Inqling: A Collaborative Card Game in Education

Inqling: A Collaborative Card Game in Education

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Welcome to the demo page for Inqling. This is a collaborative card game designed to foster connection, curiosity, engagement, and belonging in learning environments. This game has been created to serve as both an icebreaker and a thought-provoking tool, allowing participants to explore and understand themselves and their peers better in a structured, yet dynamic, way. Our approach emphasizes the concepts of student-directed learning and curricular co-creation—placing participants at the heart of the experience.

What is Inqling?

Inqling is a card game that includes three distinct types of cards: Long Prompts, Short Prompts, and Wild Cards. With 60 cards in total, this game is meant to promote open dialogue, deepen introspection, and create a meaningful group experience. Long prompts encourage deeper reflection and problem-solving, while short prompts spark quick exchanges and easy conversation. Wild cards introduce abstract and creative elements, such as ambiguous images or thought-provoking quotes, which provide space for interpreting and sharing different perspectives.

This game was developed for educational settings, with the goal of promoting community and belonging among student groups and classes. For example, Inqling helps students break the ice and engage in meaningful discussions early in the semester, which can make them feel more comfortable participating in group activities and collaborating on complex projects. By lowering barriers to interaction, Inqling aims to build trust and camaraderie among participants, providing a foundation for future group work.

The Inspiration Behind Inqling

This idea originated from a desire to create an accessible tool that encourages connection within a classroom setting. During the creation of Inqling, our team was inspired by other games like We’re Not Really Strangers, which has been successful in promoting discussions. However, we found that adapting this concept to a classroom setting required prompts and activities tailored more specifically towards creating an environment that prioritizes inclusivity, curiosity, and collective growth.

Our intention is to foster a sense of belonging—something research has shown is crucial for both academic success and personal well-being ​(O’Keeffe, 2013; Tachine et al., 2017; Vaccaro & Newman, 2016; Wong, 2024; Zumbrunn et al., 2014). We integrated the concepts of co-creation and student-centered learning, allowing the game to be flexible and adaptable depending on the players’ needs. This flexibility has the added benefit of preparing students for the uncertainty that arises with student-centered pedagogies.

How it Works

The gameplay is simple and versatile. Players take turns drawing cards and responding to the prompts. Long prompts may ask players to share an experience that shaped their perspective, or to brainstorm a creative solution to a hypothetical scenario. Short prompts, in contrast, might involve quick opinion questions that spark discussion. Wild Cards add an element of unpredictability, encouraging players to think outside the box—these cards may present abstract art pieces, quotes, or even action-based challenges.

The true magic of Inqling comes from the discussions that arise. Whether it’s about reflecting on a moment of vulnerability or collaboratively solving an ambiguous challenge, Inqling provides an environment where students can learn more about each other, leading to a greater sense of community and mutual respect. The post-game reflections—where participants discuss their feelings after playing—are crucial for cementing these connections.

The Co-Creation Process

Inqling wasn’t created overnight. It was a journey that involved many phases, starting from brainstorming to testing different ideas, and ultimately bringing them together into a cohesive whole. The game was developed collaboratively by a diverse group of students who each brought unique perspectives to the table. We took inspiration from our shared experiences in health science courses that emphasized inquiry and self-directed learning. We embraced both successes and setbacks throughout the process, and this journey of development became a key part of what makes Inqling special.

The process itself mirrors what we hope Inqling will encourage in others: curiosity, teamwork, and resilience. We learned that the game could serve not only as a tool for players but also as a project that brought our team closer, helping us understand more about collaboration in educational environments.

Why It Matters in Education

Health sciences, as a field, requires both critical thinking and empathy. Inqling fosters crucial science process and interpersonal skills such as questioning, critical thinking, communication, reflecting, and empathy. This is done by challenging players to engage with each other thoughtfully, recognize multiple perspectives, and build a rapport that facilitates open dialogue. Inqling‘s goal is to help students get comfortable with each other before engaging in complex collaborative tasks—a practice that can significantly improve group dynamics and outcomes in problem-solving scenarios.

Conclusion

Whether you are an educator looking to incorporate student-centered practices into your classroom, or a student aiming to create stronger bonds with your peers, Inqling is designed to help. It’s more than just a card game—it’s a framework for fostering meaningful discussions, fostering a sense of community and belonging, and enhancing the learning experience through co-creation and interaction.

If you’re interested in learning more or trying Inqling for yourself, feel free to reach out for more information.

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This post was compiled by William with content from our ‘Fostering Belonging in the Classroom’ workshop presentation that was written collaboratively by the students in Inquiry C14.

Creators of Inqling (McMaster University) 

References

​​O’Keeffe, P. (2013). A sense of belonging: Improving student retention. College Student Journal, 47(4), 605–613. 

​Tachine, A. R., Cabrera, N. L., & Yellow Bird, E. (2017). Home away from home: Native American students’ sense of belonging during their first year in college. The Journal of Higher Education, 88(5), 785–807. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2016.1257322 

​Vaccaro, A., & Newman, B. M. (2016). Development of a sense of belonging for privileged and minoritized students: An emergent model. Journal of College Student Development, 57(8), 925–942. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0091 

​Wong, M. (2024). Inclusion may not Lead to belonging: The case for student-centered classrooms. College Teaching, 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2024.2307884 

​Zumbrunn, S., McKim, C., Buhs, E., & Hawley, L. R. (2014). Support, belonging, motivation, and engagement in the college classroom: a mixed method study. Instructional Science, 42(5), 661–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-014-9310-0 

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