ABSTRACT
The idea of children-as-designers with respect to learning and technology began with the research in 1970s, but is even more relevant today. The advancement of technology has made electronics and software more readily affordable and accessible, with more sophisticated graphics and ease of usability. Game design programs such as Game Maker, Scratch, and Storytelling Alice take basic programming concepts and make them more understandable by incorporating icons and drag-and-drop moves for users to be able to create their own projects. Before students were given the opportunity to be the creators of video games, they had to be given the opportunity to work with computers. In his 1980 book Mindstorms, Seymour Papert writes of children interacting with computer and learning math through programming. Building upon the educational qualities of game design programs, Game Design through Mentoring and Collaboration (GDMC), was established in the Washington, DC area to expose primarily African American students to aspects of game design through a peer-mentoring system.
