POCKETEA

1. Prototype link## (Please submit a link to a playable prototype, not a link to your design file)

link

2. Describe your project (max 150 words) Write your answer here.

Pocketea–short for “teacher in your pocket”–is a gamified edtech platform that makes social-emotional learning easily accessible for kids aged 4-8. Through a personalized avatar, young children navigate interactive, choice-driven stories where their decisions shape the outcome. This teaches them empathy, conflict resolution, and real-world social interactions–the skills that AI can't replace.

By blending storytelling, gamification, and edtech innovation, Pocketea turns learning into play with collectible badges, star-based rewards, and customizable avatars. The voice narrator allows children to engage independently or with a guardian’s guidance, fostering both self-paced and collaborative learning.

In an era of rising AI reliance among children despite limited research on its developmental impact, Pocketea ensures that technology enhances, rather than replaces, human connection, especially among young, vulnerable children. With an intuitive, interactive design, Pocketea empowers kids to develop emotional intelligence and navigate social situations with confidence.

3. Describe your research process and findings. If you conducted any surveys or interviews, please include the survey form and/or interview questions here. If you conducted secondary research by pulling from online sources, please include a link to your sources. (Max 500 words) Write your answer here.

Team Bean conducted professional interviews and secondary research drawing from scholarly papers, online forums, and data analysis. Our goal was to explore the drawbacks that come from artificial intelligence (AI) and identify underrepresented groups affected by its growing prevalence.

We began by holding an ideation session on the whiteboard about what we value as humans. Common themes that emerged centered around the social-emotional experiences we learn through face-to-face communication. One of the primary concerns about AI was the potential over-reliance on AI-driven social chatbots, which could contribute to an overall decline in real-world social skills (Wei, 2024).

Our core research question focused on the impact of AI on social-emotional development, leading us to refine our target audience. A 2024 study by the University of South Carolina’s College of Information and Communications reported that “57% of the public is acquainted with them to various degrees, while one-third is highly familiar, predominantly younger, educated, higher-income individuals” (University of South Carolina, 2024). While this highlights the widespread use of AI among young adults, we noticed that younger children—particularly those in preschool and early elementary school—are more than often overlooked in discussions about AI’s influence.

Whereas teens and adults possess greater media literacy and an awareness of AI-related risks such as misinformation, bias, and over-dependence, younger kids may lack the experience, and critical thinking skills needed to discern these dangers (PBS). Ying Xu, an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education highlights a key concern: “AI cannot fully replicate the deeper engagement and relationship-building that come from human interaction, particularly when it comes to conversations that are important for social development” (Harvard GSE, 2024). This raises the question of whether children can truly benefit from AI interactions in the same way they do from human relationships.

While some research suggests that AI can serve as an effective learning tool when designed with proper pedagogical principles, its role in social-emotional development remains uncertain. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is essential in helping K-12 students discern truth from false information online (Prothero, 2023). Studies show that early exposure to SEL through interactive and engaging mediums is crucial for young children, who often learn best through stories and play-based experiences (Jones & Kahn, 2017).

For example, illustrated children’s books have been found to effectively foster SEL. Research suggests that these narratives help younger kids identify emotions and social interactions through the characters' actions including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management, and responsible decision-making (Bascal 1).

To deepen our understanding, we Interviewed with Liam Henson, a child counselor in Boston who works with children ages 6-14. Henson mentioned that in his practice, it is crucial to “guide [the kids] through how to think coherently and practice using words.” He also said using games, such as card and board games, are particularly effective tools for fostering communication skills.

Henson’s insights reinforced our belief that gamifying interactions could provide younger children with meaningful opportunities to develop essential communication and social skills that are so uniquely human and not replicable by AI.

4. Describe your most important design decisions. What research findings and/or user testing results led you to make these decisions? (Max 500 words) Write your answer here.

Our key design decisions were guided by our research on the current market and AI’s impact on children’s development, particularly findings from Harvard Graduate School of Education (Harvard GSE, 2024). The study highlights that while AI can support vocabulary and verbal learning, it falls short in teaching emotional intelligence and social etiquette. These insights shaped our interaction design and overall user experience, ensuring the app prioritizes social learning over rote memorization while remaining engaging and intuitive for young users.

For visual design, we selected a diverse color palette, rounded and easy-to-read typefaces, and playful animal characters. Given that our primary users are children aged 4-8, we focused on creating a highly visual, text-minimal interface. Rather than overwhelming users with instructions, we incorporated universally recognizable icons, limited on-screen elements to reduce cognitive load, and used interactive animations to sustain engagement. Research from Harvard GSE also emphasized that children learn best through auditory engagement, so we implemented a voice narrator to guide interactions, minimizing reliance on text (Harvard GSE, 2024). An interactive audio button allows children to replay the narrative at any time, preventing frustration and ensuring a smooth learning experience.

While children are the primary users of Pocketea, parents and guardians are the decision-makers. To accommodate both, we designed a seamless transition between parent onboarding and child interaction. Parent onboarding follows a guided flow with clear explanations. During this process, parents can select an avatar that symbolizes each curriculum–for example, choosing “Kind Polar Bear” prioritizes content focused on kindness and empathy, such as the Rainbow Fish. The child’s interface remains highly visual, eliminating the need for typing or writing. This structure allows for easy switching between parent and child modes without disrupting the experience.

Our market research revealed that successful edtech platforms for young children integrate gamification to make learning feel like play. We benchmarked leading apps like Khan Academy Kids and DoBrain to understand how they personalize learning experiences. To keep children engaged while reinforcing social-emotional lessons, we incorporated customizable avatars, progress-based rewards, and decision-based feedback animations. By allowing children to make choices and experience their consequences in a game-like environment, they develop critical social skills in an interactive and enjoyable way.

By focusing on minimal cognitive load, dual-user experience, auditory accessibility, and gamification, we designed Pocketea to be an intuitive, engaging, and developmentally appropriate tool for teaching social-emotional skills. Our approach ensures that technology enhances human connection rather than replacing it, giving children a fun and accessible way to develop essential life skills early on.

Built With

• figjam
• figma