Baldwin-Whitehall School District

The purpose of the IKS Highlander is to use science fiction and fantasy storytelling to blend STEAM topics from our curriculum and provide the students with an opportunity to apply the skills that they learned in a fictional environment.

The simulator’s mission is game-like as the students are involved in interactive storytelling using role-playing and open-ended scenarios. The experience transforms a room into a themed environment simulating a ship that can travel through time and space where students accomplish educational missions. These missions use a 16-member crew where students apply for and are assigned roles like pilot, engineer, or doctor. Each crew member is responsible for different functions of the ship. Their ability to work as a team will enable them to be successful or fail the mission. Through this experience, students will apply the content learned in a traditional classroom setting while also applying critical 21st-century skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and communication that will prepare them for future educational endeavors and the skills needed to be successful in the workforce.