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Arts & Communication Fostering belonging through STEAM education

allowed students to balance the project with their other and technological innovation. It was inspiring to observe
academic responsibilities and provided ample time for how they skillfully combined conventional crafting
conceptualization, design, and refinement. techniques with modern technology as they brought their

Overall, the implementation of this project provided visions to life. They had access to a wide array of resources,
students with a comprehensive learning experience from traditional materials, such as colorful acrylic paints
that combined design thinking with practical STEAM and practical tools, such as hot glue guns to advanced
applications. By engaging with advanced technologies digital fabrication tools. Throughout the design process
and creative processes, students developed valuable skills from ideation and prototyping to refinement, students
and produced innovative board games that showcased demonstrated remarkable skill in integrating these various
their understanding of the Nacogdoches community and techniques while following the design thinking framework.
university life (Table 1). One exemplar project was Mia’s tourist-themed game,
which showcased sophisticated technical implementation
4. Results to showcase the Nacogdoches community. Mia designed
a tourist-themed game board that showcased local
4.1. Physical design elements and technical
implementation landmarks. By using a laser cutter with precise settings,
she created detailed representations of sites, such as the
In our Art Appreciation course this term, students used Caddoan Mounds historical site and the Sterne Hoya
the university’s dynamic makerspace as a hub of creativity House Museum. She utilized vector graphics to create
detailed illustrations, which were then carefully engraved
Table 1. Integrating design thinking into board game using the laser cutter. The game’s physical components
creation included custom 3D-printed game pieces representing
local symbols, including the “Axe ‘em Jacks” hand sign and
Design Board game design steps
thinking the AXEperience symbol. A Texas map was incorporated
steps into the game’s design to offer geographic context and
Empathize Due to the university’s isolated geographic location, relevance (Figure 1).
it is less well-known compared to major metropolitan The technical execution of the game mechanics
universities in Texas. To address this, a STEAM-based demonstrated thoughtful integration of multiple elements.
board game project was initiated to foster a sense of
belonging between the university and the surrounding Players navigated the board using a combination of
community. Texas has seen remarkable growth, custom-designed dice and specially formatted question
transforming previously lesser-known towns into cards. The cards showcased careful attention to information
metropolitan hubs, such as Greater Houston and the design, utilizing multiple-choice and true-false formats
Dallas-Fort Worth area. Similarly, rural universities are
striving to attract students through scholarships, free that maintained consistency throughout the deck.
dorms, and on-campus job opportunities. Players earned in-game currency for correct responses,
Define Recognizing the urgency of building a stronger which they could then use to acquire representations of
connection between the university and the local local landmarks. The physical layout facilitated smooth
community, the team decided to create a board game
aimed at enhancing this sense of belonging.
Ideate In class, students brainstormed and sketched initial
blueprints for the board game. The university library’s
makerspace offered extensive technical support
throughout the planning and design stages.
Prototype Students used Tinkercad for 3D object modeling and a
laser cutter to design the game board. They completed
the project with painting and detailing, with some opting
to use Cricut machines for the finishing touches. Peer
feedback was integrated throughout the prototyping
process to refine the design.
Test On the final day of class, students conducted a gallery
walk to present and discuss their board game designs. The
completed projects were displayed in the library makerspace
for 2 weeks, allowing public engagement and feedback.
Abbreviation: STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Figure 1. Board game design featuring Nacogdoches, Texas, developed by
Mathematics. an undergraduate student in an Art Appreciation Course, 2024.

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 8 doi: 10.36922/ac.4437