From 7 to 11 August 2023 in Kuching, nearly 30 officers from the Sarawak civil service, tertiary institutions, and civil society organisations (CSOs) took part in a workshop where they had the opportunity to incorporate game mechanics to enhance non-game environments, especially in communicating development.
‘Game and Gamification for Fun and Creative People Engagement’ is the first of a series of activities organised under the RAKAN Sarawak “Destiny Movers” event by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and Unit Komunikasi Awam Sarawak (UKAS) for the State Secretary’s Office, Premier of Sarawak Department.
Facilitated by gamification and play-based learning experts Assistant Professor Gian Carlo U. de Jesus and Assistant Professor Ana Katrina P. de Jesus from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, the workshop was designed to introduce participants to the concept of gamification and how it can be used to enhance communication strategies in the development sector.
“In today’s digital era, we are spoiled for choice in the plethora of tools, channels, approaches and gimmicks that we can use to engage with our stakeholders.
“Gamification, games and stimulations using creative stories and digital means are some of the more popular methods that are now being employed to engage with stakeholders.
“This workshop will give participants an opportunity to learn and apply the principles and process of game-thinking and game mechanics to engage stakeholders, and develop creative means to effect changes in mindsets, attitudes and behaviours,” stated State Secretary YB Datuk Amar Haji Mohamad Abu Bakar bin Marzuki in his written remarks.
Throughout the five-day activity, participants had to chance to create games using frameworks such as Bloom’s Taxonomy and the facilitators’ very own Bahay-Bahayan Experience Design Canvas based on the common shared values of Sarawak society, including integrity, kind and caring, team spirit, and sustainability.
With references of immersive theatre productions like Katipuneros RPG, Pailah: Ugat ng Lipi and Tonneru Sorosoro, they then experimented various world-building and storytelling elements to make their games more experiential and enjoyable.
For that, participants were delighted, enlightened and even relieved to be in a workshop that did not bore them at all. Those from the civil service and CSOs, for example, hoped to be able to utilise gamification in communicating development and social projects and programmes to the grass-roots.
Attendees for tertiary institutions namely Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) Batu Lintang Campus were inspired to make their students’ learning experience more interesting through gamified lessons.
Above all, the workshop offered everyone a more immersive, practical and fun means of imparting information and news, and most importantly engaging people with regards to development in Sarawak.
Objectives of ‘Game and Gamification for Fun and Creative People Engagement’
- To introduce participants to the concept of gamification and its potential applications in organisational and development communication.
- To develop an understanding of how gamification can be used to enhance communication strategies in the development sector.
- To explore the ethical considerations involved in the use of gamification as a people engagement strategy.
- To provide students with practical skills in designing and implementing gamified communications approaches.
About RAKAN Sarawak “Destiny Movers”
The RAKAN Sarawak “Destiny Movers” event is a series of activities that taps the power of storytelling for people engagement. This is a project implemented by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and Unit Komunikasi Awam Sarawak for the State Secretary’s Office, Premier of Sarawak Department.
RAKAN Sarawak “Destiny Movers” complements the RAKAN Sarawak magazine and other social media platforms that communicate policies, programmes and development projects of the Government.
RAKAN Sarawak – the publication arm of Faradale Media-M – believes that in an age of division, the world deserves a platform that brings people together, providing a common narrative and a sense of shared purpose.
RAKAN Sarawak “Destiny Movers” event is its interactive, participatory, people engagement platform focusing on strengthening the values of Sarawak society that are the foundations for Sarawak’s success as an economic powerhouse with an inclusive society.
