Developing Inclusive Games on Climate Change and Ecological Balance, for Sighted and Visually Impaired Children
Exhibition has been prepared within the scope of the research project titled “Developing Inclusive Games on Climate Change and Ecological Balance, for Sighted and Blind Children” with the number 24/ ÖAP/01, supported by Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Scientific Research Projects Coordinatorship. The exhibition shares the final products of the design workshop and prototyping process carried out within the project.
Ecological balance and climate change are among the most important issues of our time. They are being discussed in many areas, and their effects and consequences are comprehensively addressed through awareness-raising, education, research and development studies in various frameworks. In education, raising future generations with this awareness is important for the vision of a sustainable future. The Climate Change Action Plan (2022), prepared by the Ministry of National Education, emphasises the importance of education for school-age children and includes these issues within the framework of educational practices. This research project aims to create inclusive educational tools that children with and without (partial or total) sight loss can learn through play with their peers and/or parents, within the framework of the principle of “equal access to quality education”, by addressing the process of raising awareness and consciousness about climate change in school-age children together with the concept of ” game”.
The concept of play is older than culture, as defined by Huizinga (2022, 1953), and play is taken to a new dimension with the concept of “serious game”, which Michael and Chen (2005) define as “a game that has education as its primary goal, other than entertainment”. With significant advantages for different accessibility needs, game-based learning can be used as a tool to achieve the fourth UN Sustainable Development Goal (URL1), “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (Tlili, 2022).
This project focuses on the development of inclusive games to raise the awareness of all children, especially those with visual impairments, about the critical issue of climate change and ecological balance, which is usually explained visually. The project aims to put inclusive and user-centred design at the heart of the project; a prototyping-oriented, creative solution generation process was developed using a 3d printer and a process involving design students. The final designs aim for inclusive solutions, considering special needs but enabling all children to learn through play, individually or collectively.
Game Design/ Development Processes started with the “Climate. Ecology. Game. Design Workshop” and continued with “Prototyping Process”.
The design workshop took place between 08-14 May 2024. The theoretical briefings and group workshops, which started at the Museum Gazhane – Climate Museum, continued with group studies, interim presentations and discussions at the MSGSU Faculty of Architecture.
Diagram showing the Design Workshop process
The participating students were divided into mixed working groups according to their professional fields and started the idea development discussions after theoretical information presentations on “Ecological balance, climate and climate change”, “Game concept and gamification”, “Material design for visually impaired and blind people”, “Inclusive design”, “General information on 3D printing and its parts”, “Design processes and stages for workshop groups”. In the following days, the development of ideas and design studies continued, and the process was concluded with jury presentations and evaluations on 15 May. As part of the final jury, student groups shared their designs with all team members and other participating student groups through presentations and models. As a result of the jury evaluations, 3 game designs were selected to continue the prototyping process.
Once the design workshop was completed, work began on the game designs selected by the jury to continue the prototyping process. The process started with developing the designs and their 3d models, and when the designs were advanced enough, the 3d printing trials were carried out. The 3d printed game designs underwent a feedback process to obtain opinions and assessments in the context of use by partially/fully blind users, with the participation and guidance of Six Dots Foundation for the Blind team members. In line with the feedback received, game designs were developed, the developed designs were edited to their final form and 3d prints were prepared.
Project Number:
24/ ÖAP/ 01
Project Title:
Developing Inclusive Games on Climate Change and Ecological Balance, for Sighted and Blind Children
Project Team:
Dr. Aylin AYNA | Project Coordinator | Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Architecture
Dr. E. Merve ÖZYURT | Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Industrial Design
Dr. A. Selami ÇİFTER | Brunel University of London, Brunel Design School
Dr. Weining NING | Brunel University of London, Brunel Design School
Seçil ARIKAN | Six Dots Foundation for the Blind
Canan ÇAM YÜCEL | Six Dots Foundation for the Blind
