Mary-Ellen Fimbel on Game Design Principles for Education
From Experience Points by Dave Eng, EdD
February 8, 2026 · 23 min · Season 1 · Episode 157
About this episode
Mary-Ellen Fimbel discusses how game design principles can enhance classroom learning.
Mary-Ellen Fimbel on Game Design Principles for Education This episode of Experience Points features game designer and educator Mary-Ellen Fimbel, who shares how game design principles can transform classroom learning. She discusses “teaching like a game dev,” using storytelling, interactivity, and even puppets as playful avatars to deliver authentic feedback and spark curiosity. Mary-Ellen explains how honoring student questions, modeling inquiry, and scaffolding problem-solving builds confi...
People in this episode
Host: Dave Eng
Guest: Mary-Ellen Fimbel
Topics covered
- game design
- education
- classroom learning
- storytelling
- interactivity
- student engagement
Keywords
- game design
- education
- storytelling
- interactivity
- student questions
- problem-solving
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