Game Design for Social Impact: Empowering Agency, Creativity, and Systems Thinking in K-12 Classrooms

Games can do more than entertain; they can help students make sense of the world. This poster presentation explores how game design opens new possibilities for K-12 learning by boosting engagement, strengthening systems thinking and giving students a real sense of agency. Drawing on the work of Games for Change (G4C), you will see how student-centered design experiences help young people explore complex social issues, collaborate meaningfully and stretch their creative problem-solving skills. Through hands-on activities and real classroom examples where students become game designers, you will discover how mindsets like iteration, empathy, resilience and creative risk-taking support student voice and ownership, and how creating games lets students test ideas and communicate their thinking through interactive media. Blending research-supported strategies with educator stories, this poster presentation sends you home with ready-to-use frameworks, adaptable models for any subject or grade level, and clear starting points, whether you want to run a short activity or build a full unit.