THESE students have been giving their teacher a lesson - in gaming.

The students from Bukit View Secondary School are taking part in this year's Funan Inter-school E-gaming competition.

The event, organised by Rapture Gaming, has a twist this year - the students have to take part with a teacher.

And this is where Madam Maziyan Abdullah comes in. She is the subject head for aesthetics and design at the school.

She will be taking part in the competition with Mohd Nuh Taqiyuddin Senin, Mason Sim and Mohd Zulhisham Jumari, all 15.

These students were part of a team of five which won second place in last year's contest.

But there was a slight problem.

Madam Maziyan confessed: 'I am not competent and have no experience in gaming at all.'

Mason said: 'We have to teach her how to play.'

Added Mohd Zulhisham: 'It's just like a new player joining us.'

The students felt the increased involvement of the teachers was a positive step taken by the organisers.

Madam Maziyan said being a part of the team 'creates a good rapport among teachers and students'.

She said: 'This competition is a platform for them to shine and to build up their confidence. It helps them to develop their portfolio and would be extremely useful if they choose to go into gaming and digital media in the future.'

TALENTED

With undisguised pride, she said: 'I am very supportive of these boys. They are extremely talented.'

She thinks that the undesirable side of gaming, such as it being a source of addiction and distraction, is precisely why schools should be more involved in this aspect of their students' lives.

'It is better for us to be involved rather than to be disapproving and blind to it as a result,' she said.

So far, the team has been working together well. They have been practising twice a week for about three hours each session since December.

And they are so into it that Taqiyuddin and Mohd Zulhisham are part of a team of 20 which designed its own game.

In the role-playing game, called Reaction, the main character is teleported to another realm and has to answer chemistry questions in order to escape.

The Funan Interschool E-gaming Challenge will be held from 7 to 13 Mar at the Funan Digital IT mall.

This year's games are Gears of War, Halo 3, Fifa 2008 and Project Gotham Racing 4.

Gears of War and Halo 3 will be played in teams of four, while Fifa 2008 will be played in teams of two. Project Gotham Racing 4 is a single-player game.

The competition is open to students from secondary schools, junior colleges and the Institute of Technical Education. All teams should register under their schools.

Students who have just received their O-level results and are waiting to enter polytechnics are also invited to participate under their secondary schools with permission from the schools.

All first-place winners will enjoy a one-day visit to Microsoft's office in Singapore.

Visit the competition's website at www.funan-egaming.com to register.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Feb 09, 2008