Junior Prototype Advisors

From School Matters, 7th February 2001

Talented Cloverdale PS students reached the end of an exciting project in term four last year which allowed them to be key players in the devlopment of an educational CD ROM game.

The students were members of the Junior Advisary Board (JAB) which tested prototypes and provided feedback for a game, called eVac-U8 with Elbie Arbie, that was developed by Leederville company Fun-Ed.

Principal Colin Hollier said the school had been keen to participate in the program as it provided an excellent extension activity for the students including visits to Curtin University and the company's offices.

They began the project in Year 3 and had since completed Year 4. "They are a very gifted group," he said. "They had to work individually and creatively and it also brought out their editing skills."

Education Department Policy and Planning Executive Director Neil Jarvis presented achievement certificates to the 12 students during a special assembly at the end of term four. They also received a copy of the game from Fun-Ed, which includes their names as members of the JAB and would be distributed worldwide.

Fun-Ed school liason officer Julie Bowden said the game offered a 2D and 3D animated adventure with 18 sub-games that had been based on the Year 3 maths curriculum. "The JAB's have learnt about designing computer games over the past 14 months," she said.

The JAB members were Kelsie Pusich, James Symons, Kirsten Biddle, Courtney Morse, Luke Conroy, Jessica Dioquino, Hannah Mackey, William Lewis, Nicholas Herbst, Jay Rawlings, Brendan Downing and Travis McQueen.