Worldbuilding Game

Worldbuilding Game

Academic Year:
2022 - 2023 (June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023)
Funding Requested:
$5,991.58
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
Overview of the Project:
This proposal seeks funding to create, test and evaluate an advanced prototype of a creative game, titled Worldbuilding Game that facilitates and structures interdisciplinary and collaborative learning in design. The continuous development of the Worldbuilding Game as a method of teaching and learning serves two major goals that improve the existing teaching practices in design disciplines and beyond. First, as an educator in the design field I am particularly interested in implementing gamified learning practices in my classes as a way to introduce inclusive and collaborative learning. Worldbuilding Game is a departure from the existing design studio teaching practice that often excessively focuses on individual work. As a method of inclusive learning, and a part of anti-racist and inclusive pedagogy, Worldbuilding Game has a capacity to incorporate interests, experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, creative proposals, and ideas from all students in a gamified, playful context. Second, gamification methods – using game elements in non-game contexts – are utilized to promote change and challenge both disciplinary epistemic brackets and siloed knowledge. In the design studio classroom context, worldbuilding aids in crafting a rigorous contextual framework that supersedes singular imaginations, contingent on individual experiences, positions and affinities. Going beyond thinking as an urban designer or an architect, during this exercise students engage in role-playing actors, with perspectives, affinities and positions that may differ or oppose their own.
Final Report Fields
Project Objectives:

The project objectives for the Worldbuilding Game are:

  • Create an advanced game prototype: Develop and refine a pen-and-paper card game version of the Worldbuilding Game, in order to facilitate structured, collaborative, and interdisciplinary learning in design.

  • Enhance teaching and learning: Use the game to improve teaching methods and learning experiences in design education, focusing on collaborative and inclusive practices.

  • Formalize game elements: Formalize the game's structure and components to improve clarity, accessibility, and pedagogical effectiveness.

  • Iterative design and evaluation: Implement an iterative design and evaluation process to refine the game based on feedback and testing in educational settings.

  • Foster inclusive and interdisciplinary learning: Utilize the game to incorporate diverse perspectives and backgrounds, encouraging inclusive, interdisciplinary learning and creative thinking in architecture and urban design education.

  • Share knowledge: Produce and share the game with the academic community at Taubman College and beyond. 

Project Achievements:
  • Developed advanced prototype: Successfully created a card game version of the Worldbuilding Game with the increased number of cards and improved game elements.

  • Incorporated the game to the curicullum: Utilized the game in 3 design courses taught totaling with over 50 students working with the game.

  • Formalized game mechanics: Major re-design of the game mechanics with the focus on clear game structures, rules, and components, improving legibility and pedagogical value, and facilitating easier adoption by educators across disciplines.

  • Conducted iterative design and evaluation: Completed a three-phase design and evaluation process, refining the game through feedback from playtests with students. 

  • Promoted inclusive learning: Achieved a more inclusive and collaborative learning environment by integrating diverse student perspectives and backgrounds into the game-based learning process. Structured setting of the game gave everyone a chance to speak and explore their ideas and positions in a collaborative environment. 

  • Enhanced interdisciplinary approach: Enabled students to engage in interdisciplinary and synthetic design thinking, breaking down siloed knowledge and fostering comprehensive urban and architectural design strategies. New concepts introduced through the game were further researched and utilized by the students in their design projects. 

  • Expanded educational reach: Produced and disseminated the game within Taubman College.  

Dissemination:
This project will continue beyond grant period with the following:
1. Workshop at Taubman college including the workshop on 3/30/2024 organized as a part of XR/XF: Extended Realities, Extended Feminisms supported by the Arts Initiative.
2. Workshops in other colleges in the US. I am currently planning another workshop at UIUC and actively seeking to disseminate and integrate the game in my pedagogy further.
3. Research paper dedicated to the game and the necessity of critical worldbuilding in the design education in Journal of Architectural Education.
4. Participation in design conferences to share the project and disseminate its impact.
5. Facilitate workshops using the game with non-design students to continue advancing the methodology.
Advice to your Colleagues:
The success of the project was facilitated by several factors:
1. Successful collaboration with colleagues
2. Student reception was very positive and they were able to communicate constructive feedback.

The challenges:
1. To design a game it is crucial to iterate and playtest it as much as possible. Playing it with peers, colleagues and students is a crucial factor to ensure that the game serves the purpose as an engaging, inclusive and interdisciplinary design education tool.


Source URL: https://crlt.umich.edu/node/133288