Mediating Students’ Empathy Development Through Play

Declining student engagement and social connection attributed to digital technologies present critical challenges for higher education, negatively impacting students’ capacity for empathy and interpersonal understanding. These declines require intentional pedagogical interventions that invite both critical reflection and inclusive dialogue. One such intervention is introducing play into academic spaces. Rooted in research that affirms play as a site of creativity, imitation, and meaning- making, this study explores the use of the Inclusive and Multicultural Perspectives with Action, Characters, and Technologies (IMPACT) Deck, a tabletop game designed to foster student engagement around the societal and interpersonal implications of technology. We utilize survey method with the Basic Empathy Scale and open-ended questions. Findings offer insight into how playful learning tools can generate meaningful peer interactions and reflective engagement, contributing to broader efforts of reimagining classroom practices that promote empathy, inclusion, and critical thinking in technology-mediated contexts.