Election Lab: A Computer-Board Game Hybrid Where STEM Meets Civics
We attended the Connected Learning Summit for the first time with our boys when it was held at MIT.
These memories are vividly beautiful, both from the conference experience and the people we met.
This past weekend, another memory popped up on Facebook. That one was from the Connected Learning Summit conference held at the University of California, Irvine. While both CLS experiences are memorable, they are each unique on their own. We remember presentations, people, the ideas, and yes, even the energy in the room and the breakout sessions.
One of those memories for us was presenting “Election Lab: A Computer–Board Game Hybrid Where STEM Meets Civics” at the Connected Learning Summit. The summit was a space where educators, researchers, game designers, and innovators came together to reimagine learning through play, technology, and connection. And the summit not only invited us to present our work, but our manuscript was accepted for publication as well. We are very proud of that work.
Although we chose not to accept this year’s invitation to present for a variety of reasons, these experiences, both at MIT and UCI, remain a highlight for our team. We remember the thoughtful conversations, the inspiring work shared by colleagues, and the enthusiasm of attendees who attended our talks, exploring our innovation and how games can deepen civic and STEM learning.
At that time, we had no ability to create a digital game. As a result, our presentation was a board game, “Election Lab,” that blended the strategy and interaction of civics and data science in one program. It was designed to help students of all ages understand the U.S. electoral college system while engaging with data, history, and civic decision-making. What we created was a fun and impactful way to make elections come alive. And quite memorable. Something that many adults or educators still do not fully understand.
We are grateful for many connections and friendships formed at Connected Learning. Sorry, we could not be there in 2025, but we hope to return in the future.
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Dr. Jasminka Vukanovic-Criley MD, FACP, FHM is a multiple award-winning physician, internist, hospitalist, healthcare & education innovator & Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA. She is a career mentor & advisor to numerous undergraduate, graduate & postgraduate students & faculty. As a researcher, Dr. Criley received awards from the National Institutes of Health & the U.S. Department of Education Her work focuses on creating research-driven #edtech games & digital media to improve health, civics, science education & promote healthy habits. Dr Criley is also a sought-after speaker & a founding Board member of Physician’s Weekly. She can be reached on X at @criley_md and at www.linkedin.com/in/jasminka-criley-md