Introduction:

Interfaith Explorers is a unique educational platform, offering free digital learning resources supported by UNESCO, The Commonwealth, and The Prince’s Trust. The website promotes cultural and religious diversity understanding, enriching pupils’ education in Religious Education (RE), Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, and Global Citizenship Education (GCED). Created by the Khalili Foundation, Interfaith Explorers aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4.7, fostering respect and inclusivity among Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 students.

This project aimed to revamp the Interfaith Explorers website, enhancing its interactivity and usability for both teachers and students, and better showcasing its comprehensive learning resources. Our team focused on creating an engaging user experience, highlighting the platform’s robust educational value and updating the site’s interface and content for optimised accessibility.

Objective:

Our primary objective was to transform the Interfaith Explorers website into an interactive, user-friendly platform that encourages students to explore cultural and religious diversity with curiosity and respect. This project included:

A complete website redesign and refresh, aligning with modern digital standards.
An all-new animated, interactive Resource Journey for students, making the educational experience more engaging and immersive.
Significant improvements to the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) to ensure seamless navigation.
Content updates tailored to the needs of both teachers and students, ensuring the material is clear, accessible, and inspiring.

Project Approach:

1. Redesign and Refresh

We began by conducting an in-depth analysis of the existing website. It was essential to keep the website aligned with Interfaith Explorers’ mission, creating a fresh design that enhanced its visual appeal and educational purpose. The new design focused on a clean, modern layout with easy-to-navigate menus, improved page structures, and optimised loading speeds for a more efficient browsing experience.

2. Animated, Interactive Resource Journey

The core of this project was designing the Resource Journey—an interactive, animated path guiding students through various educational topics and challenges. This feature includes animated elements and gamified tasks designed to engage students deeply in topics such as understanding cultural diversity, learning about different faiths, and developing respect for similarities and differences. Each step along this journey was crafted with student engagement in mind, making learning both fun and informative.

3. UI and UX Enhancements

Our UX/UI improvements included:

Clearer navigation: Ensuring teachers and students could easily find resources, lesson plans, and activities.
Improved resource access: Resources are now grouped by topic and educational level, making it easier for teachers to plan lessons tailored to their students’ needs.
Responsive design: The site was optimised for mobile, tablet, and desktop use, ensuring accessibility across devices for students and teachers alike.

4. Content Updates for Teachers and Students

Working with the team at Interfaith Explorers, we updated the website content to ensure clarity, relevance, and educational quality. The content now more accurately reflects the programme’s aims, aligning with National Curriculum requirements and GCED goals. Teachers are provided with tailored guidance on how to incorporate these resources into their lessons, helping to develop students’ understanding of cultural diversity and fostering essential social skills.

Project Approach:

Enhanced Design and Functionality: The redesigned website features a modern aesthetic, with intuitive navigation and seamless access to resources.
Engaging Resource Journey: The interactive journey significantly improves student engagement, offering an immersive educational experience.
Streamlined User Experience: The updated UI and UX make it easier for teachers and students to navigate the site, access resources, and embark on the Resource Journey.
Updated Educational Content: The newly updated content enriches the site’s educational value, meeting curriculum standards and empowering teachers with quality materials for their classrooms.
SEO Optimisation: The website now includes SEO-optimised content, ensuring that teachers and schools looking for valuable learning resources can easily find Interfaith Explorers online.

Conclusion:

This project achieved a successful redesign and content update for Interfaith Explorers, elevating it as a modern, interactive learning platform. The new animated Resource Journey, streamlined navigation, and refreshed content align perfectly with Interfaith Explorers’ mission to foster cultural understanding and diversity awareness among students. The redesigned website serves as a valuable educational resource, providing teachers and students with a trusted platform to explore, understand, and respect global cultural diversity.