e-learning platform
Client | Jump Simulation
Date | May. 2022 – August 2022
Role | Graphic & Interface Designer
project overview
Jump Simulation is an extension of the OSF Health Care complex, responsible for training and innovation within the facility. Supported by PNC Bank, they run a Bedside Steam initiative to create learning material garnered for children who are staying long-term in the Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
Our goal over this summer was to create a platform that would house STEAM content that would be accessible for a younger audience, as well as create content to fill this platform.
This broke our project down into three main tasks – create an engaging interface to house preexisting and future content, create all-new content for middle school levels, and design physical print material to engage with students and advertise STEAM off-screen.
project takeaways
Advocate for better
The expectation with this project was to host the interface on a Canva document nested withing a Google Classroom. It was immediately obvious to us that this would not accomplish the interactivity nor accessibility that would be needed.
As a team of people in interactive media, we knew we could do better.
Know your audience
Students, especially post-pandemic, are increasingly harder to connect with and retain in an educational sense, as their attention span is significantly shortened.
This was our motivation in pushing for a more visual, interactive, video game experience.
Value your team
This is an acknowledgement that the breadth of what was produced is due to the fact that the team I worked with was uniquely phenomenal in their talent, diversity of skills, and working independence.
my impact & role
- Researched options on where to host our interface that would have our desired capabilities
- Created characters, animations, graphics, and layouts for the interface
- Assisted with animations and graphics for the educational content
- Conducted early user testing for the site and the content
Why Steam Stars?
The Content
Allows children in long-term care to easily access enjoyable, educational content.
The Connection
Opens up dialogue between a child and their provider about procedures and issues by acquainting the child to terminology and information.
The Future
Benefits the health care system by exposing a new generation to the wide array of opportunity available to them in health care.
Who is it for?
Long-term patients of children's hospital
STEAM STARS acts as supplemental education to patients of the children's hospital.
STEAM camps
Within Jump, the site can be used to teach specific concepts to those in their STEAM camp in an easily accesible way.
Local school systems
STEAM STARS can be utilized within a conventional learning environment as a varied medium to deliver information.
Why does it work?
Entertaining & Educational
Having a team of mostly Interactive Media students meant Steam Stars has an educational skeleton fleshed out with games, videos, and more.
Engaging Interface
The interface is full of color, characters, and animation. With the younger audience, we knew an interesting interface was essential to the retention of the students.
Scalable & Flexible
The platform lends itself to being updated and changed frequently, constantly accumulating new content that JUMP puts out and wrapping it in a kid-friendly bow.
high-level flow
activity books & kits
One of my bigger contributions to the team was the design and organization of a 50-page activity booklet. This book was made to educate children about the wide array of different careers in health care, complete with 22 careers, 20 activities, and 5 videos linked by QR code where a child could watch an interview with a medical professional.
I was also responsible for the layout and constructions of 6 different physical activities to be used as touch points for children and introduce them to digital STEAM content. These physical assets are being deployed throughout OSF.
results
In terms of interface and design, my team easily went above and beyond client expectations, delivering a graphic, responsive, animated site when only three months previous being presented with a Canva image stored inside a Google Classroom.
The activity booklet will begin replacing OSF merchandise at advertisement tables, offering something engaging for children and young adults alike who might be interested in healthcare or getting more involved with Jump.
At the end of the internship, we presented to our sponsors at PNC Bank. With OSF being a nationwide brand, they expressed interest in deploying knowledge of the website all throughout the United States, as well as the physical activity book.
special thanks to my team
video editor & compositer
animator & illustrator
game designer
sydnee o’donnell
educator & content writer