CSTA Presentation Resource
Esports in Education
Explore curriculum, career pathways, digital citizenship, wellness, communication, and project-based learning through an educator-focused esports course model.
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Presentation
Watch the presentation
Watch the recorded presentation for a guided walkthrough of the course model, curriculum ideas, student projects, career pathways, wellness, and classroom setup.
Watch the presentation, then use the sections below to revisit curriculum ideas, projects, career pathways, and classroom resources.
Why Esports?
Interest becomes a context for deeper learning
The Hartford Union High School model uses competitive digital play as a starting point for learning around computer science, communication, reflection, teamwork, wellness, and career readiness.
Student Interest
A meaningful entry point
Esports can connect existing student interests with analysis, technology, creativity, communication, and career exploration.
College & Careers
Pathways beyond competition
Students can investigate production, marketing, technology, coaching, health, business, media, and collegiate opportunities.
Computer Science & STEM
Technical and creative work
Projects can combine coding, data, media production, design, systems thinking, and technical troubleshooting.
Belonging & Voice
Participation and reflection
The presenters observed broad participation, inclusivity, problem solving, reflection, and students eager to engage with school.
Life Skills
Learning under pressure
Competitive situations create authentic opportunities to discuss communication, decision-making, self-control, recovery, and stress management.
Class or Club?
Two formats, different purposes
The presentation does not force one answer. It shows how curricular and extracurricular formats can serve complementary goals.
Club or Team
Community and practice
A club can center participation, team culture, practice, competition, scouting, and shared experiences.
Curricular Course
Structured learning
A course can add learning objectives, mini-lessons, reading, writing, coding, digital artifacts, wellness, reflection, assessment, and career exploration.
Both Can Coexist
Connected opportunities
A course and a club can support different needs while sharing equipment, expertise, and a broader community.
Hartford Course Model
A practical high-school implementation
This model is presented as one school’s approach, offering educators a foundation they can adapt to local needs, schedules, and approved platforms.
Course Description
A broad introduction
The course introduces esports foundations, professional roles, streaming, industry context, competitive experiences, and the wider ecosystem. In the presenter’s model, it is an elective.
Pathway & Audience
Grades 10–12 model
The presenter’s current course serves grades 10–12 and expects prior introductory programming experience. The surrounding pathway includes computer science, Python, Java, and AI coursework.
Class Structure
Learn, participate, reflect
Daily mini-lessons connect with active participation, peer coaching, critical thinking, portfolio work, reflection, career exploration, and health and wellness.
Starter Course Map
Five-unit curriculum
Use this outline as a starting point rather than a turnkey curriculum. Each unit can grow into lessons, projects, reflection prompts, and local partnerships.
Unit 1
Conduct, Wellness & Stereotypes
Establish expectations while exploring anger, stereotypes, responsible participation, and healthy decision-making.
Unit 2
History & Current Landscape
Study how organized esports developed and how the field continues to change.
Unit 3
Skills for Work
Connect analysis, collaboration, communication, and technical thinking to future work.
Unit 4
Digital Resume & Online Safety
Build a digital resume while examining privacy, identity, and responsible online participation.
Unit 5
Careers & Job Shadows
Investigate career pathways and connect classroom learning with professionals and workplaces.
Project-Based Learning
Projects and presenter examples
Keep the learning task central so educators can substitute another approved platform when needed. Linked materials remain with their original sources.
Strategy & Communication
Team Strategy Playbook
Students create a team playbook and connect competitive strategy with planning, communication, and concepts used in traditional team sports.
Media Production
Highlight Reel & Practice Pack
Students create a digital highlight reel and design a practice experience for classmates while considering audience, editing, and improvement.
Creative Design
Design the Next Season
Students pitch a future season by combining creative design, storytelling, audience thinking, and presentation skills.
Identity & Reflection
The Story of You
Students translate personal strengths, experiences, interests, and goals into powers, roles, and narrative elements.
Examples from the Presenters
Teacher-facing starting points
These links provide planning examples and prompts without copying or republishing the original files.
Weekly Task
Example 2
A second teacher-created weekly task for planning and reflection.
Weekly Task
Example 3
A third example showing how recurring learning tasks can be structured.
Project Prompt
Project Example 1
A teacher-facing project prompt shared in the original presentation.
Project Prompt
Project Example 2: Document
A document-based example for extending classroom learning.
Project Prompt
Project Example 2: Slides
A presentation-based companion example from the source deck.
Coding Project
Programming Example
A teacher-created coding project prompt shared through the presentation.
Career Pathways
A much wider professional ecosystem
Esports connects with technology, media, business, education, health, events, communication, and many other professions beyond the competitor role.
Competition & Coaching
Teams and performance
Player, coach, recruiter, scout, analyst, and team manager.
Media & Content
Tell the story
Photographer, videographer, journalist, content creator, and editor.
Broadcast & Events
Produce live experiences
Caster, stream producer, event director, and live-production roles.
Technology & Development
Build and support systems
Network technician, engineer, software development, quality assurance, and technical support.
Marketing & Digital
Reach an audience
Social media, web design, creative strategy, and graphic or video production.
Business & Administration
Operate organizations
Sales, human resources, partnerships, finance, legal, and rights or licensing.
Health & Performance
Support people
Wellness coaching, nutrition, psychology, fitness, and physical training.
Education & Research
Teach and investigate
Teacher, coach, curriculum writer, instructor, and researcher.
Start with What You Have
Infrastructure and classroom setup
The presentation shows a practical school implementation rather than a purpose-built arena. Begin with learning goals, network planning, available equipment, and flexible collaboration space.
Network
Plan a stable environment
A network engineer helped the Hartford program create an isolated network for its classroom implementation.
Computers
Rethink available hardware
The program looked for practical funding and reuse approaches rather than assuming every device needed to be new.
Controllers
Build in stages
Club and activity funds helped provide controllers while the overall learning space developed over time.
Future Additions
Prioritize learning first
Additional hardware and furniture can be considered after the learning goals, network, and initial workflow are established.
Room Layout
Support on-screen and off-screen work
Perimeter computer stations, shared central tables, and wall displays can create space for technology use, discussion, writing, and collaboration.
Further Learning
Resources for educators
Use the source presentation, professional organizations, curriculum references, and career materials to continue planning.
Source Presentation
Original Presentation Slides
Review the slide deck created by Bob Sliwinski and Valerie Verhunce.
Video
E-sports Is Real Sports
A TEDx talk linked from the presentation’s comparison with traditional team sports.
Book
The Book of Esports
A history and industry resource by William Collis referenced in the presentation.
Curriculum
PlayVS Curriculum Resources
Explore current school-focused esports curriculum information and supporting materials.
College Pathway
Lakeland University Esports
One current collegiate example connected with program and scholarship exploration.
Collegiate Association
NACE
Explore information about collegiate esports programs, competition, and scholarships.
Career Research
Esports-Related Professions Map
View the source version of Nicolas Besombes’s broader professions map.
Presentation Source
Credit and context
This resource is based on a CSTA virtual presentation by Bob Sliwinski, Math and Computer Science Teacher, and Valerie Verhunce, Director of Technology & Future Ready Learning, at Hartford Union High School.