EdVenture: A game-based adaptive learning platform that blends playful design, AI personalization, and collaboration to close learning gaps.
EdVenture: A game-based adaptive learning platform that blends playful design, AI personalization, and collaboration to close learning gaps.
EdVenture: A game-based adaptive learning platform that blends playful design, AI personalization, and collaboration to close learning gaps.
EdVenture: Personalized
Adaptive Learning Platform
EdVenture: Personalized
Adaptive Learning Platform
EdVenture: Personalized
Adaptive Learning Platform
Jan 2025 - Aug 2025
Jan 2025 - Aug 2025
Type: Industry Partnership, Major Research Project at Toronto Metropolitan University, Team Project
Type: Industry Partnership, Major Research Project at Toronto Metropolitan University, Team Project
Roles: Lead UX Designer and Researcher
Roles: Lead UX Designer and Researcher
Tools: Figma
Tools: Figma
Target Audience: Customer: Parents & Teachers, Consumers: Ontario K-12 students
Target Audience: Customer: Parents & Teachers, Consumers: Ontario K-12 students
Time limit: 8 months
Time limit: 8 months
Team size: 3
Team size: 3
Project Summary:
This project is for my Industry Partnership Major Research Project (MRP) with Ametros Learning, which is a company that provides AI-powered practice-based learning that is primarily targeted towards post-secondary students. The MRP was created to address the issue in the current traditional education system that lacks personalization for a diverse range of students from having a skewed teacher to student ratio. Due to the time constraints of the project, the prototype focuses on Grade-4 students learning reading skills within the subject of Language Arts.
Project Summary:
This project is for my Industry Partnership Major Research Project (MRP) with Ametros Learning, which is a company that provides AI-powered practice-based learning that is primarily targeted towards post-secondary students. The MRP was created to address the issue in the current traditional education system that lacks personalization for a diverse range of students from having a skewed teacher to student ratio. Due to the time constraints of the project, the prototype focuses on Grade-4 students learning reading skills within the subject of Language Arts.
Problem
Problem
Traditional classroom settings often fail to address the diverse learning levels of students, especially those who need more time, support, or alternative methods to grasp key concepts and nurture motivation for learning.
As a result, many fall behind and disengage from the learning process.
Traditional classroom settings often fail to address the diverse learning levels of students, especially those who need more time, support, or alternative methods to grasp key concepts and nurture motivation for learning.
As a result, many fall behind and disengage from the learning process.
Value Proposition
Value Proposition
A game-based learning platform that transforms Ontario K-12 education and foundational skills into an engaging, personalized journey—guided by adaptive AI that serves as a real-time tutor and rooted in meaningful collaboration among classmates.
Unlike many gamified learning platforms that treat learning tasks as purely educational questions, disconnected from the overall narrative of the game, our platform integrates learning into the game's narrative adventure to help transform extrinsic motivation into intrinsic motivation.
A game-based learning platform that transforms Ontario K-12 education and foundational skills into an engaging, personalized journey—guided by adaptive AI that serves as a real-time tutor and rooted in meaningful collaboration among classmates.
Unlike many gamified learning platforms that treat learning tasks as purely educational questions, disconnected from the overall narrative of the game, our platform integrates learning into the game's narrative adventure to help transform extrinsic motivation into intrinsic motivation.
Phases
Phases
Discovery
Discovery
Pedagogical Research
For our core pedagogical research, we found 3 core problems within the traditional educational system:
For our core pedagogical research, we found 3 core problems within the traditional educational system:
Low Reading Proficiency in Students
Low Reading Proficiency in Students
According to 2023-2024 Education Quality Accountability Office (EQAO) Provincial Results
According to 2023-2024 Education Quality Accountability Office (EQAO) Provincial Results
one in four in Grade 3
one in four in Grade 3
one in five in Grade 6
one in five in Grade 6
fail to meet provincial reading standards
fail to meet provincial reading standards
Limited Motivation in Reading
Only 29% of students agree that reading is their favorite activity.
Only 29% of students agree that reading is their favorite activity.
Only 60% of students think reading is an important skill.
Only 60% of students think reading is an important skill.
Challenges in Traditional Teaching Methods
(1) One-Size-Fits-All Approach.
(1) One-Size-Fits-All Approach.
(2) Imbalanced student to teacher ratios in Ontario Schools.
(2) Imbalanced student to teacher ratios in Ontario Schools.
Reading Strategies
For our reading exercises, we adopted multiple reading strategies from Jennifer Serravallo's The Reading Strategies Book (2015). Some notable strategies include:
For our reading exercises, we adopted multiple reading strategies from Jennifer Serravallo's The Reading Strategies Book (2015). Some notable strategies include:
Single Player
'Back Up Ideas about Characters with Evidence'
'Back Up Ideas about Characters with Evidence'
Encourages students to use textual details to support their interpretations.
Encourages students to use textual details to support their interpretations.
'Text Clue/Background Knowledge Addition'
'Text Clue/Background Knowledge Addition'
Guides learners in connecting textual information with prior knowledge to construct meaningful inferences.
Guides learners in connecting textual information with prior knowledge to construct meaningful inferences.
Multiplayer
'Level-Specific Partner Menus'
'Level-Specific Partner Menus'
Encourages structured peer discussion
Encourages structured peer discussion
‘Vivid Setting Description and Impact on Character'
& 'Yes, But Why'
‘Vivid Setting Description and Impact on Character'
& 'Yes, But Why'
Basic information extraction skills & Explain a Character's Actions
Basic information extraction skills & Explain a Character's Actions
Concept
Concept
2 key scenarios
Single Player
Multiplayer
Core Game Elements
Integration
Exercises are integrated with the game narrative.
Exercises are integrated with the game narrative.
Integration
Exercises are integrated with the game narrative.
Motivation
Promote helping others over competition.
Promote helping others over competition.
Motivation
Promote helping others over competition.
Art Style
Cozy and warm game aesthetics encourage screen time without overstimulation.
Cozy and warm game aesthetics encourage screen time without overstimulation.
Art Style
Cozy and warm game aesthetics encourage screen time without overstimulation.
Conversation
Help students collaborate together and establish effective communication.
Help students collaborate together and establish effective communication.
Conversation
Help students collaborate together and establish effective communication.
Exploration
Supports player exploration within an open-world to build their own unique paths.
Supports player exploration within an open-world to build their own unique paths.
Exploration
Supports player exploration within an open-world to build their own unique paths.
Design
Design
Single Player
Mid-fidelity Iteration
High-fidelity Iteration
Key Usability Changes
Our team conducted usability changes based on the comments provided by our Industry Partner supervisor at Ametros Learning Inc. and our peer Show and Tell usability testing day.
Our team conducted usability changes based on the comments provided by our Industry Partner supervisor at Ametros Learning Inc. and our peer Show and Tell usability testing day.
Before
After
Users have to click twice to access stage selection.
Users have to click twice to access stage selection.
Users start on stage selection page right away.
Users start on stage selection page right away.
UI assets do not match game aesthetics and are relatively obscure.
UI assets do not match game aesthetics and are relatively obscure.
UI assets match game aesthetics and are in a more accessible location.
UI assets match game aesthetics and are in a more accessible location.
Exercise can be easily guessed & passage cannot be referred to again.
Exercise can be easily guessed & passage cannot be referred to again.
Exercises are by conversing with AI and text can be referred back by asking AI.
Exercises are by conversing with AI and text can be referred back by asking AI.
Multiplayer
Due to time constraints, our team adapted to sketching the wireframe for the multiplayer flow on paper and go straight to hi-fi after feedback cycle instead of creating mid-fi first.
Due to time constraints, our team adapted to sketching the wireframe for the multiplayer flow on paper and go straight to hi-fi after feedback cycle instead of creating mid-fi first.
Wireframe Sketch
High-fidelity Iteration
Key Design Decisions
Based on the comments provided by our Industry Partner supervisor, our team proceeded with the best choice of the wireframe sketches and moved forward to hi-fi.
Before
After
Our team decided to move on with a minimalistic approach to lessen complexity of the game.
Our team decided to move on with a minimalistic approach to lessen complexity of the game.
Our team decided to move on with option 1 to allow for students to take notes and practice their oral and collaborative skills by group discussion.
Our team decided to move on with option 1 to allow for students to take notes and practice their oral and collaborative skills by group discussion.
Validation
Validation
Prototype
Prototype
Video Walkthrough
Video Walkthrough
Game Trailer
Game Trailer
Reflection
Reflection
Key Learning Outcomes
Key Learning Outcomes
Experience working with a client that would bring real-world change in the educational setting.
Learning the bridge between UX Design with Game Design and Pedagogical Research and Design.
Working as a UX Design Lead alongside teammates with varying roles such as Graphic Designer and Project Manager.
The key takeaway from this project would be that this was my first big UX research project with a client, or industry partner, that could bring real-world change in the educational setting.
Experience working with a client that would bring real-world change in the educational setting.
Learning the bridge between UX Design with Game Design and Pedagogical Research and Design.
Working as a UX Design Lead alongside teammates with varying roles such as Graphic Designer and Project Manager.
The key takeaway from this project would be that this was my first big UX research project with a client, or industry partner, that could bring real-world change in the educational setting.
Biggest Challenge
Biggest Challenge
Infinite Choice Paralysis, Scope of Work, and Time Constraints
As our Industry Partners opened the floor for us to work on and create a platform of our own choice and design to integrate their educational AI, our team faced the challenge of deciding on the scope of the project to fit within the time constraints of only 7 months.
Infinite Choice Paralysis, Scope of Work, and Time Constraints
As our Industry Partners opened the floor for us to work on and create a platform of our own choice and design to integrate their educational AI, our team faced the challenge of deciding on the scope of the project to fit within the time constraints of only 7 months.
The Solution
The Solution
Time Management, Effective Communication, and Adaptive Decision Making
As a UX Design Lead for the team, I practiced open and effective communication on whether we can achieve the scope of work within the 7 months time constraints. Managing both my professional work and academics, I adapted my designs and workflow for the project accordingly.
Time Management, Effective Communication, and Adaptive Decision Making
As a UX Design Lead for the team, I practiced open and effective communication on whether we can achieve the scope of work within the 7 months time constraints. Managing both my professional work and academics, I adapted my designs and workflow for the project accordingly.
Next Steps & Future Improvements
Next Steps & Future Improvements
Expansion
Create more scenarios to offer more examples of educational game designs.
Create more scenarios to offer more examples of educational game designs.
Inclusion
Create exercises tailored to other grades within Ontario’s K-12 curriculum.
Create exercises tailored to other grades within Ontario’s K-12 curriculum.
Testing
Conduct official testing of the app with the target audience: Ontario’s K-12 students.
Conduct official testing of the app with the target audience: Ontario’s K-12 students.
Launch
Upgrade from a Figma prototype to an official app or web app
Upgrade from a Figma prototype to an official app or web app