In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, Ben and Steve sit down with Shahneila Saeed for an extended version of a conversation that began at the Brilliant Festival. They dig into why play-based learning is rigorous pedagogy, how computing can be taught without a single computer, and what the games industry can teach the classroom about preparing young people for the world as it actually is.

Shahneila Saeed is Head of Education at Ukie, the trade association for the UK's video games industry, and the founder and director of the Digital Schoolhouse programme. A former IT and computing teacher, she is also the author of How to Raise a Tech Genius.

We cover:

• Why play is serious pedagogy, not a break from real learning
• How "Just Dance with the Algorithm" teaches programming concepts through dance
• Teaching in-game AI with nothing more than a playground and some beach balls
• The classroom with no computers that reshaped Shahneila's entire approach
• Motivation, failure, and the problem with the GCSE "finish line"
• Whether schools are really preparing children for the jobs that exist right now
• What industry actually says about the skills graduates are missing
• Game IP in the classroom, and how to use it without losing the pedagogy
• Digital Schoolhouse as a bridge between the games industry and education
• How parents can support computing and tech learning at home, including free resources

Whether you're a teacher, school leader, edtech professional, or a parent trying to make sense of your child's screen time, this conversation will change how you think about play, computing, and the gap between school and the real world. Expect practical, low-cost ideas you can use on Monday morning, free resources you can access today, and a sharp case for why engagement has to come before assessment.

Chapters:

00:00 Highlights

02:01 Welcome and the new Edufuturists book

03:42 From IT teacher to Ukie and Digital Schoolhouse

06:02 The classroom with no computers

10:36 Why play is serious pedagogy

12:56 Just Dance with the Algorithm

15:13 Teaching game AI with a game of dodgeball

16:24 Motivation, failure and the GCSE "finish line"

24:01 Computational thinking at home

27:44 Are we preparing kids for jobs that exist now?

28:34 What industry really says about graduate skills

32:08 What is Game IP and why it works in the classroom

36:14 Digital Schoolhouse as a bridge to industry

41:10 Parents, tech and the home conversation

46:14 Quick-fire questions

Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.

Ben & Steve x

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