This class was the first “formal” class I took at Stanford (I also participated in a week-long SGSI at the d.school, which was part of the graduate student orientation). As an international student, I had imagined how amazing Stanford would be—its professors, students, and classes—but the first class exceeded all my expectations. In the first class, we began by playing a board game and then designing a simple game, starting with drawing a map. Christina’s charisma, intelligence, and humor made this class a one-of-a-kind experience. The activity cleverly set up how we learned the fundamentals of game design. I can’t believe how much I was able to learn in just ten weeks—this wasn’t a grueling 10 weeks, but one filled with laughter, fun, and the exploration of new possibilities.
Before the class, I thought this class was going to teach us how to design games through a traditional approach: focusing on game mechanics, rules, and balance. I anticipated that it would be more of a technical process, with little room for exploration beyond the basic framework. However, this class quickly proved me wrong. Instead of merely following set rules for game design, I was encouraged to think about the purpose behind the game: how the game could enhance learning, engage participants, and create meaningful experiences. It was more than just a technical CS class—it was about understanding the psychology of learning and how play could be used to teach concepts, reinforce skills, and foster collaboration. This class provides me a necessary and irreplaceable perspective as an educator and I’m making a video to share this class to educators not only about my take away from this class but also how this class was designed.
Going through the process of designing and making a game for multiple times in this class with the supplement of research, discussions, case studies, Cristina and Amy’s super fun and engaging lectures, and working on projects with classmates enabled people like me who come from zero game background to learn fast and deeply. I had the chance to design a game from scratch, starting with funny and creative brainstorming, working through iterations, testing, and refining based on playtests. This hands-on experience was invaluable in helping me understand how important it is to consider the player’s experience at every stage of game design. I began to see how much more there is to game creation than just the mechanics. Game design requires an understanding of motivation, emotional engagement, and cognitive load, which are essential elements in creating effective learning experiences. This approach challenged me to rethink how I would apply game design in the future, especially in the context of education and professional development.
By the end of the class, I had learned that designing a game is not just about making something fun to play—it’s about creating a dynamic learning environment where players can test their ideas, reflect on their decisions, and learn from their mistakes. I now understand that in game design, failure is a valuable learning tool. When players fail in a game, it can be seen as a stepping stone to learning rather than a negative outcome. This insight has shifted how I view learning in general. As an educator, I plan to incorporate this idea into my teaching approach, encouraging students to experiment, fail, and iterate in a safe environment.
The Saturday after the last day of class, I won a hackathon at Stanford focused on AI and learning differences. My team designed a game to help learners with diverse needs engage with complex subjects. I built a game, won a hackathon, and got invited by a judge to participate in the NYC Games for Change Contest. What a learning experience that was! This experience was a perfect example of how the principles from the class came to life in real-world applications. We were able to take everything we had learned about designing for engagement, feedback, and learning outcomes and apply it to a high-stakes environment.
In the future, when I create games, I will focus on understanding the learners’ needs and designing games that align with both their cognitive abilities and emotional states. As an educator, I will prioritize designing games that don’t just teach facts or procedures, but also foster critical thinking skills, promote empathy, and encourage collaboration. I now see how games can be a powerful tool for teaching complex concepts and creating memorable, impactful learning experiences.
As a learning designer, I will continue to iterate on my game designs, applying the principles of feedback and engagement I learned in this class. I now understand that great game design is iterative—it’s about constant testing, learning, and improving. I will take this approach into my work with Speak UP, a platform I’m developing for language learning and cultural exchange. Speak UP aims to break the language barrier that hinders career growth by providing personalized, adaptive learning scenarios for professionals. Through mini-games and scenario-based practice, learners can actively engage in real-world business communication situations. This approach mirrors the insights I gained from this class, creating a learning environment that encourages active participation and experimentation.
Ultimately, this class taught me that learning, like game design, is a dynamic, interactive, and ever-evolving process. The insights I gained will shape how I approach learning design in the future, helping me create engaging, effective, and meaningful educational experiences.
