Access: A Learning Story
LTD Competency Alignment:
Objective 1.2: Students are able to design/develop learning opportunities and systems for meaningful learning; promote student engagement in online learning environments; and select appropriate technology and learning objects to support learners.
Description
Instructional designers (ID) must design and advocate for the learner’s needs—and apply the best practices of accessibility to reduce barriers to learning. However, ID also need to understand the context and complexities of an organization’s culture. I designed and developed Access: A Learning Game, a narrative game prototype, to invite current instructional design students or new instructional designers to practice in an authentic game environment. The game’s complex storyline and requirement to build relationships while applying accessibility best practices makes it re-playable with different results.
Details
Course: IS_LT 7384: Designing Games for Learning
Semester: Fall 2023
Project Type: Individual
Role: Subject matter expert (SME), writer, designer, developer
Learning Process
In IS_LT 7384, the optional activities and reflective blog posts lay the foundation for designing and developing each of our game prototypes. After completing these activities, I designed a lo-fi prototype of the narrative using Miro and Microsoft Word. The exercise helped me quickly iterate before I developed the hi-fi prototype in Twine (Image 1).
Reflection
When I started this project, I aimed to create scenarios which enable the learner to practice by assuming a role in an authentic environment. I wanted to encourage the player to consider the learner’s accessibility needs as they played each scenario in the game. Additionally, the player must select the best accessibility solution while considering relationships to build a community of practice on campus.
As I developed the game prototype, I leaned into my design and writing skills to map the game’s narrative and progression—and ensured the player learned in a meaningful and realistic context (Image 2). While I never used Twine before, I found the tool intuitive, and I’ve since added it to my instructional design toolkit.
