2021
Festival 2021
Programme
Day one
Opening session day one
Brett LeavyWelcome to country
Danny Pearson MPOpening remarks
Susanna PollackOpening remarks
Noah FalsteinGames for Health: Challenges and Rewards
Carolyn MeeSound Scouts - Testing the Range of Serious Games
Jonathan DuckworthDesigning Inclusive Games for Non-standard Bodies
Social 1
Games that change the world
Chair
Saqina Latif
Nico KingExploring Complex Social Issues and Changing Behaviour Using Games
Leah Callon-ButlerPlay-to-Earn: NFT Gaming in the Philippines
Michaela Ternasky-HollandMaking of Lutaw: A Filipino American Virtual Reality Experience
Gilson SchwartzGames, childhood and adolesence - mental health and educational issues
Health 1
Games for health education
Dan EpsteinCollectable card game for vaccination collection
Claudia LeongParents and children's perceptions on the use of video games for nutrition education
Ruby BiezenLearning through gaming, promoting hand hygiene practice in young children
Anna RitzemaVIRUS game invasion
Hsiao Wei (Michelle) ChenMental Jam
Troy RainbowOpening the Door in Question - XR and Schizophrenia - a technodramaturgy for fractured mental states
Social 2
Games for behaviour change
Chair
Bwe Thay
Jane CocksThe Rosetta Wheel: a Framework for Designing Behaviour Change Games
Susannah EmeryHannah: a game to help strengthen support networks for those experiencing Domestic Violence
Ailsa GilliamVideo game learning in Malaysia to prevent gender-based violence
Steven DuponStreets of My Town
Learning 1
Inspiring and engaging students with games
Chair
Megan Pusey
Bron StuckeyGames and Engagement - Aim for the Ceiling Not the Floor
Roland GesthuizenEndeavour to Inspire
Rebecca KerrMaking the Mundane Fun: Creating a Game for Information and Digital Literacy
Greg GiannisNew Media, Digital Capabilities, Games & Project Management
Matt CabanagVirtual Reality for Linear Algebra Education
Morgan HumphreysMurdoch University Esports and Gaming Camp
Health 2
Games as medicine
Chair
Matthew Mac Partlin
David HobbsDeveloping NeuroOrb, a serious games cognitive training system for people with Parkinson's disease
Ben O'MaraMaking Videogames More Inclusive for People Living with MND
Kathleen YinDifferential Exercise Patterns Between Hardcore and Casual Players in Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
Maziah Mat RoslySerious Games with E-Sports Exergaming: Improving Health Alongside The Global Digital Expansion
Simone GindidisTALi DETECT: A serious game for the assessment of early childhood attention
Learning 2
Designing games for learning
Chair
Matt Harrison
Elyssebeth LeighWhy isn’t there more play with learning? Exploring barriers to playful engagement with learning.
Vince SiuPlay, Learn, Grow: Designing Powerful Learning Experiences through Play and Games
Lynne TelferGame Inception - Students making a Game within a Game... about Game Development
Alexander SwordsA High Concept Formula for Narrative Design
Grant PuseyVideo Game Design to Encourage Learning
Health 3
Better health outcomes through technology
Chair
Kirrian Steer
Patrea AndersenIntegration of serious games in health education: snap shots of innovation
William PammentEliminating healthcare error with AI Patients - No longer a fantasy.
Garry PutlandImmersive Learning in HealthCare
Stefan SchuttTen years of The Lab: how a tech club for autistic young people developed into a national network
Social 3
Games for cultural and environmental preservation
Saqina LatifSoutheast Asian Myths and Folklores for Games
Suan GohDeveloping a Cultural Student Game in 3 Months: What I've Learned Since Then
Nikolche VasilevskiLessons Learned from Designing a Gamified Augmented Reality App for Indigenous Cultural Education
Brett LeavyVirtual Songlines
Melissa SinclairWik and Kugu Children game-learning about Olive Ridley Turtle conservation on their homelands
Rudy CarpioCreating climate change awareness through GALA, an embodied virtual reality experience
Lise LeitnerTrash: Sustainability & inclusive Character Design
Health 4
Games for training healthcare workers
Chair
Beverly Sutton
Ben LoveridgeIntegrating immersive technology into teaching and research at the University of Melbourne
Robert SwartThe Virtual Reality Insertion of Chest-drain Outcomes Research (VICTOR) study
Christian MoroUsing steam and online reviews to expand applied revision gaming for community education
Chris LillicoZombie apocalypse provides game plan for learning physiology
Social 4
Communication, empathy and role-playing games
Vince SiuRoleplaying Our Way to Social Inclusion through Z-Force: Genesis
Simon McCallumPlaying a role by role playing
Heng ZhangUtilize Games to Improve Parent-Child Relationships and Parent-Child Health During COVID-19
Kathleen SmartFrog’s Princess: Making a diverse, inclusive and accessible visual novel
Lisa SkaifemyDRIVESCHOOL
Steve DeeDog Bites The Man
Vivian Hsueh Hua ChenA pro-social game: Icebreaker
Hailey CooperriderGreen Hollow: Teamwork Development through Story Co-creation
Learning 3
Social emotional learning
Chair
Vincent Trundle
Matthew HarrisonPlaying for inclusion: using cooperative gaming as a tool for supporting neurodiverse children in their communities
Nancy A AnUsing Serious Games to Foster Wellbeing in Higher Education
Megan PuseyUsing cognitively challenging video games to develop resilience
Deborah RichardsARU an embodied conversational agent for managing stress at University in India During COVID-19
James BirtAdapting Esports for Critical Thinking Education using Rocket League
Ben LoveridgeExploring opportunities for musician’s health and performance enhancement using VR simulation training
Learning 4
Games for learning showcase
Gillian MorrisonNous, a game to learn how to learn
Cat KutaySustainable Learning from Gaming: Serious Game
Ralf MuhlbergerEdutainment: serious gaming in planning education
Deborah RichardsA serious game for cyberethical decision-making
Theodor KipenEdufication: The Secret Sauce of Kana Quest's Educational Content
Albie BrooksSimulations and serious games for a more interactive learning experience
Ronel SchodtKai's Conundrum
Videos
You're the Protagonist – Learning through Play, Teaching through Stories and Designing for Agency
Vince Siu
Watch the recording
Wik and Kugu Children game learning about Olive Ridley Turtle conservation on their homelands
Cathy Robinson, Harry Kaloyirou, Justin Perry and Melissa Sinclair
Watch the recording
Ten years of The Lab how a tech club for autistic young people developed into a national network
Dr Stefan Schutt
Watch the recording
Video game learning in Malaysia to prevent gender based violence
Saqina Latif and Ailsa Gilliam
Watch the recording
Keynote
Sound Scouts – Testing the Range of Serious Games
Carolyn Mee & Cuauh Moreno from Sound Scouts
Watch the recording
Opening the Door in Question XR and Schizophrenia a technodramaturgy for fractured mental states
Troy Rainbow, Lee Meyer & Stephanie Peters
Watch the recording
Keynote
Designing Inclusive Games for Non standard Bodies
Associate Professor Jonathan Duckworth from RMIT University
Watch the recording
Creating climate change awareness through GALA, an embodied virtual reality experience
Rudy Carpio
Watch the recording
Hannah a game to help strengthen support networks for those experiencing Domestic Violence
Susie Emery
Watch the recording
Lessons Learned from Designing a Gamified Augmented Reality App for Indigenous Cultural Education
Nikolche Vasilevski
Watch the recording
Parents and children's perceptions on the use of video games for nutrition education
Dr Claudia Leong
Watch the recording
Playing for inclusion: using cooperative video games to support neurodiverse children
Dr Matthew Harrison and Jessica Rowlings
Watch the recording
Adapting Esports for Critical Thinking Education using Rocket League
Dr James Birt, Ger Post & Vincent Tijms
Watch the recording
Simulations and serious games for a more interactive learning experience
Professor Albie Brooks and Associate Professor Gillian Vesty
Watch the recording
War, law and business international humanitarian law for future business leaders
Jonathan Kolieb and Fauve Kurnadi
Watch the recording
Games for Changes Asia-Pacific official announcement MIGW 2020
Watch on YouTubeCredits
Thanks to all those who contributed to the inaugural Games for Change Asia-Pacific Festival in 2021, and to those who presented at the festival, your work is what inspires us all.
Games for Change
Susanna Pollack, Raul Carvajal and the team at Games for Change
Creative Victoria
Fran Kerlin, Michelle Shepherd, Laura Doan and the team at Creative Victoria
ACMI
Vincent Trundle, Kate Ficai, Seb Chan, Katrina Sedgwick and the team at ACMI
Virtual Songlines
Brett Leavy and the team at Virtual Songlines
Adrian Webb · Ailsa Gilliam · Anantha Duraiappah · Andrew Mansfield · Anurati Srivastva · Ben Loveridge · Ben O’Mara · Beverley Sutton · Bharath Palavalli · Bridget Hanna · Calvin Ho · Carolyn Mee · Carlos J. Diaz · Cat Kutay · Cuauh Moreno · Chris Cheong · Dan Epstein · Danny Pearson MP · David Hobbs · Denis Moriarty AM · Elyssebeth Leigh · Eric Nelson · Garth Midgley · Hamed Nasiri · Hung The Nguyen · Ivan Boo · Jane Cocks · Jeffrey Brand · Jonathan Duckworth · Jonathan Kolieb · Joshua Chung · JZ Bin Mohd Isa · Kathleen Yin · Katrina Alvarez · Kirrian Steer · Lyndsey Collins-Praino · Mahar Mangahas · Makoto Goto · Marigo Raftopoulos · Mark O’Rourke · Nandini Chatterjee Singh · Nic Watt · Noah Falstein · Parastou Manteghi · Patrea Andersen · Prabhneet Verma · Raelene Knowles · Sai Aditya · Saqina Latif · Steven Dupon · Taha Rasouli · Vidyanand Sagaram · Vignesh Mukund · Vince Siu · Vivian Chen
Health stream curators
Gillian Morrison, Matthew Mac Partlin
Learning stream curators
Matthew Harrison, Megan Pusey
Social change stream curator
Nico King
Social media
Clarisse Tamayao, Carlos Diaz, Suan Goh
Graphic design
James Bevelander, Suan Goh
Communications
Omi Koulas
Publication curators
Viktor Arity, Stefan Schutt, Gillian Vesty
Administration
Viktor Arity
Production manager
Daniel Teitelbaum
Director
Dale Linegar
Stay in the loop
Be first to hear about Festival 2026.
Join the community and we’ll email you when dates, the program and tickets go live.
Games for Change Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and play, and pays respect to Elders past and present.