HIVE

Giving kids an educational gaming experience

Teaching methods have fallen behind in America. Students live in the most technologically distracting era in history, and classrooms have done little to evolve with the times. I asked myself if this could be a 'fight fire with fire' situation, that is, saving education through the very media that is most often distracting students. The idea behind HIVE is to offer an unsubsidized video game experience in the classroom while remaining 100% educational. Video games in the classroom might seem counterproductive, but it just might be the other way around...

DESIGN IDEA

Create an interface that better engages students through game-based education

HOW HIVE WORKS

Each student receives their own HIVE touchscreen controller. The controllers run off a single host PC which the instructor controls, running various guided lesson plans that incorporate video game content, which students view on a smart board or screen projector. The touchscreen enabled controllers allow students to input their answers with a stylus, checking their comprehension of the lesson in real time. Lesson plans format their content with built in mini-games that incorporate the entire class, raising interest and therefore content retention.

Smartboard Or Screen

Instructor's

Host

Computer

Student HIVE Controllers

USER TESTING

I went to a local high school to gauge the opinions of the students. They gave their input on preliminary designs, what their ideal learning experience would be, and what it is about their current educational experience that needs changing. This information was very useful in determining the direction of the design both aesthetically and logistically.