Arcade Games: Sharing Local Stories Through Code

An integrated coding project connecting students, community, and culture.

Collaborating closely with the principal and staff at Te Kura o Muriwai, I co-developed a hands-on digital technologies project that wove local pūrākau (Māori stories) into an authentic game design challenge. Students in Years 5 to 8 designed and coded 10 fully playable arcade-style games using Microsoft MakeCode Arcade, each one retelling a local pūrākau to younger students and the wider community.

Through this project

• Digital Technologies were embedded into real classroom learning

• Literacy, numeracy, and design were integrated in meaningful ways

• Older students became leaders, sharing knowledge through digital storytelling

• Teachers gained practical skills and confidence in using coding tools

• The wider community engaged with student learning through interactive games
  
  

What We Learned

• Coding can be a powerful platform for cultural storytelling

• When learning is integrated across subjects, engagement skyrockets

• Student agency increases when they have creative control and real audiences

Teacher Feedback

"I was amazed by how easily the students picked it up  and how much I learned alongside them."
— Classroom Teacher, Te Kura o Muriwai

"This wasn’t just coding. It was storytelling, leadership, and real digital learning."
— Principal, Te Kura o Muriwai

Why This Matters

This project shows what’s possible when curriculum isn’t siloed. It models the Ignited Futures philosophy: designed for depth, delivered with purpose. By integrating Digital Technologies with authentic classroom topics and cultural relevance, we help schools unlock powerful learning experiences that last.