Computer Science Interactive Comic Book Earns Top Honors

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Creative Child Magazine has named STEM Sagas: Virtually Rerouted a 2022 Media of the Year in the Digital Downloads & Interactive Online Media category.

The interactive comic book created by SAE International’s A World In Motion® (AWIM) and d’Vinci Interactive gives teachers a unique STEM resource to educate 4th through 8th grade students about computer science. 

The 30-page digital comic book pairs an adventurous storyline and compelling visuals with information about cybersecurity, computer programming and digital citizenship. The first in a series of interactive comic books, the story can be viewed on a desktop or tablet with optional downloads and no software necessary.

Educators and students follow the main characters, Latoya, Enzo, and Emilia, who are immersed in a virtual reality simulation and must collaborate to escape. With highlighted vocabulary words, visual representations of core concepts, and thorough discussion questions, students finish the comic book with more than just knowledge of computer science. The work also stimulates conversations regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion via a facilitation guide for teachers and discussion leaders.
Students also have fun learning through an integrated game, Cyber ESC. In Cyber ESC, players navigate around a foreign terrain while collecting upgrades to eliminate computer viruses and secure firewalls. They help the characters make educated decisions to overcome a final “boss” virus and safely exit the VR world.

Creative Child Magazine award reviewers shared that STEM Sagas: Virtually Rerouted is “perfect for middle school kids! Combine a comic book with coding and they'll be hooked.” Another judge said, “Everything is about technology with kids these days and this is the perfect introduction for kids who actually want to get into coding.” Read more reviews on the Creative Child Magazine website. 

SAE International and d’Vinci Interactive also partnered to create the award-winning online curriculum, Navigating the Digital Universe, which teaches elementary students the importance of digital citizenship.

Learn more about the work

About SAE Foundation:
The SAE Foundation encourages and increases student achievement and participation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to build an inclusive, STEM-fluent workforce. Funds raised by the SAE Foundation support SAE International’s award-winning A World In Motion® (AWIM) program, Collegiate Design SeriesTM (CDS), awards and scholarships. SAE’s STEM education programs enable students to develop the 21st century skills needed to succeed in real-world work environments and connect classroom learning with real-life application. Overall, SAE’s STEM programs have reached more than six million students worldwide and engaged more than 30,000 STEM industry professionals as volunteers. SAE International is a global association engaging nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts, and volunteers to advance mobility knowledge and solutions for the benefit of humanity. www.saefoundation.org.