So, I’m working on a school club (fbla) project that my friend dragged me into, and the prompt is to design an android app that links tutors to students through social networking and includes a game that teaches their incredibly broad “Introduction to IT” topic. Basically, I have to make an android game that “teaches” computer hardware, software, os, word processing, spreadsheets, networking, and email. Any ideas?
Crazy idea, but I think it have some sense… Maybe shoot’em’up with upgrades between levels?
Hardware = ship upgrades (for example, better CPU = faster shooting, better GPU = more shoots, bigger HDD = more life, more RAM = special shoot duration and power, another possibility - important hardware parts as different weapons to choose with different characteristics) - include some informations about hardware parts in upgrade description.
OS = different level environments and final bosses of this environments. Another possibility - ship classes to choose.
Software, word processing, spreadsheets, networking and email - enemies and bosses. You can add bosses who represent various topics like spreadsheets, networking etc. with appearance, attacks (+ final boss of the environment - OS). Software might be shown as normal enemies, for example in level with networking as a boss you can meet IE, Firefox, Opera, Chrome and Safari as enemies. Include some informations about “boss” after finished level.
OK! Brainstorming mode: On! 
I´m thinking a multiplayer hacking game, say 2-4 players. The main screen is the OS where you can load software to protect your own “computer” or attack another. The hardware controls how many apps you can have up and running at the same time, so the more you play, the more money you get and the more you can upgrade your computer. I´m thinking that the hardware is a speparate screen you can reach by swiping or something.
The OS consist of a number of slots where you can load software, the RAM can give you more slots and the processor upgrades the power of the hacking tools. So you have to raise money to upgrade your computer, while setting up your defense and nice attack combos. Oh, and you can have an messenging system with an e-mail look so you always can send taunting messages to your opponentets mid-game.
I´m not sure but I´m thinking the feeling of a card game, like Magic: the gathering. You build towards nice combos to penetrate the enemies defences. Someone might look impenetrable, but you send in a trojan to sneak peak and find a flaw, so you unleash some of your evil software to take him down. Then you get bonus money for bringing the opponents computer down and you get some bonus cash to upgrade your stuff. School project or not: I think it can be fun!
I actually really like this idea, it’s unique and sounds fun. Thanks!
Multiplayer is probably too complicated for my time limit, but I like the idea of defending yourself to learn more about your system.
You can add this element to my idea, too. In shoot’em’up you must take care of your ship. About learning part - for example, why Windows ship special ability is shooting with very damaging bullets with DirectX symbol on them (Windows as popular gaming platform), Linux - ship transformation (many different distributions), Mac - shield (security).