Zynga, Hidden Agenda Host Contest For Educational Facebook Game
Farmville developer Zynga has teamed up with non-profit group The Hidden Agenda Project to host a game development contest encouraging students to produce a fun and engaging educational game that teaches a high school subject through the Facebook platform.
Based in Austin, The Hidden Agenda Project hopes to teach children who do not or cannot learn school subjects through traditional methods. The organization hosts an annual competition in the United States to produce games for kids who face challenges learning in traditional school environments.
Hidden Agenda's titles teach topics like chemistry, physics and algebra, and have been distributed on computers donated to "thousands of underprivileged students in urban areas". The project's team of advisors include luminaries like famed designer Richard Garriott, game-based learning expert Marc Prensky, and many others.
Zynga is the lead sponsor and advisor for this year's event, which offers a $25,000 prize to the college or graduate school team that produces the winning title (announced next spring). The grand prize entry entry will need to effectively teach a high school subject through social interaction.
High school students will look over each entry, which are judged 70 percent on their entertainment value and 30 percent on their educational value. Hidden Agenda's advisory board will also offer advice and feedback for the teams.
"We are just beginning to understand how social gaming can affect people’s lives in a positive way," says Zynga's SVP of Games Mike Verdu. "Our partnership with Hidden Agenda is an extension of our continued efforts to partner with non-profit organizations across the country. We are excited to see the creative and innovative games developed by these very talented students."
Hidden Agenda plans to post more details on the competition on its Facebook page in the near future.
