Project Mentor: Professor Michael Spear, Computer Science and Engineering
2027 Impact Fellows:
Project Description:
What if a 2D video game could turn millions of young learners into curious explorers, fearless experimenters, and creative problem-solvers? Imagine a world where learning isn't about memorizing the right answers, but asking intriguing questions, trying wild ideas, making surprising discoveries, and having a blast along the way. That's the magic of Agastya's Aah! Aha! Ha-Ha! philosophy—and this project brings it to life through gaming.
Building on Lehigh's Leveling Up to Lehigh Life video game, Lehigh students will collaborate with experienced educators at Agastya International Foundation to create an immersive gaming experience inspired by Agastya's Creativity Campus in Kuppam, India. Players will explore virtual laboratories, tackle intriguing challenges, interact with colorful characters, and discover the wonders of science, art, and innovation. Rather than relying on quizzes and memorization, the game will bring Agastya's Aah! Aha! Ha-Ha! philosophy to life: encounter something surprising (Aah!), experiment to make sense of it (Aha!), and celebrate the joy of discovery while unlocking the next adventure (Ha-Ha!).
Drawing on game development, graphic design, storytelling, educational psychology, and user-experience research, students will work alongside young learners and teachers across India to design and test an engaging, culturally relevant, and accessible game that makes curiosity the driving force and discovery its own reward.