Case Study: University of Canberra advances early learning STEM outcomes with Mode Games

University of Canberra launches ELSA with Mode Games, securing $5.1M in funding

The University of Canberra, in partnership with the Australian Department of Education, sought to develop a national, play-based STEM learning program for young children. They selected Mode Games for its creative approach and experience to build the innovative Early Learning STEM Australia (ELSA) platform, which needed to provide equal access to pedagogically rich content for children across diverse communities.

Mode Games designed and developed two tablet apps for ELSA, focusing on patterns/relationships and spatial arrangement. The solution included custom character development, 3D art, animation, voiceovers for non-readers, and an augmented reality hide-and-seek activity. The program was highly successful, engaging over 11,000 children and demonstrating learning outcomes greater than 25%. This strong evidence-based result led to the approval of $5.1 million in federal funding for further development of the ELSA program.

University of Canberra