Scottish Esports in Education Mini-Conference 2024 (SEEMC2024) – In Review

The inaugural Scottish Esports in Education Mini-Conference 2024 (SEEMC2024), held at the University of the West of Scotland’s Paisley Campus, was a landmark event for esports education in Scotland. Our event brought together 53 attendees, including educators, industry, and governance representatives, to explore the role esports is currently playing in the Scottish education system. With a focus on mapping current efforts, understanding the state of play, and gathering feedback on existing qualifications, SEEMC2024 marked an important step in shaping the future of esports education in Scotland.

Mark McCready – CEO of Scottish Esports

Mapping Educators and Institutions

SEEMC2024 successfully highlighted the diversity of stakeholders involved in esports education. Attendees represented a wide array of settings:

• Colleges: 14 attendees
• Industry Professionals: 14 attendees
• Universities: 13 attendees
• Secondary Schools: 8 attendees
• Governance Representatives: 3 attendees
• Youth Work/Community Organisations: 1 attendee

This mix underscores the collective interest and participation across different sectors of education, reflecting the growing recognition of esports as a valuable educational tool. 17 attendees confirmed their institutions are delivering esports qualifications, such as the SQA NPA Esports Levels 5 and 6. These institutions are at the forefront of integrating esports into educational frameworks, laying the groundwork for utilising esports in promoting accessible pathways for young and adult learners.

Brian Baglow – Founder of Scottish Games Network

Understanding the Current State of Play

A key focus of SEEMC2024 was to assess the current understanding and integration of esports in education. Attendees brought yet another diverse range of experience levels to the table:

• Beginner (Basic Knowledge): 38% of attendees
• Advanced (Established Experience): 28% of attendees
• Intermediate (Active Involvement): 19% of attendees
• None (New to Esports): 9% of attendees
• Mixed/Combined Levels: 6% of attendees

This diversity highlights both the enthusiasm for esports education and the need for tailored resources to support different levels of understanding in esports expertise. During the conference, educators expressed interest in understanding how esports aligns with existing curricula, how partnerships with the local/community organisations and industry can enhance student engagement through workshops and knowledge exchange. Including how esports can draw on governing principles that have introduced safeguarding and best practice to advocate and encourage the use/play/consumption of casual video gaming at younger school years for children.

Josh Martin – Founder of SimStaff

Primary Interests

Attendee interests aligned closely with the goals of SEEMC2024, with the following themes emerging:

1. Curriculum Development: Exploring how esports can be effectively integrated into educational frameworks.
2. Building Partnerships: Collaborating with industry and governance to strengthen the esports education ecosystem.
3. Learning about Esports in Education: Understanding best practices and innovations in the field.

Feedback on Existing Qualifications

Attendees delivering SQA esports qualifications provided valuable insights into their implementation. The SQA NPA Esports qualifications, particularly at Levels 5 and 6, were discussed extensively, with educators highlighting both successes and areas for improvement. Feedback focused on:

• Enhancing support materials and network opportunities for educators new to esports.
• Expanding the scope of qualifications to include diverse game genres, platforms and industry skills and potentially delivered through external workshops.
• Building clearer academic and career pathways for students while developing skillsets required to transition from education to esports careers.

The conference identified the need for professional development opportunities to support educators in delivering esports programmes and for industry to implement trade best practice confidently and effectively. The current industry infrastructure is not established in Scotland and therefor leaves a gap in student progression into industry. Education pathways are being developed, however industry was identified to require more support in developing a rounded ecosystem.

George Milliken – Education Officer (Digital) at Education Scotland

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

1. Expanding Educational Resources: SEEMC2024 highlighted a pressing need for comprehensive educational resources of international and Scottish industry to support educators across all levels of experience. Attendees recommended developing workshops, mentorship programmes, and practical guides for implementing esports in classrooms to share best practice.
2. Strengthening Partnerships: Building connections between educational institutions, industry leaders, and governance bodies emerged as a top priority. Collaborative efforts will ensure esports programmes remain relevant and aligned with current industry needs in Scotland.
3. Feedback Integration: Insights from educators delivering SQA qualifications will inform future amendments and development of a new HNC Esports qualification by SQA, ensuring they remain dynamic and impactful. Additionally, exploring how esports qualifications and activities can be implemented across Scotland in rural areas including Scottish Borders and the Highlands and Islands.
4. Broader Engagement: While SEEMC2024 focused on formal education, a Scottish Esports takeaway identified the importance of engaging youth work and community organisations to make esports accessible to a wider audience. Particularly working on identifying the most effective way for esports to be implemented across schools, colleges and community in Local Authorities whilst supporting industry growth through community engagement.

SEEMC2024 Attendees

Closing Remarks

SEEMC2024 demonstrated the great potential of esports to further education in Scotland. The conference succeeded in bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders to share knowledge, build connections, and develop an inclusive path forward. As esports continues to grow globally, Scotland is positioned to lead the way in integrating this dynamic field into education.

Scottish Esports would like to thank all attendees, speakers, and partners. specifically University of the West of Scotland including Gavin Baxter and Thomas Hainey, who contributed to the success of SEEMC2024.

We look forward to building on the momentum generated and continuing to work collaboratively with our community to achieve these shared goals.

Presentations and Slides

Those that were unable to attend the conference or were wanting to look back on some of the presentations delivered can do so by accessing our Google Drive:

Access Presentations

For more information on the outcomes of SEEMC2024 and upcoming initiatives, please visit our website or contact the Scottish Esports team directly.

Join our Scottish Esports Discord Server to connect with fellow gamers, introduce yourself, and stay updated on upcoming initiatives. Be part of the national esports community and help shape the future of competitive video gaming!