FAIR Game – A Student-Created Academic Integrity Game

The FAIR Game project reimagines academic integrity training through student-led game design. Informed by over 140 ethical dilemma scenarios co-created with staff and students, the project developed four interactive games using accessible, gamified learning formats. The aim was to make abstract topics like plagiarism, authorship, and research ethics more engaging and relatable for diverse learners.

The project involved over 20 students, central to the process, designing gameplay, developing content, and testing usability, ensuring authenticity and relevance. The initiative fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration between students in science, public health, and education and introduced an innovative, reusable tool for integrity education at UCD and beyond. Outcomes include increased student awareness of academic misconduct, enhanced digital skills, and wider staff-student engagement around integrity. The project was presented at the UCD Teaching & Learning Symposium and 3 conferences, with impactful feedback and has potential for institutional and sectoral adoption through online access and further development.

SATLE priority area: Interdisciplinary collaboration (under any of the 3 themes)

Context and needs addressed

The FAIR Game project was developed in response to the need for a more engaging, accessible, and meaningful way to teach academic integrity and research ethics across disciplines. Traditional approaches, such as static online tutorials or policy-based training, often fail to capture student attention or encourage critical reflection. Students and staff have long highlighted that these modules, while informative, are perceived as compliance exercises rather than opportunities for genuine ethical learning.

Recognising this gap, the project set out to transform ethics and integrity education into an active, student-centred experience. It aimed to use gamified learning to make topics like plagiarism, authorship, data management, and responsible research conduct more relatable and enjoyable. This was particularly important in the post-pandemic academic landscape, where digital literacy and online learning became integral to higher education.

Goals and key activities

The primary goal of FAIR Game was to create a series of interactive, game-based training modules grounded in real ethical dilemmas. These scenarios were drawn from everyday academic experiences shared by students and staff across UCD and were designed to stimulate critical thinking and discussion.

The project began with an open call for student participation in the co-creation of academic integrity scenarios. Over 140 scenarios were developed collaboratively through workshops, reflective exercises, and peer review, ensuring the cases reflected diverse disciplines and real challenges faced by learners.

From these, four game prototypes were developed:

1. An online multiple-choice platform, developed in partnership with an external company, translating scenarios into a dynamic quiz-based environment (https://nova-emmet.github.io/UCD-MCQ/WebBuild/index.html).
2. A Ren’Py-based visual novel, written in Python and co-designed by students, where players navigate ethical decisions through dialogue and storylines.
3. A Unity-based 2D platformer, built by another student, combining classic gaming mechanics (collecting items, facing “boss” challenges) with ethical questions (https://muir0c.itch.io/satle-build1).
4. A prototype powered by AI narrative tools, created in collaboration with colleagues in Computer Science, capable of generating adaptive storylines (project “AVINA”) (Han et al., 2025 – doi:10.1109/GEM66882.2025.11155579).

Each prototype addressed different learning styles and audiences, ensuring flexibility and scalability across the institution.

Key stakeholders involved

The project brought together a diverse group of stakeholders including undergraduate and postgraduate students, academic staff from science, public health, and education, as well as colleagues in Computer Science. Students were at the heart of every stage, from ideation and content creation to programming and testing, contributing both disciplinary insight and creativity.

The initiative also benefited from partnerships with Other working groups and School’s committee within the School of Biology and Environmental Science, including the Teaching & Learning and AI and Plagiarism working group, who advised on scenario validation and alignment with internal guidelines and university policies. The games were tested in pilot sessions attended by students, staff, and administrative personnel, providing iterative feedback that shaped the final outputs.

In addition to hourly and voluntary contributions, three SATLE Fellowship were awarded to support student leadership in scenario development, game design, testing, and dissemination, recognising excellence and sustaining engagement.

Challenges encountered and how they were addressed

The project encountered several challenges, particularly in managing timelines and technical development. The original plan relied on an external software company that later changed its cost structure, leading to delays. To address this, the project pivoted towards in-house development by engaging students turning a potential obstacle into a valuable learning and collaboration opportunity and hands-on projects for their programmes and acquiring skills.

Another challenge was maintaining consistency in tone and academic accuracy across the 140+ scenarios. This was addressed through cross-review sessions and involvement of faculty experts to validate the content.

Finally, balancing creativity with educational rigour required careful design decisions. The project maintained clear pedagogical goals, ensuring that gameplay mechanics supported learning outcomes and ethical reflection rather than entertainment alone.

Outcomes and dissemination

The outcomes of the FAIR Game project extend beyond the immediate development of gamified tools. The project generated a validated database of over 140 ethical scenarios, which can be reused across modules, disciplines, and institutions (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17380794 https://macgenomegue.github.io/FAIr_Game/). Four prototype games are now available for further adaptation, with code and design elements shared through open repositories and deposited also in National Forum National Resource Hub.

The project has been presented at multiple national and international conferences, including the UCD Teaching & Learning Symposium (Dublin, Ireland, May 2025), the Microbiology Society Conference (Teaching&Learning track) (Edinburgh, UK, April 2024) (https://microbiologysociety.org/static/93d2a2af-66ed-4fea-bf09f323e88fb5db/AC2024Poster-bookletfull20240708.pdf), at the 2025 IEEE Gaming, Entertainment&Media Conference (Kaohsiung, Taiwan, July 2025) (10.1109/GEM66882.2025) and the upcoming Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN 2026, Athens, Greece). These events have sparked strong engagement and requests for collaboration from other universities.

In the longer term, the FAIR Game initiative has influenced curriculum discussions on embedding ethics training within research methods and postgraduate induction modules. It has also provided a model for how digital innovation and co-creation can be meaningfully applied to sensitive and abstract educational topics.

Strategic alignment with national policies and relevant SATLE priority area

The FAIR Game project aligns most closely with the Academic Integrity SATLE priority area, supporting national initiatives to uphold and cultivate ethical academic practices through innovative and engaging learning approaches. It directly advances the goals outlined in Ireland’s National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN) and aligns with the broader objectives of the HEA System Performance Framework 2023–2028, which emphasises integrity, transparency, and responsible conduct as cornerstones of a high-quality, ethical higher education system. Rather than treating ethics as a compliance exercise, FAIR Game embeds integrity within an experiential and gamified learning environment that encourages reflection, discussion, and ethical decision-making as the core aims echoed in the National Forum Teaching and Learning Strategy and the HEA’s commitment to learner engagement and inclusive education.

The project also benefited from continued collaboration and guidance from colleagues with extensive experience in student engagement and inclusive education, including Dr Joanna Kacprzyk and Associate Professor Gavin Stewart. Their input supported the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and evidence-based engagement strategies, ensuring that FAIR Game remains accessible, inclusive, and relevant to diverse student groups. Dr Stewart’s leadership experience as former Vice-Principal for Teaching and Learning, UCD College of Science, helped align the project with institutional priorities for pedagogical innovation and academic integrity.

A model used for developing and completing this project has been its interdisciplinary and collaborative approach. In fact, the project brought together students and staff from science, public health, and computer science, alongside contributions from UCD Teaching & Learning and the relevant Committee at the School of Biology and Environmental Science.

In addition, the project was supported by interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating expertise from Science, Computer Science, Education, and Design. This collaboration was essential to developing the design and technical functionality. By combining disciplinary perspectives, the project created a model for how integrity education can transcend subject boundaries, contributing to shared institutional and sectoral practices that enhance teaching, learning, and research integrity.

Innovation in specified SATLE priority area

Innovation was central to every aspect of the FAIR Game project. The project reimagined how ethics and academic integrity training can be delivered in higher education. Traditionally taught through static presentations or online modules, the project transformed academic integrity into an interactive, student-led, and creative learning experience.

The project’s innovation can be summarised in four key elements:

1. Student partnership and leadership. Students were not passive participants but genuine collaborators, leading the creative and technical development of the games. They co-designed ethical scenarios, wrote narratives, developed game mechanics, and tested prototypes. This approach empowered students as partners in teaching and learning, building their sense of ownership and ensuring authenticity. Their leadership helped ensure that the games reflected real challenges faced by students and researchers, bridging the gap between policy and lived academic experience. To deepen student partnership, the project funded three SATLE Fellowships for student co-creators, formalising their leadership roles and recognition of commitments to values of academic integrity.
2. Gamified pedagogy. Ethics and integrity principles have been integrated within different game genres, including a visual novel, platformer, and AI-based narrative. The project showcased how gamification can make abstract topics like plagiarism, authorship, and research misconduct both engaging and educational. Instead of passive compliance training, players learn by making ethical decisions in simulated academic scenarios. Each game design element, from scoring systems to narrative branching, reinforces integrity concepts through active participation and immediate feedback, fostering deeper understanding and retention.
3. Use of emerging tools and technologies. The integration of Ren’Py, Unity, and AI-assisted storytelling (LLMs) brought a layer of technological innovation rarely applied to academic integrity education. These tools enabled experimentation with interactivity, non-linear learning, and personalised feedback. The “AVINA” (Automatic Visual Novel Generator) prototype in particular demonstrated how AI could generate adaptive learning narratives, providing scalable and customisable experiences for diverse learner groups. This experimentation with AI and open-source software reflects a future-oriented approach to digital pedagogy in line with Ireland’s Digital Education Strategy.
4. Open and interdisciplinary collaboration. The project bridged disciplines including microbiology, computer science, public health, chemistry, and education. This interdisciplinary teamwork was not only functional but pedagogically transformative, supporting and encouraging dialogue between students and staff who might not otherwise collaborate. The partnership model also demonstrated that ethics and integrity are cross-cutting themes relevant to all disciplines. By making the games and scenarios openly accessible, the project established a reusable and adaptable framework that other institutions can adopt or expand. Externally, the project engaged with Nova Realities Ltd, a Dublin-based game development company, to refine and test one of the prototypes. This partnership not only ensured professional quality but also introduced students to real-world creative industry workflows.

These innovations demonstrate how co-created, interdisciplinary, and technology-enhanced approaches can revitalise academic integrity education. FAIR Game proves that ethics training can be dynamic, inclusive, and enjoyable, providing a model for how digital creativity and student partnership can be leveraged to strengthen integrity education across the higher education sector.

Outcomes

Impact

The FAIR Game project has demonstrated sustained impact at multiple levels, from student engagement to institutional awareness and national interest. Designed to make academic integrity and ethical practice more engaging, it has reshaped how staff and students at UCD approach these essential but often overlooked topics.

Over 20 students were directly involved in co-creating the project, contributing to scenario development, story design, coding, and testing. Their engagement fostered a deeper understanding of ethics and critical thinking, not as abstract policy but as personal responsibility. Participants reported that the gamified approach helped them “see ethical decision-making as part of everyday research life” rather than a compliance exercise. Post-gameplay discussions showed increased confidence in identifying and responding to ethical dilemmas. Students described the games as “fun, relatable, and simple”, appreciating how the scenarios reflected real challenges such as authorship disputes and responsible data sharing.

The project also strengthened digital literacy, as students learned to use Ren’Py, Unity, and AI narrative generators, gaining creative and technical skills that complemented their studies. Several have since applied these skills in coursework and research, demonstrating tangible educational value. Three SATLE Scholarships recognised advanced student contributions in scenario curation, Unity/Ren’Py development, and UX/playtesting. Recipients reported increased confidence, digital fluency, and interest in education-focused research, reinforcing the project’s impact on student learning and innovation.

Institutional impact

FAIR Game has supported UCD’s efforts to embed academic integrity and ethical practice within teaching and learning. The project created a repository of over 140 validated ethical scenarios, openly available through the FAIR Game OER website. Since launch, it has attracted over 250 users, including staff from three Colleges. The resource has been incorporated into at least five UCD modules and workshops, such as the Research Seminar Series (BIOL50040), benefiting around 70 students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Students have also contributed new dilemmas via GitHub (https://macgenomegue.github.io/FAIr_Game/submit_scenario/).

By demonstrating how ethics can be embedded into interactive learning, the project has inspired colleagues to explore gamified and participatory teaching models. Following its presentation at the UCD Teaching & Learning Symposium 2025, several academics expressed interest in applying the framework to topics such as responsible data management and research practice.

FAIR Game established a strong student–staff partnership model in curriculum design. The co-creation process, from scenario writing to gameplay testing, strengthened collaboration between microbiology, computer science, and education. This model now informs new module design discussions within the College, where gamified learning and co-creation are being considered as tools for engagement and retention. The project’s working group is preparing a proposal for School-level discussion (SBES) to position FAIR Game as a reference model for integrating gamification and partnership approaches into teaching, extending these methods across undergraduate and postgraduate education.

The project also initiated broader conversations on making ethics and integrity training more engaging for postgraduate and early-career researchers. The developed games offer a reusable resource adaptable for orientation sessions, workshops, and online training, forming a foundation for inclusion in future research and professional development initiatives across the University.

The project’s reach extends beyond UCD through conference presentations and collaborations. FAIR Game was showcased at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2024 (Teaching & Learning track), presented at the IEEE Gaming, Entertainment and Media Conference 2025 (Taiwan), and will feature at the Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN) 2026 Conference in Athens (AVINA: An Automatic Visual Novel Generator Using LLMs). These presentations generated strong interest from other institutions exploring innovative approaches to ethics education and led to early discussions of cross-institutional collaboration with colleagues in education and computing.

The project has also enhanced UCD’s role in the national academic integrity conversation. Its co-creation approach aligns with the National Academic Integrity Network (NAIN), particularly in promoting student engagement and prevention-focused training. By sharing open-access materials and methodologies, FAIR Game offers a replicable, low-cost, and scalable model for ethics education across Irish universities.

A key achievement of FAIR Game is its potential for long-term sustainability and reuse. The games and associated resources are open, adaptable, and transferable across modules and institutions, and have been shared through the National Forum Resource Hub to promote accessibility. Plans include integrating FAIR Game into postgraduate training pathways and adapting it for related topics such as sustainability, data ethics, digital citizenship, bioinformatics literacy, and ecological data management.

The flexibility of the model supports continued innovation and alignment with national educational priorities. The team intends to seek further funding, for example, through the Research Ireland Discover Programme, to expand this experiential learning framework across the higher education sector. The next step involves developing a bioinformatics literacy module where students apply ethical reasoning to computational biology and data analysis.

Overall, FAIR Game has transformed how academic integrity is taught and experienced at UCD, strengthened digital and ethical competence among students, and established a national model for interdisciplinary, co-created, and technology-enhanced integrity education.