From Classroom to Competition

STEP UP: Playconomics Outreach Program is an education program led by Professor Isabella Dobrescu, Head of School of Economics and Professor Alberto Motta, Director of Research of UNSW Scientia Education Academy – both academics in the School of Economics UNSW Business School and conducted in partnership with LionsHeart Studios.

The initiative aims to provide high school students in years 9 - 12 the opportunity to further their economic and financial literacy by engaging with a rich, immersive and academically rigorous learning environment provided by Playconomics.

In doing so, it also aims to create genuine collaborative links between UNSW and the high schools interested in increasing students’ economic and financial literacy and supports teachers in the delivery of content through an interactive tool that has been thoroughly developed, tested and found to improve learning outcomes.

Caroline Chisholm College was very keen to be involved in the UNSW School of Economics' STEP UP Playconomics Competition.

Tania Cairns, Principal Leader at Caroline Chisholm College, said “this immersive online game challenges students to develop their economics, business and financial skills. It also allows them to apply their skills and knowledge to an authentic challenge.”

One of Caroline Chisholm College Year 12 students, Sophie, took the opportunity to be part of the 2024 STEP UP: Playconomics Outreach Program, demonstrating her exceptional skills in planning, analytics and decision-making to complete this program alongside her studies.

Sophie is a keen and conscientious student in class with a particular flair for business and economics (which she studies online) and her approach to the Playconomics Competition reflected this passion.

“We are incredibly proud of Sophie for her outstanding achievement in the Playconomics Competition. It was wonderful to see Sophie’s persistence and determination result in her being placed in the top 0.5% nationwide—an extraordinary accomplishment!”

“We are so pleased that Sophie's dedication not only earned her recognition at a state level but also UNSW university credits towards her future studies!” says Tania Cairns.

The progress students make in Playconomics is recognised as university course credit by the UNSW School of Economics. More specifically, should a student who completes STEP UP decide to join UNSW and take ECON1101 Microeconomics, their Playconomics high school progress could count for up to 45% of their university course grades without having to repeat the Playconomics assessments in these courses if they do them during the STEP UP outreach program.

"We want to encourage students to enrol at University, and to feel that they can do it. We think that Playconomics can help give students the boost of self-confidence they sometimes need to make the connection between high school and university." Professor Alberto Motta, Playconomics Co-Founder.

Caroline Chisholm College extends their sincere gratitude to Professors Isabella Dobrescu and Professor Alberto Motta, along with the STEP UP team and LionsHeart Studios, for making this incredible opportunity possible. 

“We can’t wait to see where Sophie’s talents take her next!” says Tania Cairns.

Here are Sophie's reflections on her experience of the 2024 STEP UP: Playconomics Outreach Program:

I first heard about the STEP UP Program through my career teacher, and I was immediately intrigued. As a business and economics student, the program felt like a perfect fit—not just due to subject alignment, but also the unique way learning was approached. Of course, the rare chance to earn university credits towards a potential future at UNSW only enhanced my captivation!

In the first session, I was immediately enthralled with the engaging and addictive nature of the game. Unlike traditional classroom learning, where lessons can sometimes feel monotonous and limited, Playconomics aided me in absorbing economic concepts with ease. I found myself strategising practical real-world applications of supply and demand decisions while unknowingly reinforcing my understanding of key economic principles.  

The biggest takeaway for me was not just expanding my knowledge of economics, business, and finance but also the realization that my aspirations in business were more achievable than I believed. Before the program, I was interested in a business career; now, I feel an unwavering determination to pursue it, with this experience solidifying my confidence in my future goals.  

To my shock and excitement, I placed in the top 0.5% nationwide—an achievement I never imagined possible. This moment reaffirmed how valuable the program was and how much I had gained from it. I am incredibly grateful to my careers teacher for introducing me to this opportunity and to the creators of the program for making such an optimal learning experience possible.  

To any high school student passionate about business and economics: this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. The knowledge, experience, and potential benefits are immense—but above all, it’s genuinely an entertaining way to learn. So, if you are contemplating it, I implore you to take this opportunity seriously, embrace the challenge, and enjoy the journey. You never know where it might take you!

The Playconomics story begins almost a decade ago when Professor Isabella Dobrescu and Professor Alberto Motta felt compelled to do better, both by their students and by the discipline they believed had the underlying goal of building a better world: economics.

They were driven to innovate, replacing uninspiring textbooks with a more memorable and powerful experiential approach to learning economics, in the form of a multi-player video game. From day one, its impact on students was clear: economic concepts were grasped, connections were understood, enrolments increased, and academic results improved.

"In Playconomics, students make choices that allow them to progress their society from a very simple economy up to a really complex economy that requires governments and social welfare decisions. On this journey they actually fall in love with their society - and get to care about their learning." Professor Isabella Dobrescu, Playconomics Co-Founder.

“This new approach to education is blending leisure and study. It's changing the role of students and tapping into the full resources they have. It's also making for a learning journey that's more fun, personal and memorable.” Professor Alberto Motta.

To find out more about the upcoming 2025 program, please contact Professor Isabella Dobrescu at: dobrescu@unsw.edu.au.