RealLives Simulation Workshop at IndiaHCI 2024 at Prestigious IIT Mumbai Campus: Fostering SDG Understanding Through Empathy & Immersive Learning

Introduction:

On November 7, 2024, the RealLives Foundation conducted an impactful and transformative workshop at the IndiaHCI 2024 Conference, held at the prestigious IIT Mumbai. This session brought together 50-60 participants from leading institutions, including IDC at IIT Mumbai, RV University Bangalore, MIT Design School Pune, and others. The workshop theme, "Exploring Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty through Empathy," set the stage for an immersive journey into the lived realities of poverty in one of the world’s poorest regions, Burundi, Africa.

This workshop is a testament to the RealLives Simulation's commitment to bringing SDG learning into global classrooms of K-12 and higher education. With a powerful emphasis on empathy as a key attribute in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) challenge by 2030, the simulation bridges abstract global issues with personal, emotional experiences, creating a profound educational impact.

Workshop Overview

The workshop commenced with an introduction to SDG 1: No Poverty and its global importance, facilitated by Dr. Parag Mankeekar and Atul Manohar . Participants were introduced to the RealLives Simulation, a tool designed to foster empathy and global awareness by allowing users to live the life of someone born into poverty.

The workshop unfolded in six phases:

1. Introduction to SDG 1 and RealLives Simulation (15 minutes) Participants explored the global context of poverty and the role of RealLives in providing a firsthand experience of its challenges.
2. Simulation Activity: Playing a Life in RealLives (45 minutes) Participants played as characters born into the poorest circumstances in Burundi, making life-altering decisions regarding education, healthcare, and survival.
3. Writing a Letter to the Character (10–15 minutes) This reflective exercise deepened participants' emotional connection to the character by addressing their struggles and life experiences directly.
4. Empathy Map Canvas Activity (45 minutes) Groups reflected on their character’s lived experience, documenting their thoughts, feelings, and challenges across various dimensions using the Empathy Canvas.
5. Group Presentations and Discussions (30 minutes) Each group shared their empathy maps, discussing commonalities and unique insights from their characters’ lives.
6. Reflection and Debrief (15 minutes) Facilitators led a discussion on how empathy can reshape perspectives on global challenges, linking insights to actionable solutions.

Participant Reflections: Voices of Impact

The workshop’s immersive nature elicited deeply emotional and reflective responses from participants. Here’s what some of them shared about their experiences:

• "One of the most impactful experiences which took me on an emotional journey through the life of someone born into difficult circumstances."
• "This wasn’t just a game; it was a powerful reminder of the real challenges many people face and the resilience required to navigate them."
• "The experience left me thinking deeply about privilege, empathy, and decision-making. It’s a game that makes you stop and reflect—on your own life and the lives of others."
• "Through this immersive game, we gained new perspectives and brainstormed impactful solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals."
• "The workshop provided invaluable insights into how game design can be seamlessly integrated with a social cause."
• "Using an empathy canvas, we reflected on their experiences—sharing emotions, insights, challenges, and realizations. We even developed a business solution to support the character, exploring how it could empower them to build a sustainable future."

These reflections highlight the transformative potential of experiential learning when paired with thoughtfully designed tools like RealLives.

The Role of the RealLives Simulation

At the heart of the workshop was the RealLives Simulation, an innovative tool that allows users to experience life in another part of the world. By stepping into the shoes of someone born into poverty, participants gained a visceral understanding of systemic barriers such as limited access to healthcare, education, and clean water.

Participants noted how the simulation encouraged critical decision-making, forcing them to navigate trade-offs like choosing between food and education or healthcare and sustenance. This process illuminated the resilience required to endure such hardships while emphasizing the power of empathy in understanding global inequities.

Empathy Canvas: A Tool for Deeper Reflection

The Empathy Map Canvas served as a bridge between the simulation and actionable insights. By capturing the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of their characters, participants gained a nuanced understanding of poverty’s impact on every aspect of life.

Key Questions Explored in the Empathy Canvas:

• Who are we empathizing with? (Character’s background, financial status, and family structure.)
• What do they need to do? (Survival strategies and key life decisions.)
• What do they see? (Environment, inequality, and limited opportunities.)
• What do they say? (Expressions of hope, frustration, and resilience.)
• What do they do? (Daily routines and actions shaped by poverty.)
• What do they hear? (Influences from family, community, and government.)
• What do they think and feel? (Hopes, fears, and dreams despite adversity.)

This structured reflection not only deepened participants’ emotional engagement but also sparked meaningful discussions about the systemic nature of poverty and how it can be addressed.

Learning Outcomes and Deeper Phenomena

The workshop’s design and feedback reveal important insights about the intersection of education, empathy, and social change:

1. Empathy as a Catalyst for Understanding Participants connected deeply with their characters, fostering a better understanding of the systemic inequalities that perpetuate poverty.
2. Design Thinking for Real-World Challenges Through brainstorming activities, participants explored creative solutions to support their characters, highlighting the potential of empathy-driven design.
3. Privilege Awareness and Reflection Many participants reflected on their own privileges, reshaping their perspectives on global inequities and reinforcing the importance of compassionate action.
4. Inspiration for Changemaking The simulation empowered participants to think critically about their role in achieving sustainable development goals, echoing RealLives’ mission to foster global awareness and changemaking skills.
5. The Role of Experiential Learning The workshop demonstrated how storytelling and simulation can humanize abstract issues, transforming them into tangible, emotional experiences.

Looking Ahead: Bringing Empathy to Higher Education

Building on the success of this workshop, the RealLives Foundation is interested in conducting similar sessions across higher education institutions with an added focus on social entrepreneurship. By combining empathy-driven insights with solution-oriented thinking, these workshops aim to prepare students to tackle real-world challenges and create sustainable change.

If you are interested in hosting a RealLives workshop at your institution, please contact us at [email protected]

Conclusion: Real Lives, Real Impact

The RealLives workshop at IndiaHCI 2024 was more than an event; it was a catalyst for change. By humanizing the challenges of poverty and connecting participants to the lived experiences of others, the workshop fostered empathy, inspired innovation, and ignited a commitment to social good.

As the RealLives Foundation continues to expand its reach, the insights from this workshop will inform the development of future tools and experiences, ensuring that the mission to build a more empathetic and equitable world continues to thrive.

For more information, visit: www.reallivesworld.com or you can download DEMO version of RealLives on AppStore or PlayStore by 'RealLives Sim'

We are grateful to all the participants of the workshop and RealLives Foundation & Thought-Craft Team