Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts

Friday, 1 November 2024

Reminder: Nominations and submissions are due...

MSSA President, Colin Webster, delivering a speech on the importance of esports in education in Thaba Nchu.

As stated in previous articles, Mind South Africa (MSSA) shall be holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 7 December 2024. 

As such, MSSA member clubs are entitled to submit the following:

  1. Nominations for Board Members, 
  2. Nominations for Provincial Directors,
  3. Nominations for Regional Directors,
  4. Motions to amend the Constitution,
  5. General motions to amend Regulations, 
  6. Nominations for Management Awards, and
  7. Submissions apropos game titles to be played in the 2024/2025 season.
All the above must be submitted before midnight on Friday, 1 November 2024.

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Wednesday, 7 July 2021

Esports Elective

Roedean has had a long involvement in esports. From hosting many National Team Trials to hosting top international players such as Robert 'PandaTank' Botha (3rd from the left) and Silviu 'NightEnd Lazar of Romania (5th from the left) back in 2013.

by Dorian Love.
Team sports have long been seen as central to education. Thomas Arnold, headmaster of Rugby School between 1828 and 1841 saw the character-building qualities of team sports as crucial to socialization and the ethic of muscular Christianity. Learning to work together, learning to temper your individual instincts for the good of the team. Learning to build your identity as a member of a wider community was vital in the education of those intended to be able to go out into the far reaches of the British Empire and administer vast tracts of land and huge populations in the interests of colonial power.

These values are now held to be odious, but team sports retain the power to build character.  The world depends now more than ever on building co-operation and the ability to collaborate in the face of adversity. If we do not work together, we will not combat pandemics or climate change, if we do not have a sense of collective identity we will fail because of individual greed.

Esports is now perhaps the fastest growing sport in the world and needs to be brought into the centre-ground of education. Too often computer gaming has been seen as a solitary, lonely activity conducted in darkened teenage bedrooms. While gaming generally has been brought into the mainstream and is no longer the preserve of a sub-culture, much of the stigma that has surrounded gaming remains in the popular imagination. Computer gaming is highly social, and according to research greatly beneficial within moderation. Every bit as much as the traditional team sports such as rugby or cricket, eSports offers opportunities for character-building. Although an increasing number of schools are introducing eSports as an optional sport, relatively few encourage it. Very few see the opportunities in using eSports to teach character and build capacity. Most schools either do not offer eSports or strangle it by not placing it on the list of compulsory sports.

Next year, in 2022, Roedean School will be introducing Esports as an elective subject in the Grade 8 and 9 syllabus alongside electives in traditional subjects such as history, drama or science. Currently Esports in the curriculum is largely taken to mean the use of gaming, particularly Minecraft to deliver content within STEAM curricula. This is important and has been shown to be efficacious, but the Roedean curriculum seeks to address competitive Esports directly. Much as one might play hockey during Phys Ed lessons, the aim is to give girls an opportunity to hone their gaming skills and learn to play as part of a competitive eSports team. The elective will also include topics such as team management, health, how to enter a tournament and a look inside possible future careers such as sports journalism. Students will be made aware of the tertiary bursaries available, and the range of possibilities students can pursue.

Turning your passion into a career is an outcome, to quote Hamlet, devoutly to be wished. Roedean School hopes to turn this maxim into an educational stream tailored for those girls who are passionate about gaming and who wish to develop this as their sport of choice.
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Tuesday, 22 June 2021

GEF Education Alliance: Powering the Future of Learning and the Future of Work

 

Tangible initiatives to unlock exciting opportunities for youth in esports

The Global Esports Federation has established the GEF Education Alliance to convene thought leaders, powering the future of learning and the future of work in esports.

Led by the GEF’s Education, Culture, Youth Commission with the GEF Board Members, HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud and Jerry Ling as Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, the GEF Education Alliance develops grassroots and leadership programs in line with the GEF’s mission of providing services to the esports community, and to empower a new generation.

 

The founding members of the GEF Education Alliance are Singapore, Brazil, China, Dominican Republic, Japan, Saudi Arabia, UK, and USA. This cohort of established Member Federations is supported by leaders endemic to esports and from academia.

 

“Esports is one of the world’s most dynamic industries and in many aspects significant in today’s youth culture. The two worlds – esports and education – are naturally converging, presenting incredible new career opportunities in technology, the creative economy and esports management throughout the world,” said HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud, Board Member and Chair, Education, Culture, Youth Commission, Global Esports Federation. “The Global Esports Federation and its Member Federations recognize this emerging development, and together with our partners, have initiated innovative programs to prepare young people for fulfilling careers in esports, education and skills development training for this new digital era.”

 

The GEF Education Alliance includes development programs aimed at grassroots and professional levels. The Global Esports Future Leaders Program (GEFLP) offers diverse internship opportunities for young people to learn and gain experience in various capacities within the GEF. The first group of interns will commence in the lead up to the inaugural Singapore 2021 Global Esports Games. In addition, a series of Community Development Workshops are aimed at increasing the capabilities of leaders within the esports community – exchanging knowledge, sharing and learning best practices.


Paul J. Foster, Chief Executive Officer, Global Esports Federation, noted, “Like many organizations in esports, the GEF is rapidly scaling up recruitment with a robust plan to meet the needs of the organization and its expansion across the world. As we evolve and grow, the commitment to our values – equality, inclusion and diversity – remains in focus. We want to grow sustainably together as a community, and make work fun and rewarding too.”

 

#worldconnected

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Thursday, 11 June 2020

IESF announces the Esports Education and Youth Leadership Commission

Ex IESF President, Colin Webster, lecturing aspirant referees on the importance of ethics in February 2020. 
The International Esports Federation (IESF) is excited to announce the Esports Education and Youth Leadership Commission is initiated.

The Esports Education and Youth Leadership Commission will consist of three committees with, Academics, Administrators and Students. The commission will focus on not only expanding the ecosystem of esports and strengthening esports in schools but also developing curriculum material and courses that can be used for supporting education and learning to empower the youth under the shared visions and values.

Serhat Bekdemir, Founder of Turkey’s Collegiate Esports League and European University Masters’ LOL champions of 2018 with Bahçeşehir University was appointed to lead this Commission.

Vlad Marinescu, President of IESF, stated: "I am happy to announce that Serhat Bekdemir is going to lead IESF's Esports Education and Youth Leadership Commission. Mr. Bekdemir is a long-time trusted friend of IESF and will assume the role of the Commissioner to work closely with institutions to establish a strong commitment to making an impact in the Esports education and collegiate esports scene globally."
 

Serhat Bekdemir, the Commissioner of IESF Education and Youth Leadership, stated: "Grassroots esports is rising, and this is a great opportunity for me to work for IESF to support their mission, uniting the esports world. We are now calling for the best esports education institutions to get together and share the best practices from all over the world to help educate the youth, families and institutions about esports under the IESF's leadership."

Mr. Bekdemir is one of the early movers in esports who has been active since the late '90s. He has been working intensively to integrate esports into education, creating opportunities and empowering the youth to start their careers in esports. He is currently working with the American University of Malta to establish a new program.

IESF's Esports Education and Youth Leadership Commission will work to unite and support the collegiate ecosystem and raise the standard of esports through its member nations.

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Thursday, 26 September 2019

WADA SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR 2020 STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIR VACANCIES


Montreal, 25 September 2019 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is seeking nominations for 2020 for the Chairs of four (of its five) Standing Committees, which report into WADA's Executive Committee (ExCo) and Foundation Board (Board) and act as advisory committees, providing guidance for the Agency’s programs.

The current Standing Committee Chair terms end on 31 December 2019. This public call applies to the following four vacancies:
  1. Athlete Committee
  2. Education Committee
  3. Finance and Administration Committee
  4. Health, Medical and Research Committee
The successful candidates will take office on 23 January 2020 [the date that WADA’s ExCo will approve the nominations]; and, their terms will conclude on 31 December 2022; after which, candidates may reapply to continue for two further three-year periods.
 
The term of the Agency’s Compliance Review Committee Chair also concludes on 31 December 2019; however, this role will be filled via a different process due to a stricter requirement for independence. The newly formed Nominations Committee will be responsible for recruiting, reviewing and vetting the candidates for this specific position, and for setting the related processes.
 
Standing Committee Chair Role
 
Below, WADA is pleased to provide links to the revised Role Description/Position Profiles and Terms of Reference for each of the Committee Chair positions, which outline the scope of work and detail the functioning of the respective Committees.
How to apply
 
To be considered, all applications must be forwarded by Friday, 1 November 2019 to Mr Olivier Niggli, WADA Director General, (c/o e-mail: marjorie.chinnarassen@wada-ama.org or fax: +1 514 904 8743).
 
In the case of the Athlete Committee Chair, the closing date to submit applications is Thursday, 24 October 2019. This special timeline is required as the WADA Athlete Committee will be reviewing the applications, which is not the case for the other positions.
 
All nominations must include the following:
  • a maximum one-page cover (motivational) letter;
  • an updated curriculum vitae, which fully captures the candidate’s experience and expertise;
  • letters of endorsement from at least two members of WADA’s Board (one representing the Olympic Movement and one representing the Public Authorities); and
  • a signed declaration of independence form.
Any questions can also be directed to Mr Niggli, c/o Ms Chinnarassen.

Governance Reforms and Independence

As it relates to independence, in 2017 and 2018, WADA carried out a governance review, which resulted in a series of reforms that were endorsed by WADA’s Board in November 2018; including, that certain independence criteria be applied to some governance roles.

Accordingly, the Chair of each of these four Committees will need to meet the following requirements of WADA’s General Standard of Independence as stipulated below:

"An individual is considered independent when he/she remains free of undue influence, is independent in character and judgment and there are no relationships or circumstances which to an informed third party could affect, or could appear to affect, the individual's judgment."

About WADA

Formed in 1999, WADA is an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the Sports Movement and Governments of the world. As the global regulatory body, WADA’s primary role is to develop, harmonize and coordinate anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries. Its key activities include: ensuring and monitoring effective implementation of the World Anti-Doping Code and its related International Standards; scientific and social science research; education; intelligence and investigations; and building anti-doping capacity with anti-doping organizations worldwide.

WADA’s vision is a world where all athletes can compete in a doping-free sporting environment; and, the Agency’s mission is to lead a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport.

WADA is composed of a 38-member Board, which is WADA’s supreme decision-making body; a 12-member ExCo, which is WADA’s ultimate policy-making body and several Committees. The Board and ExCo are composed equally of representatives from the Sports Movement and Governments. The Board delegates the actual management and running of the Agency, including the performance of activities and the administration of assets, to the ExCo.
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Wednesday, 22 March 2017

Structure of MSSA eSports championships.

Jeppe Boys in action.
The basic tenant that underlies all of out championships is that of growth.

Therefore the MSSA uses a modified ‘Swiss’ system for all its championships. The system is hard on the winners, making them perform to the best of their abilities, while also encouraging the weaker players/teams by allowing them to play all the rounds and improve.

The MSSA currently holds provincial championships in seven out of the nine provinces. To see the full schedule, please refer to MSSA's 2017 Calendar of Events.

The MSSA also holds a South African National championships in which all players may participate.

Due to the distances between cities in South Africa, the MSSA realises that it is not always feasible for gamers to attend LAN’s.

Thus MSSA also hosts online championships which is deemed to be the of the same status as a Provincial LAN championship.

MSSA's system of provincial and national championships form an integral part of team selection and for the award of provincial and national colours.

To be eligible for team selection, a player must finish in the top twenty percent of a provincial or national championships. Such players are then invited to National Team Trials and the Selection process is handled by our Selection Committee.

In the interests of promoting growth, the MSSA’s school championships are free to all learners that are members of affiliated clubs.

In 2009, the Department of Education handed over all control of sport at schools to the Department of Sport and Recreation and to the recognised National Federations.

Thus from 2010, the MSSA assumes all responsibility for the promotion of eSports at school level. Although only three schools initially affiliated to MSSA, the numbers have swelled significantly, so that at the end of 2016 there were over 40 schools affiliated to MSSA.


To ensure that the MSSA develops gaming at school level, MSSA offers schools the following:

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