What are Serious Games in Education?

Serious games in education are interactive computer-based games that are designed with the intention of providing more than just entertainment, offering a learning experience that can help students develop new skills and knowledge. These games are a valuable tool in the educational landscape, combining fun and engagement with educational value, making them an attractive option for teachers, students, and educational institutions looking to enhance the learning experience.

Introduction to Serious Games

Serious games are a relatively new phenomenon in the world of education, but they have quickly gained popularity due to their ability to motivate and engage students in the learning process. By providing an immersive and interactive environment, serious games can help students develop a deeper understanding of complex concepts and retain information more effectively.

Benefits of Serious Games

The benefits of serious games in education are numerous, ranging from improved engagement and motivation to increased knowledge retention and better understanding of complex concepts. Serious games can also provide a safe space for students to experiment and learn from their mistakes, without the fear of failure or consequences.

Frequently Asked Questions

The following FAQs provide additional information about serious games in education:

1. What are examples of serious games?: Examples of serious games include Microsoft Flight Simulator, Tiltfactor Laboratory, A Force More Powerful, Darfur is Dying, and PeaceMaker.
2. What is the teaching method of serious games?: Serious games are entertaining tools with a purpose of education, where players cultivate their knowledge and practice their skills through overcoming numerous hindrances during gaming.
3. Why are serious games important in education?: Serious games have the potential to allow users to learn through interaction in motivational and engaging aspects by harnessing enhanced game simulation to teach context-specific knowledge or skills.
4. What are the characteristics of serious games?: Each serious game has five main components: rules, challenge, interaction, and goal (both explicit and implicit).
5. What is the definition of serious games?: Serious games are defined as any form of interactive computer-based game software for one or multiple players to be used on any platform and that has been developed with the intention to be more than entertainment.
6. How do serious games differ from educational games?: The key difference between the two is that gamification takes game-like mechanics and infuses them into traditional eLearning programs to increase participation and engagement, while serious games are full-blown games, with typical game structures, that also offer some form of educational value.
7. Why is it important to assess and evaluate serious games?: Performance assessment is important because serious games are designed to support knowledge acquisition and/or skill development, and their underlying system must be able to evaluate the learning progress.
8. What are the benefits of serious gaming?: Benefits include a safe space to fail and learn, boosted productivity, better hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills, high engagement, and reinforced social skills.
9. What are the categories of games in teaching games for understanding?: The model can be applied to four categories of games: Target Games, Net/Wall Games, Striking/Fielding Games, and Invasion games.
10. What are the effects of serious game play?: Serious games can exercise the mind, help maintain focus, and aid in developing critical thinking skills.
11. How do serious games differ from persuasive games?: Serious games tend to reproduce the complexity of real-life situations, while persuasive games often involve simplification techniques.
12. What are the disadvantages of serious games?: One disadvantage is that they can be too complex and difficult to understand, leading to lower participation.
13. How can serious games be created?: Tips for serious game development include goal setting, picking the right eLearning authoring tools, keeping it bite-sized and mobile-friendly, and focusing on eLearning character and case study development.
14. What is the origin of serious games?: The term “Serious Games” was first used by Clark C Abt in 1970, and popularized by Ben Sawyer in 2002.
15. Is Minecraft a serious game?: Minecraft: Education Edition is an example of a serious game, promoting creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, serious games in education are a valuable tool that can provide a fun and engaging learning experience for students, while also offering a range of benefits, including improved engagement, increased knowledge retention, and better understanding of complex concepts. By understanding what serious games are and how they can be used in education, teachers and educational institutions can harness their potential to create a more effective and enjoyable learning experience for students.