At its core is Lesson 1: Empathy, a video game where players explore real-world challenges, test their community engagement skills and understand the value of co-design with people.
Lesson 1: Empathy is embedded in Introduction to Professional Engineering Practice - Australia’s largest first-year engineering course with nearly 2,000 students - and has received very positive feedback from students, alumni, STEM professionals, educators and the broader community. From Semester 2, 2026, it will also be adapted for K-12 learners across Victoria and New South Wales.
The video game has been showcased at UNESCO conferences and workshops, the United Nations Association of Australia NSW Division, The Game Expo in Melbourne, various Games for Change and ACMI events, and universities. The series is featured on the UNESCO Digital Innovation Hub and will soon be available through additional channels, including RMIT.
In 2025, Dr Schismenos received four awards recognising the impact of his gamification initiative on engagement and education.
