This design case illustrates an innovative research-based pedagogical approach to customizing students' learning experiences in an online course. We centered the course design on the experiential learning model which fosters student's learning through a reexamination and integration of their current knowledge with new and refined knowledge (Kolb, 1984, 2015). Through experiential learning we better served the purpose of the course because it provided opportunities that involved concrete and hands-on experiences with real life activities/projects, reflection on learning, and learning gains. Further, we incorporated elements of game design to transform the learning space into a study and play alternative, where students enhanced their learning and performance and benefited from study work that was engaging, productive, and pleasant (Prensky, 2001).