Overview
Organization: Intercultural Development Research Association
Position: Instructional Designer
Audience: VisionCoders teachers and middle-school students
Responsibilities: Instructional Design, eLearning Development, LMS Administration, Video Editing, Backwards Design, Evaluation
Tools Used: Schoology LMS, Google Forms, Canva, Camtasia, YouTube
Features
VisionCoders was created to address a lack of engaging, foundational computer science opportunities for middle school students while fostering mentorship and leadership skills. The project-based course taught students coding through platforms like Code.org and Scratch, culminating in the creation of educational games for 1st grade mentees to reinforce early math and reading skills. The course built technical, design, and communication skills through storyboarding, peer feedback, prototyping, and iteration, using tools like Canva and face sensing technology to enhance creativity. With strong leadership support and student enthusiasm, VisionCoders launched as a yearlong program, empowering students to see themselves as designers, mentors, and creators.
Process: Space Adventure Game Example
I used the Backwards Design model to help students create a working prototype of their Space Adventure game by first defining the goal: a playable first iteration aligned with their learning objectives. I established performance criteria, designed a rubric, and then planned activities using a scaffolded tutorial, phased tasks, checkpoints, peer-feedback discussions, and reflections.
This lesson was strategically designed as the midpoint in a multi-day project focused on developing a playable educational game using prior planning artifacts. The instructional approach built on students’ foundational work from earlier lessons, where they storyboarded and documented their game designs.
I embedded the “Create a Space Adventure Game” tutorial video and linked student storyboards and game design documents directly in the LMS for easy access. To support teachers, I included example scripts, checklists, and reminders within the activity. A “Wrap-Up Reflection” discussion prompt encouraged students to reflect on their first iteration, providing formative assessment data. I also created a custom rubric aligned with the Schoology gradebook to efficiently assess iteration completion, design adherence, and peer feedback participation.
✅ Results
Increased Student Engagement
Students showed enthusiasm for applying creative storytelling, coding logic, and face sensing technology. Game-based learning, especially with peer-to-peer mentoring elements, kept students motivated through every phase of design.
Meaningful Peer Feedback
Through structured activities, students gave and received constructive feedback on their games. This not only improved their final products but also developed communication and critical thinking skills.
Authentic Integration of Educational Content
Students learned how to embed academic concepts (like space science facts or vocabulary practice) into game mechanics. This cross-curricular approach encouraged them to think like instructional designers.
💡 Takeaways
Students Thrive When Given Creative Autonomy
Giving students ownership over their game narratives and design decisions resulted in more authentic engagement and innovation, especially when they designed games for real audiences (like 1st-grade mentees).
Gamified Learning is More Than Just Fun
By using game creation as a learning tool, VisionCoders showed that gamified environments can be powerful vehicles for building both hard skills (coding, design) and soft skills (feedback, revision, collaboration).
Peer Learning Is a Critical Accelerator
Students helped one another troubleshoot code, brainstorm storyboards, and reflect on educational elements, proving that peer interaction deepens understanding and promotes a growth mindset.