The Arts · Year 9

Active learning ideas

Designing Interactive Experiences

Active learning works because students need to experience the unpredictability of user choices firsthand to grasp how interactivity truly functions. By physically mapping journeys, testing prototypes, and observing peers, they move beyond abstract concepts to concrete problem-solving in real time.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9AME10D01
• AC9AME10E01

• 30–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Project-Based Learning
• 60 min · Small Groups

User Journey Mapping: Choose Your Own Adventure

Students select a simple narrative and map out a user journey, detailing decision points, branching pathways, and potential outcomes. They can use flowcharts or digital tools to visualize this process.

Construct a user journey map for an interactive story, outlining key decision points and their consequences.

Facilitation Tip

During User Journey Mapping, provide a scenario where users encounter dead ends to show why consequences matter.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Project-Based Learning
• 45 min · Pairs

Interactive Element Prototyping: Button Blitz

In pairs, students design and sketch simple interactive elements like buttons, sliders, or clickable images for a hypothetical app or game. They then present their designs, explaining their intended function and user feedback.

Evaluate the effectiveness of different interactive elements in engaging an audience.

Facilitation Tip

While Paper Prototype Testing, circulate with a timer to keep groups focused on rapid feedback cycles.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Project-Based Learning
• 30 min · Whole Class

Feedback Loop Simulation: 'What If?' Scenarios

Present students with a scenario of an interactive experience. As a whole class, brainstorm how different user inputs (e.g., clicking a wrong button, taking too long) could trigger specific feedback or alter the narrative.

Hypothesize how user feedback can be integrated into the iterative design process of interactive media.

Facilitation Tip

For the Engagement Critique Walk, assign each student a specific element to observe so the whole class builds a shared vocabulary.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by framing design as a conversation between creator and user, not a polished product. Use the iterative process explicitly: show how early prototypes fail in testing, then demonstrate how feedback reshapes the journey. Avoid letting students fixate on aesthetics over functionality; emphasize that clear communication drives engagement. Research shows students grasp interactivity faster when they see their own confusion reflected in peer behavior during testing.

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining how user choices lead to different outcomes and justifying design decisions with evidence from testing. They should articulate why certain interface elements work better than others, not just prefer one style over another.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During User Journey Mapping, watch for students adding buttons or features without connecting them to story impact.

  Have students role-play a user taking each path and describe how the story changes. If they can’t explain a consequence, the button or path should be removed or revised.

• During Paper Prototype Testing, watch for students defending their designs rather than listening to user feedback.

  Ask testers to mark confusing areas directly on the prototype with sticky notes. Students must revise their designs before moving on.

• During the Engagement Critique Walk, watch for students focusing only on visual appeal without considering usability.

  Prompt observers to note where users hesitated or made errors. Discuss how these moments reveal flaws in navigation, not just aesthetics.

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Methods used in this brief

• Project-Based Learning