The Wizar Learning App offers effective game-based STEM learning experiences, although its curriculum is limited due to the time and resources required to create specific games on each topic. To address this limitation, Wizar sought partnerships with learning providers and publishers to expand its offerings. I was excited as this project would let me create something that truly makes a difference in education. I was also looking forward to be working with game design and immersive experience design processes!
Blazing Learning Trails
A New Approach
The team embarked on developing a highly customizable game-based learning platform, starting with defining a virtual world and customizable games to suit various subjects and curriculums. The process involved revisiting user research, conceptualising & visualising a "Metaverse" as a learning environment, and designing UI/UX and 3D game assets.
My Role & the Team
I was excited to be leading the experience design process! I thus set out with guidance from the project manager, Sonakshi Maam, and collaboration with front-end developers Abhishek and Hritik, 3D modeller Ranjeet, and backend developer Gourav.
Design Process
The users of this platform was to be the same user base of Wizar’s STEM learning modules. They were children between the ages of 8 to 13, from urban areas of USA. I conducted empathy mapping and created user personas from our existing research and newly gathered insights from secondary research.
This mainly helped me understand the type of experiences and games these kids enjoy playing and the type of learning games that they enjoy.
Creating the user personas helped me figure out the key needs of the users, namely-
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Ability to stay engaged and motivated while learning
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Learn by experiencing phenomena
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Adventure and Independence to explore
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Sharing knowledge and achievements with peers
User Research
Graphic: Empathy Mapping (User Research)
Graphic: User Personas (User Research)
User Personas
Competitive Analysis- Virtual Worlds
Virtual Event Space (Virtway Events)
Virtway events creates customizable virtual event-spaces and arenas for enterprises. Companies can hold expos or exhibit their products in the virtual space. It provides a dynamic and immersive environment where users and companies can interact, collaborate, and engage in various events.
MMO-RPG-s
Elements of MMO RPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) can be effectively utilized for gamifying education by incorporating features such as leveling up, quests, achievements, and social interaction. Learners can progress through levels by completing educational tasks and challenges, earning rewards and unlocking new content as they advance
Roblox
Roblox provides a dynamic space where users can engage in educational activities, explore virtual worlds, and collaborate with others. From coding and game design to history and science simulations, Roblox offers a diverse range of educational games and experiences that cater to learners of all ages and interests.
Minecraft
The open-ended nature of the game encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity, empowering learners to take ownership of their learning journey and explore topics at their own pace. With its accessibility and appeal to learners of all ages.
Competitive Analysis- Learning Games
Product: The Learnverse
The "Learnverse" is an open world environment for learning. It consists of a “School” which has classrooms customised for each subject. The classroom would consist of screens (for watching videos), a library (for textual material), a seating area where players can interact, an activity table (for Augmented Reality activities) and a “Play area”. The play area would consist of Question & Answer based games, namely- Obstacle Course, Escape Room and Maze madness.
Environment Design
Concept Map / User Flow (Final)
Concept Map / User Flow (Final)
In the landscape of Learning Technology, one can categorise products based on Medium (Physical/Digital) and Immersion ( VR/AR, Game Based vs Passive)
Wizar Learning aimed to create a product which is technologically cutting edge while providing games based and immersive learning solutions.
Positioning
Concept Mapping & User Flows
My initial concept was more geared towards an RPG type open world in which students compete with each other in activities and academic tasks to Level up.
Eventually the concept map was iterated upon to create a school based environment with educational content and games.
Rough Concept Map
The App (Before)
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Standalone Topics
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Passive
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Solo Player
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2D (Platform)
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Finite Excercises
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Single Media- Games Only
The Learnverse (After)
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Complete Curriculum
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Actively Updated
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Multiplayer/ Social
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Fully 3D
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Infinite Excercises (can be generated)
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Multimedia
The World
The "Learnverse world" was initially conceptualised in an MMO-RPG type world in a 2.5D format. It consisted of the school, the game area and private homes of for each student.
However later it was turned fully 3D world which only consists of the school and the game area can only be accessed from the classrooms.
The School
The school is the main location of the Learnverse, it consists of the reception and five classrooms for Science, Math, History, Language and Literature.
The Classroom
The classrooms are the most important aspects of the learnverse as students spend the most time in it. The classroom consists of a TV screen, activity table, library and a portal which leads to the games.
Obstacle Course
The Obstacle Course is the first QnA based game in the learnverse. Students have to gain points by going through the obstacle with the correct answer to questions on the course.
I started with basic concept sketches, followed by storyboards. After this I moved on the isometric sketches and 3D modelling on Blender.
Isometric Diagrams: Obstacle Course
Escape Room
The "Escape Room" is another QnA based game in the learnverse. Students have to answer question to earn clues in a scavenger hunt to finally find the key to open the door. The Escape Room was created using a 3D asset downloaded from Unity Asset Store. However, we added certain assets to it.
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Business Needs and Project Brief
Wizar wanted to create a customizable platform that can be pitched to publishers and learning providers, to create an immersive and game-based learning experience based on their existing educational content.
By using gaming and Augmented Reality, this platform would aim to increase students’ engagement and motivation while learning. The Learning Provider would be able to customise the platform and experiences according to subjects, concepts or curriculum.
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Maze Madness
The maze madness is a simple QnA game where the player needs to answer questions to move forward.
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Game: Environments & Gameplay
UI Design
The UI consisted of HUDs and overlays which are placed over the 3D environment
Prodigy Learning
With its captivating storyline, colorful graphics, and interactive gameplay, Prodigy motivates students to practice math skills while embarking on exciting quests and battling monsters. The adaptive learning system adjusts difficulty levels based on individual performance, ensuring personalized challenges.
Dreamscape
Dreamscape effectively gamifies learning by combining immersive storytelling, adaptive gameplay, and personalized feedback to create a captivating and rewarding educational experience. Set within a fantasy world filled with mythical creatures and magical adventures, Dreamscape motivates students to improve reading comprehension and vocabulary skills.
Toca Boca
Toca Boca offers a highly effective gamified learning experience by providing open-ended, imaginative play environments that encourage creativity, exploration, and problem-solving. Fostering curiosity, independence, and self-directed learning.
