GameWorks

Many research labs approach us asking, "How can we make a game with Field Day?" Welcome to GameWorks. This is a process for identifying import topics, form cross-disciplie teams, and create game concepts that can apply for funding.

We believe that games can change the world! Games have the capacity to go deep with the most complex topics in a playful and engaging way. Games are a great way for research labs to do public outreach and to fulfill their broader impacts mission for their grant. Field Day games are played 1.5 million times annually and are available for free.

GameWorks is a collaboration between Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the University of Wisconsin School of Education's Field Day Lab. 

Each incubator has a sponsor and a theme. We have explored topics such as astrophysics with the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center, life sciences practices with an NSF funded project from PI Gagnon, environmental health with dFusion, AI in Agriculture with PI Morales, and invasive species with the IL and IN SeaGrant. 

For each theme, we recruit top scientists in the field and a cohort of educators. During a kickoff event we form teams that find the intersections between the cutting edge discoveries and educational needs across the state. The researchers learn about communicating with the public, and the educators get a deep dive into the process of discovery. By the end of the first event, the teams have developed a collection of game "pitches" that outline potential directions. One or more of these concepts is the developed by the expert designers at Field Day and have a chance to be greenlit for production and become a game.

How could your research lab use learning games to do public outreach?