The academic environment has historically been somewhat slow to implement and adopt new technologies. However, developments in video games have created an opportunity for students to learn new skills and topics through nontraditional mediums of education. The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the need for flexible learning opportunities. Joystick Education is our approach to addressing this need. Through online, game-based tutoring and a database of video games with high educational value, Joystick Education creates a learning environment that is effective, fun, and engaging for students. We analyzed popular, mainstream video games for educational content and selected nine games that teach concepts like history, biology, or physics while playing the game. Through promotion on social media, we generated buzz around our website which led to 103 unique visitors over our first month online and two customers requesting to book our tutoring service. We are confident that given more time to grow, Joystick Education can generate profit and become a successful business.

The academic environment has historically been somewhat slow to implement and adopt new technologies. However, developments in video games have created an opportunity for students to learn new skills and topics through nontraditional mediums of education. The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the need for flexible learning opportunities. Joystick Education is our approach to addressing this need. Through online, game-based tutoring and a database of video games with high educational value, Joystick Education creates a learning environment that is effective, fun, and engaging for students. We analyzed popular, mainstream video games for educational content and selected nine games that teach concepts like history, biology, or physics while playing the game. Through promotion on social media, we generated buzz around our website which led to 103 unique visitors over our first month online and two customers requesting to book our tutoring service. We are confident that given more time to grow, Joystick Education can generate profit and become a successful business.

Background: Household activities are responsible for up to 80% of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. These greenhouse gas emissions come from activities including actions taken in relation to food, energy, and water (FEW) resource consumption. Therefore, actions taken at a household level have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A game-based learning approach can be used to educate youth on what actions they can take around their household to reduce their carbon footprint. <br/>Aim: FEWS for change is a first player role-playing game developed to educate high school students on how their actions impact the FEW resources and carbon emissions. The game also aims to measure how player’s beliefs and worldview effect their game play regarding sustainability and the environment. <br/>Methods: We developed the FEWS (Food, Energy, and Water Systems) for Change role-playing game based on transdisciplinary research of the food, energy, and water nexus, social, economic, and environmental factors. We piloted the game with a few students for initial results and will have a high school classroom pilot the game in mid-May.<br/>Preliminary Results: Results from the 4 participants demonstrated achievement of the learning goal of the pilot testing. This is objective was met by measuring the players improvement on the postsurvey compared to the presurvey. Due to limitations of time and virtual facilitation of this game, the other two learning objectives could not be measured in this initial pilot because not all post-game activities were included which are needed to measure the other learning objectives. When the game is piloted in mid-May, the other two learning objectives will be tested and measured.