When Jodi Driedger, director of undergraduate programs in NC State’s Department of Horticulture Science, approached the DELTA Grants team, she had a clear problem with no simple solution.​

Students in HS 201 (The World of Horticulture: Principles and Practices) struggled to engage with the material on plant nutrition. It was dense, visual and technical – depending heavily on memorization and static images. Even strong students found it difficult to move from identifying symptoms to diagnosing underlying issues. While the course worked, it didn’t “stick.”

Enter the DELTA Grants team. What began as a search for better instructional tools evolved into a fully immersive, digital case-based experience where students solve plant “murders.”

In examining the course, the instructional barriers were well defined. Students viewed plant nutrition as abstract and disconnected from real-world practice. Images used in the course were often outdated, and learning activities leaned heavily on passive formats. Most importantly, students found it difficult to translate what they saw into diagnostic reasoning.

The team framed the problem in practical terms. Students needed to practice thinking like professionals rather than memorizing material like test-takers.

​That change of perspective guided everything that followed.

Turn Students Into Investigators

Rather than refining lectures or updating slides, the team pursued a different model. They designed a series of case-based scenarios in which students would act as investigators.

Each case would present a “crime scene” involving a plant under stress. Take “The Peculiar Case of the Perishing Petunias,” for example. Students would gather clues, analyze symptoms and determine the cause. Nutrient deficiencies, environmental conditions, pests and disease all became the suspects.

This approach reframed the course content. Instead of asking students to simply recall information, it required them to apply it. The concept also introduced narrative structure. Like every good murder mystery, each case included a victim, a setting and a set of plausible culprits. The goal was not only accuracy but engagement.

Early Development: Prototyping and Experimentation

The project moved quickly into prototyping. The team built early versions of several core components, including a 360-degree environment viewer, a case board to track evidence, and interactive tools to support diagnosis.

One early success came from repurposing an existing tool to create a dichotomous key, allowing students to classify plant nutrient deficiencies through guided decision-making.

Not every idea made it to the final product. The team explored 3D scanning to create fully manipulable plant models, but the workflow proved too complex within the project schedule. That choice illustrates a pattern throughout the project: rapid testing, followed by pragmatic adjustment.

At the same time, the team invested heavily in building a high-quality visual library. They grew plants under controlled nutrient conditions and photographed them over several weeks. These images became critical evidence within the cases and provided students with access to realistic, high-resolution examples of plant symptoms.

Designing the Experience: Story, Space and Interaction

As development progressed, the project shifted from a collection of tools to a fully integrated experience.

The team built a custom “Panorama Explorer” to allow participants to navigate 360-degree environments and interact with specific points of interest. Off-the-shelf tools did not provide the level of control needed, particularly for tracking which clues students explored and how they interpreted them.

Alongside this, they developed a digital case board for students to review the collected evidence. Inspired by crime investigation formats, the board served as a main hub for analysis.

Narrative elements reinforced the structure. Short introductory videos set up each case, introducing the scenario, the plant and the potential causes. Faculty and team members stepped into roles, including a “Plant PI” and a plant examiner, to guide students through the investigative process.

The course-design team fully leaned into the murder-mystery concept. Visual design, sound effects and transitions all supported the theme.

Immersive audio added another layer. Ambient sounds, music and interaction cues were integrated using browser-based tools to create a more integrated environment. These tiny details were not decorative – they were chosen to reinforce attention and help situate students within the experience.

Constraints and Course Corrections

Working with living plants introduced a constraint no one could fully control.

Plants developed symptoms faster than expected. Some died before filming could be completed. Scripts had to be revised. Cases had to be adjusted. In one instance, a planned case was abandoned after the “victim” plant died unexpectedly before production.

The team responded by narrowing the scope. While the initial plan included more cases, the final implementation focused on two fully developed scenarios. That decision allowed for greater refinement and a more polished experience.

These adjustments emphasize a core feature of DELTA Grant projects. Innovation frequently depends on iteration, and iteration requires flexibility.

The Final Product: A New Kind of Learning Environment

The completed project brought together multiple elements into a single, accessible format. Each case was delivered through a web-based interface, supported by worksheets, discussions and assessments integrated into the course structure.

“The interface utilizes ThreeJS for displaying our own highly customizable 360° content, and also leverages the Web Audio API to synchronize real-time audio effects, environmental ambiance, and tone-setting background music,” explains Andrew Wiedner, a multimedia and web developer for DELTA.

Students navigated virtual environments, collected clues, reviewed evidence and applied diagnostic tools. They worked both independently and in teams, depending on the activity design.

The experience replaced passive observation with active investigation.​ The format also supported collaboration. Students preferred working in teams, and the case structure encouraged shared problem-solving.

The redesigned course resonated with students. The investigative format boosted engagement and retention. Students described the experience as memorable and effective, frequently comparing it to a “virtual escape room.” Student satisfaction was reflected in a measurable increase in core competencies. In one case, more than 95 percent of students correctly identified the cause of a plant issue, demonstrating strong comprehension of the underlying concepts.

Faculty observations matched these results. The instructor reported improved exam outcomes and more substantive student discussions. 

Scaling and Extending the Model

The project does not finish with its initial implementation.

Future plans include revisiting 3D scanning as technology improves, expanding the number of cases, and adapting the framework for other subject areas. The underlying model, combining storytelling, role-play, and interactive media, has clear potential beyond horticulture.

There are also plans to deepen assessment and research around the approach, including formal evaluation and potential dissemination through presentations.

At a course level, the instructor is exploring ways for students to create their own cases, shifting from participation to production.

What This Project Shows About DELTA Grants

This project illustrates the full lifecycle of a DELTA Grant.

It starts with a defined instructional problem. It moves through ideation, prototyping and iterative design. It adapts to constraints. It results in a concrete product with measurable impact.

Most importantly, it changes how students learn.

What began as an effort to improve engagement in a single course produced a model for experiential learning that integrates content, context and interaction. The success of “Plant Murder Mysteries” rests on that integration.

Students no longer study plant problems in isolation. They investigate them.

And that shift, from passive recognition to active reasoning, is the outcome the project set out to achieve.