Frogs and snails and puppy-dog tails

Ali Carr-Chellman is an instructional designer and author who studies the most effective ways to teach kids and to make changes at school. In this recent TED talk she pinpoints three reasons boys are tuning out of school in droves, and lays out her bold plan to re-engage them: bringing their culture into the classroom, with new rules that let boys be boys, and video games that teach as well as entertain. While her experience is US-centric the same issues exist here in the UK and across the world.

We've explored these themes before both in terms of the way young women are overtaking young men (Men are the new ball and chain) and in how games and gaming can be a power for good (Video games can change the world), not just an amusing diversion.

Ali's call for more money for developing compelling games for young boys to overcome the issues she identifies seems to us like a clear opportunity for both public and private sector marketeers to develop positive programmes for schools.