Game Changer Challenge 2023

The NSW Plan for Public Education serves as a roadmap (or in this case as an organisational wide brief) for the Department of Education, focusing educational excellence across NSW public schools. With six key areas of focus, including equity, trust in teaching, early learning, leadership, student wellbeing, and post-school pathways, the Game Changer Challenge team aligns its mission to address each priority in program delivery to schools.

The Game Changer Challenge (GCC) has evolved to bridge the equity access gap, transitioning from location-based delivery to virtual and physical classrooms, benefiting metropolitan, regional and rural schools. It empowers youth to enact tangible community change, tackling meaningful real-world issues. Aligned with curriculum objectives, it offers abundant online resources, embedding design methodology in daily teaching and learning. Importantly, GCC fosters mentorship between industry leaders and students, showcasing real-world design practices across diverse occupations, demonstrating and preparing students for future careers.

Since its establishment in 2018, the GCC has collaborated with over 3,000 student-teacher teams, integrating design thinking into classrooms, fostering critical problem-solving skills. It cultivates active student-teacher engagement, incorporating entrepreneurship into curricula. In 2023, 46% of participants attended a regional or rural school, with students from Years 3 to 11 participating. The program features immersive mentorship, connecting industry leaders with tomorrow’s workforce, identifying non-traditional career paths linked to design thinking, thereby expanding employment prospects for students beyond conventional roles.

The GCC program fosters a values-based approach to solving real-world challenges. Each year, teams confront a ’wicked problem,’ inherently complex and interconnected, inspiring innovative solutions. The 2023 challenge aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9, promoting resilient infrastructure and sustainable industrialisation. Student teams localise this issue, applying it to their communities. GCC supports teachers with professional learning opportunities enhancing online and video skills for broader application. The program’s resource, ”Design Thinking Across the Curriculum,” underscores its enduring relevance. Recognised with the Premier’s Award for Highest Quality Education in 2021, GCC is lauded for innovation and student engagement, particularly in regional and rural schools. GCC cultivates partnerships with global leaders like UNICEF Australia, ABC Education, and industry giants, enriching mentoring opportunities. This collaborative network enhances student and teacher experiences, tapping into a wealth of knowledge. With support from organisations like Adobe, Amazon Web Services, EY, and Canva, GCC extends its impact, empowering learners to tackle complex issues with creativity and empathy, ultimately shaping a brighter future.