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Design
UX Design to Connect People Via Food
Resetting Branding For Non-Profit
Branding An Elegant Dinner Destination
UX Design for the Next Social Media


Strategy
Transforming Remote Workplaces

Empowering Education For Change

Strategy For A Net-Zero Tomorrow

Gamifying STEM Science Ed




Nirkhunan is a Design Strategist blending human-centered design, technological innovation, and critical problem-solving to craft ethical, impactful, and systemic solutions for organizations. By integrating strategic thinking with design methodologies, he creates meaningful interventions that drive engagement, foster equity, and reshapes how communities and businesses navigate change.






Gamifying STEM Science Ed


Game Design, Strategy, Facilitation

Immersive gamified learning experience transforming STEM education by fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration, empowering students to tackle tomorrow's challenges with confidence and creativity.Year
2023

Team
Carlos Salom, Nikhil Dhanwatey,
Nirkhunan Kuppuram,
Vani BhatnagarSector
Education

Discipline
Game Design
Strategy
Facilitation


“Science education can be fun. We felt the fun when we experimented with different materials, substances and chemicals in class. We wanted to bring the same fun into learning into the 21st century ‘digital’ classroom.”Background
In our first semester at SDM Parsons (Strategic Design & Management), Carlos, Nikhil, Vani, and I came together to discuss our obsession with science taught in school. We reminisced about the fact that science school was really activity-based up until the mid-2010s. When the advent of online learning took over the classrooms, the idea of making every classroom a ‘smart’ classroom took the fun away from hands-on learning that was a part of our school days. With the onset of COVID-19, all classes moved to the digital space, and kids were devoid of learning science by experimenting, which laid the basis for our project of gamifying science education. As we moved to the US from Colombia and India, we realized that STEM education was given the most importance here, and yet there was a lot of stereotype attached to it.


Results
Inspired by Science and the attached concept of STEM education in the US we wanted to explore the realities of what science education looked like and how can we make it more accessible and palatable. The idea behind the project was to make the experience more memorable and the process of learning fun. This led us to researching about the current phenomena around STEM science education that revealed us with facts like requirements of:

Improved Engagement: Students displayed heightened interest in STEM concepts through interactive gameplay.

Skill Development: Players developed critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills by navigating scientific challenges.

Scalability Potential: The game's adaptable framework demonstrates promise for use across various subjects and educational contexts.


Research

Upon completing the research, we began by picking out main insights that we wanted to convey through this activity.


Intimidating subjects, lack of representation, uninspiring methods.
Challenges in STEM Education:
  1. Students found STEM subjects intimidating, discouraging participation.
  2. A lack of diverse role models limited student aspirations in scientific fields.
  3. Traditional teaching methods failed to capture and sustain students’ interest.
Motivating gameplay, collaborative learning, immersive educational experiences.
Opportunities with Gamification:
  1. Gamified elements fostered intrinsic motivation and deeper knowledge retention.
  2. Collaboration and problem-solving mirrored real-world scientific research dynamics.
  3. Interactive learning created immersive, memorable educational experiences.
Align tools, support skills, prioritize interactive and engaging methods.
Stakeholder Insights:
  1. Educators needed tools aligning with curriculum standards to integrate into classrooms.
  2. Parents valued educational activities that supported skill-building and engagement.
  3. Students preferred interactive, story-driven methods over traditional lectures.


Ideation

We explored various interactive methods like quizzes, debates, case studies and concluded that roleplaying would allow the dynamics we want to create.


Roleplaying would allow the group members to experience a new situation and reflect on their own knoweldge and learnings at the same time when they rely on their soft skills of teamwork.

View the research board here.




Facilitation

The game was  designed as a learning activity for the group to experience the how science education can be morphed into a fun and interactive play expeirence in which they could read and learn more, solidifying the knowledge gained.

Number of participants
12 Duration
35 mins
The Activity - Mission Red Horizon
The participants were divided in teams of 3 to take up various roles that would entail a Mars mission that could be a part of astronomical learning towards STEM education. The goal was to bring back fun into the classroom and make sure there is dialog happening before decision making and the decisions being made are scientifically accurate based on the learning material.

"Red Horizon" is a multiplayer strategy game designed to make science education engaging and accessible for students in grades 5-8. 
Here's a detailed breakdown of the game:

Setting: The game takes place on Mars, immersing players in a simulated fictional Mars mission.
Narrative: Players are introduced to the mission's objectives, which involve establishing ahuman colony on Mars. They take on the roles of astronauts with different specialisations, suchas biology, engineering, and geology, each with unique skills crucial for the mission's success.
Gameplay: Players work collaboratively in teams to navigate various Martian locations, each presenting specific challenges. These challenges require players to utilise their acquired scientific knowledge and critical thinking skills to solve problems, conduct experiments, andmake informed decisions.

Learning Objectives: Through engaging gameplay, "Red Horizon" aims to:
  1. Foster understanding of core scientific concepts in various domains, such as biology,physics,and geology.
  2. Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through the application of scientific knowledge in solving simulated scenarios.
  3. Encourage collaboration and teamwork as players work together to achieve common goals within their teams.
  4. Enhance communication skills as players strategise and discuss approaches to overcome challenges.

Prep work based on the strategy designed to create the game.
Participants in conversation to make the right decisions based on the reading material provided to cross levels successfully.

Reflections

"Red Horizon" demonstrated the transformative potential of gamification in STEM education, highlighting its ability to reignite student interest and foster essential 21st-century skills. Challenges such as integrating gamified tools into traditional classrooms and ensuring accessibility remain, but the success of this initiative paves the way for broader applications. Future iterations aim to expand the game’s scope, establish strategic partnerships, and explore hybrid learning models.