Sticky++Urban Science

Food. Shopping. Parking. Housing. Trees. What will the future of Madison look like? In Urban Science, young people decide. Using iPlan, a cutting-edge computer tool, players work as urban planners to change the look and feel of Madison. They listen to people’s concerns, redesign the city, and present their findings to family, friends, and planning experts.

In Urban Science, we explore how innovative technology-based learning environments modeled on the professional practices of urban planners inform students’ understanding of ecology. In the game, players learn about ecology, develop self-confidence and presentation skills, and start to see the world through the eyes of a problem-solving urban planner. Once players finish Urban Science, they won’t look at any street or neighborhood the same way again!

Game History

Urban Science 2008 was conducted with an after school program in Milwaukee.
Urban Science 2007 was conducted over 80 hours with middle school-aged students in Madison, Wisconsin.
In Ecology 2020 middle school-aged players worked to redesign State Street for 10 hours, while in Madison 2200, high school-aged players took on the role of urban planners for 10 hours.

Check out the posts below for details on the most recent Urban Science versions including the latest technology developments.