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Abu Dhabi: A school in Abu Dhabi now has an esports lab that enables students to explore the world of games and promotes gamification in education.
Aldar Education’s West Yas Academy, an American-style curriculum school on Yas Island, hosts Rocket League, a truck-mounted soccer game, at its esports center.
“We are delighted to open this exciting, cutting-edge learning space to students at Sias Academy. Esports is a fast-growing industry and we have introduced it to all students at our school,” said Andrew Turner, Head of Educational Technology Group, Aldar Education explain.
“Many people think eSports is all about playing digital games, but that’s not the case. The industry offers our students opportunities to enter careers related to entrepreneurship, marketing, graphic or game design, coding, 3D prototyping, and more. We’re excited Excited to offer our students the opportunity to explore opportunities related to the esports industry and develop valuable soft skills such as teamwork, communication and problem-solving,” he added in the release.
game growth
Gaming is growing exponentially in the Middle East, with forecasts showing the average esports player in the UAE will spend at least US$115 (Dh422) per year over the next five years. This has further attracted investment in esports theme parks and venues. Analysts expect the esports market in the MENA region to reach US$105 million (AED385 million) by 2024, growing at an annual rate of 25%.
Industry reports indicate that there are currently more than 18 million gamers in the region, with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt being the largest markets.
new career
Turner told Gulf News that the Aldar school already has an esports league.
“We’re always on the lookout for emerging trends and want to give students the hard and soft skills they need to keep up. There is talent, and this will provide an opportunity to explore it,” he said.
Teaching Philosophy
Games can also be used to bring home various concepts taught in the classroom. For example, axes in Minecraft can be used to teach students the concept of axes.
“For example, students at Al Ain College have used Minecraft to develop bridge models and 3D print them as part of our project-based learning approach,” explains Turner.
The educator said the plan was to make the new center available to students from other schools in Aldar in the future. The educational institution currently operates 30 schools in the emirate of Abu Dhabi with approximately 33,000 students.
Technical cooperation
The West Yas Academy facility was developed in partnership with technology company Lenovo.
“Through this new initiative, Lenovo continues its commitment to supporting education and helping young people unlock their full potential through technology. Aldar Education clearly understands the potential of gaming to have a profound impact on the lives of students, and the commitment to Lenovo to provide integrated and custom electronics Confidence in competitive solutions. We look forward to working with Aldar Education to bring this exciting new initiative to life and engage all students in gaming tournaments,” said Mohammed Hilili, General Manager, Lenovo Bay.
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