Water for Walami: a strategy game

Educationalists may still develop practical and high quality learning resources that are not digital. The authors, having explored the potential difficulties in designing electronic based educational games, were determined to find a more practical and affordable educational game given their limited funds and other resources, yet still provide an innovative, flexible and high quality educational resource. The result is a game called Water for Walami.
The use of simulations in the subject areas of construction and civil engineering has proven success in the designers’ experience with results published through an Accelerating Change in the Built Environment Education (ACBEE) case study for civil engineering students (Ogwuda & Simpson, 2004), and a Centre for Education in the Built Environment case study for construction students (Simpson & Ogwuda, 2004). Given the successes in simulations it was decided to go one stage further and develop a fully integrated and challenging simulation game that could be adapted to a wider target group of participants from secondary school level to postgraduate level. This was the challenge that the designers set themselves.
The designers of Water for Walami, are convinced that there is a niche market in educational resources for games such as Water for Walami, whereby the inventiveness of educationalists will continue to lead to high quality resources for learners in a breadth of media. The main drivers for a successful outcome are determination to succeed and a clear vision for the future with respect to a concept.