Kuala Lampur, Oct. 6 -- Whenever adults hear the words "digital games", the conversation almost immediately turns to screen time. How many hours are children spending online? Should phones be banned? Are games distracting them from learning?

Perhaps we are asking the wrong question. Instead of focusing only on how long young people spend in front of screens, we should also ask "What are they doing with those screens?"

There is a significant difference between consuming technology and creating with it. A recent Universiti Utara Malaysia initiative involving 88 lower-secondary students and teacher mentors from three schools demonstrated what can happen when students are challenged not merely to play digital games, but to design them.

Cre...