Games and problem solving
Games can be an excellent diversion and problem solving exercise. But can valuable skills or knowledge be developed with game play?
Here are a couple of games which will test your problem solving skills. Have a go at one or both and then add your thoughts via the comment function on this post.
In Ayiti: The Cost of Life you have to try to help the Guinards, a family of five living in poverty stricken rural Haiti. There are decisions to be made about work, education, health and other issues which will determine their quality of life. It is pretty tough to keep this family alive for a year or two. Try to help solve the problem of how to survive. You can find out where in the world Haiti is, and what the real life problems are for Haitians like the Guinards.
After Ayiti it may seem like a breeze to manage a river catchment and create a sustainable and thriving economy. You get a chance to try this in Catchment Detox. You can learn on the job in this one - you get 100 turns, each representing a year, to try out your plans - and you can investige the issues through video, audio and text based information.
Give one or both of these a go and report back. Good luck!
Mrs Thomson
