THEC & DIGM Internship
Abstract
What RU is an ongoing collaborative project between Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and ETSU’s Digital Media program. A team of digital media students are collaborating to produce two educational video games curated for elementary school students (K-2 and 3-5) to encourage an interest in career exploration and higher education. While working with THEC, the team of creatives learned the impact of using technical skills to make positive changes within Tennessee.
Many children learn in different manners with studies showing that text-rich content can be demanding for students with reading difficulties or that visually, when content is too overcrowded, it can become difficult for some students to interpret it correctly. The team’s methods implement creative development skills in a way that directly supports THEC’s mission to increase interest in higher education among young learners while also being accessible and fun – gamifying students’ next steps. The games will be available online with THEC’s free resources available in all elementary schools in Tennessee.
Our project works closely with THEC to create finished products that align with their mission to provide accessible college and career readiness resources in all Tennessee schools through engaging tools that bridge their values to young learners in a fun, meaningful way.
Start Time
15-4-2026 2:25 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 2:40 PM
Room Number
Reece Museum
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Community Engagement Showcase
THEC & DIGM Internship
Reece Museum
What RU is an ongoing collaborative project between Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and ETSU’s Digital Media program. A team of digital media students are collaborating to produce two educational video games curated for elementary school students (K-2 and 3-5) to encourage an interest in career exploration and higher education. While working with THEC, the team of creatives learned the impact of using technical skills to make positive changes within Tennessee.
Many children learn in different manners with studies showing that text-rich content can be demanding for students with reading difficulties or that visually, when content is too overcrowded, it can become difficult for some students to interpret it correctly. The team’s methods implement creative development skills in a way that directly supports THEC’s mission to increase interest in higher education among young learners while also being accessible and fun – gamifying students’ next steps. The games will be available online with THEC’s free resources available in all elementary schools in Tennessee.
Our project works closely with THEC to create finished products that align with their mission to provide accessible college and career readiness resources in all Tennessee schools through engaging tools that bridge their values to young learners in a fun, meaningful way.
