Games

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Games in Education: Serious Games

A FuturelAb literAture review

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Games in Education: Serious Games

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Abstract
Mary Ulicsak Senior researcher, Futurelab With support from: Martha Wright research Assistant, Futurelab June 2010

it is argued that digital games, including simulations and virtual worlds, have the potential to be an important teaching tool because they are interactive, engaging and immersive activities (for example see the work of Gee 2008; Shaffer 2005; Smith 2007). this document considers this claim. it begins by briefly considering the rationale for using games in education – informal and formal. it then considers the various types of digital games that are described as being educational, specifically: – the relationship between games, serious games, simulations, educational simulations, and virtual worlds – the definition and usefulness of the term serious games – the underlying pedagogy in education games – assessment within games. the report then has an overview of their current use and research around their usage in multiple environments: the military, health, informal, vocational and formal education settings. it looks at the challenges of embedding serious games in formal education and three current methods for assessing appropriateness and effectiveness of games for teaching. From this it argues that what is required is a toolkit for educators, game designers and policy makers that allows the design and assessment of games to be used with an educational goal. Acknowledgements thanks to Peter Harrington from Sim venture and Phil warren from Snaith School who contributed to the case studies in this document. thanks also to all those who gave their time for the interviews: richard bartle, Diane Carr, ian Dunwell, Simon egenfledt-Nielsen, John Hoggard, Mary Matthews, Hannah rowlands and Peter Stidwell.

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