SpaceXplore is a Progressive Web App(P.W.A.) designed to teach young children (Ages 6-12) about the solar system. Every planet is featured in order by distance from the sun. The focus on each planet features an illustrated SVG animation (designed and coded by me), brief description, a top 5 facts section and interactive 3 question quiz. This project was created as my Capstone project while getting my Masters Degree in Interactive Media at Elon University.
I was inspired by the world famous German Science Youtube Channel Kurzgesagt when creating this project, from the animation style to the methods in which complicated information is broken down and presented for audiences of all ages and reading levels. My traditional animation style under my business NTF-Designs features hard shadows and complicated illustration tracing which is usually detail oriented to attract adult audiences. After research I came to the conclusion that simple, shape based illustration would attract younger audiences and keep them engaged with the presented information.
Before beginning this project I was able to contact two 6th grade teachers from my home town elementary school to discuss what type of information the students already understand about space and the pacing in which they would be able to learn. I was pleased to be informed that interactive websites are not a part of the school curriculum and the teachers believed being able to see animations would interest the students much more than traditional book learning. The first teacher gave me a 6th grade science book to conduct further research and get a better gage on what the students already know about space and what they have the capability to learn at this stage in their education. Explaining space can be a complicated take of explaining physics which the students wouldn't understand so breaking down the information before I move to the design stage would have to be carefully thought out and tested or the project would ultimately be a failure.
