GPB is thrilled to announce that our GASHA GO! World learning suite is the winner of the 2024 James Paul GEE! Learning Game Awards for best informal game. The suite of resources was developed in collaboration with FableVision Studios, the Georgia Department of Education, and a team of Georgia educators.

The recipients of the prestigious award were announced last week at the annual Play Make Learn Conference in Madison, WI. The GEE! Award, eponymously named after Dr. James Paul Gee who pioneered the field of Game-Based Learning (GBL), recognizes excellence in educational game design and effective learning as judged by a panel of international leaders in the field.

GASHA GO! World is an innovative, game-based learning app that introduces computer science skills in a fun and developmentally appropriate way for children aged 4-8. The suite features no-cost games, animated videos, songs, vocabulary cards, and additional support materials in both English and Spanish. With a focus on computational thinking, digital citizenship, innovative design, and creative communication, GASHA GO! World offers a unique platform that nurtures essential skills for today's digital generation.

The creative conceit behind GASHA GO! World conjures a tiny, hidden world amongst the inner workings of classic arcade machines populated by adorable creatures called Gashlings. The player receives a “special invitation” from the Gashlings to visit their headquarters where they make toys and prizes for the machines, and help keep the arcade running. 

In their review of GASHA GO! World, the judges for the Informal Learning Category—Barry Joseph, Nick Martinez, Ashley Sparrow, and Chris Baker—found it to be a “really great example of a whimsical world that makes sense for young children while also allowing for a playful problem solving modality.” 

Each location in GASHA GO! World contains themed games and videos—from recipe-making in the cafe, to building an irrigation system in the garden, to programming a dance sequence for a machine in the arcade. As players move through the suite of 11 leveled games and seven animated music videos, they earn rewards to build and customize their own “Glitter Globes,” collectible souvenirs to remember their GASHA GO! World adventures. 

GASHA GO! World “help(s) people start to identify as people who can problem solve, and there are multiple different ways to problem solve, but also that we need to be kind human beings,” noted the Judges. 

“We’re honored and excited to win this award,” said FableVision President Gary Goldberger. “We hope to continue amplifying GASHA GO! World’s mission; to make computer science learning more engaging and accessible.”

Check it out at gpb.org/gasha-go or download the app in the Apple and Google Play stores.

Educators can request curriculum guides here.