Future Problem Solving Success: Charles and Makani Through to National Finals

Selection to represent Queensland in the Future Problem Solving National Finals is usually a once in a lifetime honour. Yet, the quality of his recent submission to this competition means Charles Box will once more fulfil this role for our state and College. To qualify for the National Finals, Charles had to apply a problem-solving approach to an issue in Australia's near future. He assessed the implications of ‘gamification’, the practice where participants receive rewards for progress in everyday activities. Designers of these 'games' can manipulate the behaviours of users in such diverse fields like education, health and retail.

Charles completed six steps in response to the scenario, including identifying the possible challenges, providing solutions and developing an action plan. Only time will tell the accuracy of the scenario, which is set in 2046 – but two years ago, Charles and students in the Future Problem Solving community responded a futuristic scene where the global spread of an infectious disease brought the world to a standstill.

For the first time this year, Pacific also entered the Scenario Writing component of the Future Problem Solving competition. This involved competitors crafting a short story of up to 1500 words about one of the scenarios offered. 

Makani Campbell has been selected to represent the College and Queensland at the Scenario Writing National Finals. Her story about virtual reality travel offered an interesting insight into dark tourism of the future and served as an excellent reminder of the joys of travel that existed before 2020. This story has placed in the top nine nationally and shows the hard work Makani put in to the creation and refining of this story over Semester 1.

Congratulations to Charles and Makani on their successes. Well done to all Future Problem Solving students who demonstrated commitment and tenacity to complete the 2020 program, despite the disruptions of COVID-19.

Thank you to Ms Adelle Byerlee and Ms Kirsty Roy for their coaching and support of our students.

Mrs Jo Belchamber, Head of Learning Enrichment