Accelerating Awareness: Hidden Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Learning Outcomes within an Immersive Classroom Activity

This work addresses the challenge of meaningfully introducing engineering students to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles. Traditionally, tertiary education introduces these concepts through online modules and/or workshops, often ‘down-selling’ them compared to technical courses. This paper proposes a more impactful experiential approach targeting the affective learning domain. In collaboration with the Centre for Student Wellness, instructors designed a lesson integrating EDI principles into an interactive car simulation game. Students form teams and customize their cars based on survey responses, with rewards and penalties reflecting real-world inequalities. For instance, certain car colors or gender characteristics may result in penalties, mirroring observed racism and gender biases in STEM fields. This innovative approach aims to foster critical thinking about the role of personal privilege in decision-making, offering a dynamic learning experience beyond conventional methods.