3. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the potential role of emerging video games technology in education and skills development. (S6O-02634)

Digital technologies have been used to enhance teaching and learning experiences in Scotland for some time. When deployed effectively, digital technologies, including video game technology, have the potential to increase the engagement and motivation of learners and develop skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration and digital literacy. It is, of course, for teachers, schools and local authorities to decide whether and how to make use of all forms of digital technology to best effect.

Next week is the second annual Scottish games week. I urge colleagues to attend events at Dynamic Earth and Michael Marra’s event in the Parliament, and to speak in my members’ business debate.

The cultural, social and commercial value of the games sector is staggering. We need to embed the sector in public policy, because video games are used in so many instances, including in colleges and schools as well as in medical advances. Gaming forms part of so much that we do in society. How are the requirements of the games industry being embedded in our schools and colleges to ensure that we can truly meet our ambitions for Scotland as a digital nation?

We are in a period of rapid digital advancement and should consider what opportunities progress might offer for our respective interests. In education, delivery colleagues are already exploring how available and emerging technologies, including video game technology, might be used to enhance teaching and learning.

On a recent visit to the newly merged college in Stornoway, I saw for myself how students in schools across the vast area that that institution now covers were participating in remote learning as part of games-related courses being delivered by the college. On a tour of Abertay University, I was fascinated to see the learning that can be delivered by games technology—fascinated, I should add, as a 60-year-old whose most recent interaction with games tech was probably playing Space Invaders. In all seriousness, the learners of today are far more acquainted with such technology than someone of my vintage, and we would be missing a trick not to seize the opportunities that it presents in education.

The Minister should not knock Space Invaders.

It is a great pleasure to follow on from Clare Adamson’s advert about next week. Development companies can offer much, in relation to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, directly to our schools. I think of the work of 4J Studios—which is based in East Linton in East Lothian, with a small outreach office somewhere in Dundee—and its interaction with primary school and secondary school pupils. Can the minister outline what work is being done to facilitate individual industry players to work in schools?

As we move out of the territory of Space Invaders, which I was by no means knocking, I am coming out of my comfort zone—this is more in the space of the Cabinet secretary.

I have not played Space Invaders. [

Laughter

.]

I meant in the context of primary schools, Cabinet secretary.

It would be reasonable to expect that we will do as much as we can to encourage such work. I will be happy to write to Martin Whitfield in greater detail.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Let us move on before there are ministerial splits.