What is the Game Changer Challenge?

The Game Changer Challenge is the department’s award-winning design thinking competition.

Open to public schools across the state the challenge centres on discovering solutions for a real-world, wicked problem by applying classroom learning.

What is design thinking?

Design thinking is a human-centred process to solving complex problems. Empathy and collaboration are at the heart of design thinking.

The five-step process starts by encouraging problem solvers to walk in the shoes of those experiencing the 'problem' to gain a deeper insight into the challenges and issues they face (empathy).

This knowledge is then used to develop a clear problem statement (define), work on solutions (ideate), turn these solutions into tangible products (prototype) and then see whether the solution will work (test).

Design thinking is not a linear process. With each stage you make new discoveries that require you to rethink and redefine what you have already done.

Design thinking brings our head, heart and hands together to find innovative solutions to complex problems.

This process can be used over and over again, for small or complex problems.

A guide to Game Changer Challenge 2023

Step 1: Enter your school

Enter your school now. Teachers who fill out the entry form will receive access to the wicked problem and playbooks when they are released in Term 1.

Step 2: Build your team

Teams consist of five students and one teacher per team. Supervising teachers can be from any subject area. The primary category is for students from Years 3 to 6, the secondary category is for students from Years 7 to 12.

Schools can have more than one team, providing each student team member is different. One teacher can oversee multiple teams.

Step 3: Work through the playbooks and prepare your video

Playbook resources will be available from our GCC2023 Teacher Hub and guide teams through the first stages of the challenge.

Once released, the playbooks will guide teachers and students through:

• The 2023 Wicked Problem
• GCC 2023 framework and principles
• GCC 2023 schedule
• Teacher Hub, video resources and playbooks
• The design thinking canvases.

All teams will be required to prepare a video application after working through the playbooks at school.

Step 4: Submit your video application

Submit your video application and details of your team(s), including team and student names.

Video submissions close in Week 5, Term 2 (Friday 26 May 2023).

Step 5: Virtual semifinals

Selected teams will take part in our virtual semifinals held across Weeks 4-6 in Term 3.

Step 6: Grand final

Teams sucessful in the virtual semifinals will take part in a three-day grand final event in Week 5, Term 4 hosted at the department's Parramatta office.