Facts about the Game of Learners

A Microsoft Africa Development Center (ADC) initiative, the Game of Learners (GOL) engages directly with students regardless of the higher education institution they come from.

The program’s main objective is to establish a fun, hands-on learning experience for students.

Born virtual, GOL is a program without borders. It provides a virtual environment where students learn computer science technologies and practices hands-on while they build impactful solutions for their community.

All GOL activities are supported by volunteers from Microsoft and partners as coaches, mentors, judges, speakers and trainers.

GOL is formed like a sports league, starting with a season, and followed by off-season clinics and exhibitions.

To participate, students who respond to the call to participate are vetted as per requirements, and if they succeed, they are allowed to participate.

Overall, the program provides a platform for Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors to hone their leadership skills as Team Captains while leading and building impactful solutions with the learners.

One overall winner (team) will be selected at the end of the season. Besides having the winning team featured on the GOL site along with announcements on social media, participation in the Game of Learners is not an end to itself but an opportunity to be a part of a continuous journey in developing and growing their technical skillsets and setting them up for their careers.

The Game of Learners airs every Wednesday on the Citizen Digital App, which can is available on the Google Appstore.

Making the Cut

In this episode we will have a look at the process of how the participants are chosen and what makes them ideal for the show. Something about them that stands out from the rest of the people who applied.

After the participants are selected, here we will see the process of where the Captains of the teams are chosen. Where team members get to know each other and choosing of the name for the teams.

Here the participants will be taken on the theme of the show, what is expected from them and what they are allowed to use as a means to coming up with a proposition.

This is the intense part of the show as we see the participants try to scramble and come up with a presentation for the judges. Here the participants, led by the captain will be showcased on the ups and downs involved in coming up with the a solution to the challenge presented to them.

This will be a break from the normal exercise of the participants, we will get to see a side of the participants that is fun and how they like enjoying their free time. This is important as it brings a bit of relief in the midst of chaos.

This will be the day that the teams will have to get their acts together and come up with a presentation that they have been working on for the past weeks. The pitch/presentation before the judges will decide whether or not they make it for the final three teams.

Here is the episode where we get to know the top team that has emerged victorious. We will also get a feel of how it was, coming up with the winning solution from the members and the help from coaches. Here is where we will see how the team endured the tough times and work together for the win.

Here will be an overview from some of the most memorable moments from the just completed season of the GOL show, and even maybe some of the moments that did not make it in the final edits of the previous episodes.