Play × Discuss: A Digital Cooperative Discussion Game About Women in Science

Chrysa Bika; Shobhana Narasimhan; Johannes V. Barth; Gudrun Klinker; Daniel Dyrda

doi:10.1109/CoG64752.2025.11114385

Play × Discuss: A Digital Cooperative Discussion Game About Women in Science

Chrysa Bika
, Shobhana Narasimhan
, Johannes V. Barth
, Gudrun Klinker
, Daniel Dyrda

Technical University of Munich
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

This paper presents a design approach for educational games that use structured peer discussion as a primary game mechanic to address the complex, context-dependent challenges faced by women in STEM. We introduce Play × Discuss: Women in Science, a digital multiplayer game developed through a human-centered, co-design process involving female scientists from diverse backgrounds. Combining interactive storytelling with collaborative discussion, the game creates a safe, inclusive space for players to reflect on real-world experiences, share strategies, and build community. The resulting game offers a replicable model for designing educational games that foster critical thinking and social connection around key themes of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the IEEE 2025 Conference on Games, CoG 2025
Publisher	IEEE Computer Society
ISBN (Electronic)	9798331589042
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/CoG64752.2025.11114385
State	Published - 2025
Event	7th IEEE Conference on Games, CoG 2025 - Lisbon, Portugal Duration: 26 Aug 2025 → 29 Aug 2025

Publication series

Name	IEEE Conference on Computatonal Intelligence and Games, CIG
ISSN (Print)	2325-4270
ISSN (Electronic)	2325-4289

Conference

Conference	7th IEEE Conference on Games, CoG 2025
Country/Territory	Portugal
City	Lisbon
Period	26/08/25 → 29/08/25

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 5 Gender Equality

Keywords

Diversity
Educational Game
Equity
Game Design
Inclusion
STEM
Serious Game
Women in Science

Access to Document

10.1109/CoG64752.2025.11114385

Cite this

@inproceedings{94862d308136479e875db45db1673140,

title = "Play {\texttimes} Discuss: A Digital Cooperative Discussion Game About Women in Science",

abstract = "This paper presents a design approach for educational games that use structured peer discussion as a primary game mechanic to address the complex, context-dependent challenges faced by women in STEM. We introduce Play {\texttimes} Discuss: Women in Science, a digital multiplayer game developed through a human-centered, co-design process involving female scientists from diverse backgrounds. Combining interactive storytelling with collaborative discussion, the game creates a safe, inclusive space for players to reflect on real-world experiences, share strategies, and build community. The resulting game offers a replicable model for designing educational games that foster critical thinking and social connection around key themes of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.",

keywords = "Diversity, Educational Game, Equity, Game Design, Inclusion, STEM, Serious Game, Women in Science",

author = "Chrysa Bika and Shobhana Narasimhan and Barth, \{Johannes V.\} and Gudrun Klinker and Daniel Dyrda",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 IEEE.; 7th IEEE Conference on Games, CoG 2025 ; Conference date: 26-08-2025 Through 29-08-2025",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1109/CoG64752.2025.11114385",

language = "English",

series = "IEEE Conference on Computatonal Intelligence and Games, CIG",

publisher = "IEEE Computer Society",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the IEEE 2025 Conference on Games, CoG 2025",

}

Bika, C, Narasimhan, S, Barth, JV , Klinker, G & Dyrda, D 2025, Play × Discuss: A Digital Cooperative Discussion Game About Women in Science. in Proceedings of the IEEE 2025 Conference on Games, CoG 2025. IEEE Conference on Computatonal Intelligence and Games, CIG, IEEE Computer Society, 7th IEEE Conference on Games, CoG 2025, Lisbon, Portugal, 26/08/25. https://doi.org/10.1109/CoG64752.2025.11114385

Play × Discuss: A Digital Cooperative Discussion Game About Women in Science. / Bika, Chrysa; Narasimhan, Shobhana; Barth, Johannes V. et al.
Proceedings of the IEEE 2025 Conference on Games, CoG 2025. IEEE Computer Society, 2025. (IEEE Conference on Computatonal Intelligence and Games, CIG).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Play × Discuss

T2 - 7th IEEE Conference on Games, CoG 2025

AU - Bika, Chrysa

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AU - Klinker, Gudrun

AU - Dyrda, Daniel

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

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AB - This paper presents a design approach for educational games that use structured peer discussion as a primary game mechanic to address the complex, context-dependent challenges faced by women in STEM. We introduce Play × Discuss: Women in Science, a digital multiplayer game developed through a human-centered, co-design process involving female scientists from diverse backgrounds. Combining interactive storytelling with collaborative discussion, the game creates a safe, inclusive space for players to reflect on real-world experiences, share strategies, and build community. The resulting game offers a replicable model for designing educational games that foster critical thinking and social connection around key themes of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

KW - Diversity

KW - Educational Game

KW - Equity

KW - Game Design

KW - Inclusion

KW - STEM

KW - Serious Game

KW - Women in Science

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DO - 10.1109/CoG64752.2025.11114385

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:105015538351

T3 - IEEE Conference on Computatonal Intelligence and Games, CIG

BT - Proceedings of the IEEE 2025 Conference on Games, CoG 2025

PB - IEEE Computer Society

Y2 - 26 August 2025 through 29 August 2025

ER -

Play × Discuss: A Digital Cooperative Discussion Game About Women in Science

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this