students take advantage of this opportunity next fall. What did your advisory committee say when you approached them about adding the Certified Web Animator Certificate and shifting away from offering only an Adobe Photoshop certification? Did they echo your sentiments about wanting to offer more to students? Our Occupational Advisory Committee was in agreement that there needed to be an alternative to the Adobe Certifications as a path to graduation for students. They felt that the Certified Web Animator Certificate was a great option. Not only did it satisfy many of the Digital Imaging requirements of our task list, it offered an opportunity for students to practice and master many soft-skills addressed in our instructional area. One of the stand outs of the Web Professionals Global certifications is their attention to soft skills. The certifications are all about building the whole professional and not someone who is proficient in just a tool or a couple skills. In this case the Web Animator certification also covers ethics, IP, project management, design process, marketing, storyboard, audio, and technical aspects of creating robust animations built on a timeline. What was the process like working with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to get the Certified Web Animator Certificate approved? The process proved to be pretty painless. The documentation of your curriculum was so thorough, it made it easy for us to show alignment with our state task list. The Certified Web Animator Certificate teaches not only animation but also music, sound effects, audio engineering, storyboarding, ethics, critical thinking, and math in the workplace. What do you like about this comprehensive approach to preparing learners? I love the fact that the program incorporates various competencies. The soft skills and professional practice elements of the certification add another level of assessment for those areas of my curriculum. The production areas are an added bonus that help the students develop into more well-rounded professionals and prepare them for the workforce. How does it feel knowing you are giving your students the opportunity to earn certifications that are backed by industry, not just a testing company? It is an excellent addition to my program. Not only does it give students skills that are transferable no matter which platform a potential employer utilizes, it provides opportunities for higher level creative problem solving. What feedback have you received from your administrators about the course change and upgrading the certification options? Our administration is always appreciative when we can offer additional opportunities to students. It helps when they are marketing our program to sending school districts. What would you tell other teachers who may be interested in offering this certification to their students? If you have been searching for an alternative certification path for your students, the Certified Web Animator Certificate is an excellent option whether your program is focused on digital media, web design, or commercial and advertising design. The concepts presented in the program are industry standard and applicable to a wide range of disciplines. Contact us Today For more information about how you can help your students earn career-building certifications, contact us today at 913-764-4272 or hello@ctelearning.com . We would be happy to show you how we can help in a free 20-minute demo.

2025 Infographic Web and Mobile Game Design Career Pathway

By Steve Waddell • April 7, 2025
The demand for new web and mobile games continues to surge, driven by the staggering numbers of players worldwide. With approximately 1 in 4 people globally engaging in mobile gaming and over 1.13 billion online gamers, the market shows no signs of slowing down. We offer a Web and Mobile Video Game Design course designed to prepare middle school and high school students for this exciting career pathway. In 2024 alone, the industry witnessed the release of over one million new mobile games annually across iOS and Android platforms. These figures are subject to slight fluctuations influenced by market dynamics and global events. Notably, statistics reveal a significant presence of women in mobile gaming, constituting 63% of the player base. Furthermore, while the US contributes 29% to global mobile game spending, a substantial 71% of revenue emanates from outside the US. Currently, there are approximately 500,000 mobile gaming apps available on Android platforms. The average age of mobile gamers stands at 36.3 years, indicating a broad demographic appeal. China leads the gaming market with over 700 million gamers, while the US boasts over 191 million mobile gamers, with both numbers continuing to grow. Browser-based games, or web games, are projected to become a market worth over $9 billion by 2027, highlighting the expanding opportunities in this sector. Additionally, gamification is increasingly permeating various industries, simplifying training and process descriptions, including marketing. A recent poll indicates that 50% of startups plan to integrate gaming elements into their strategies in the near future. One aspect of game development is web app games. These games appear as mobile games, but do not need to be downloaded to the mobile device. Unlike traditional mobile games that require purchase or download from app stores, web app games are accessible through any smartphone browser. Game designers are leveraging this to bypass app store fees and directly reach a broad audience eager for new gaming experiences. Game design is a broad field and allows many different opportunities for anyone interested in this industry. The obvious are game designers and game developers, but that is only a small part of the story. To build a successful game you need graphic artists, sound effects artists, audio engineers, project managers, producers, and game testers, just to name a few. The Opportunity In the realm of career opportunities, the demand for web design skills is skyrocketing in today's digital age. From small enterprises to multinational corporations, establishing a robust online presence is imperative for global competitiveness. Learning web design not only unlocks diverse opportunities but also equips individuals with sought-after skills applicable across industries. While some designers pursue four-year degrees, many enter the field armed with industry credentials, a strong portfolio, and some post-secondary education. Employers now prioritize industry certifications and portfolios over traditional college degrees, recognizing the value of practical skills and expertise. Embarking on a career in game design offers various pathways. While a formal degree program remains an option, an increasing number of studios and employers prefer industry credentials and portfolios. Lifelong learning is emphasized, with many designers opting for self-education supplemented by industry-based certifications to gain a competitive edge. Entrepreneurial individuals may opt to establish their own design businesses, offering autonomy over projects, clients, and schedules. Freelancing is another avenue, providing flexibility in choosing clients and setting rates, along with exposure to the global market and diverse collaborations. Beyond career prospects, game design enhances problem-solving and critical thinking skills, offering continuous learning opportunities and transferable skills applicable across diverse fields. Educators are encouraged to guide students towards this high-growth pathway, unlocking doors to successful and fulfilling careers in web and mobile game design. Check out our Web and Mobile Video Game Design course and contact us for a free demo.