Creativity In Teaching
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Serious Games
Serious Games are games whose main objective is not entertainment or fun, but learning something new by experiencing it in an enjoyable way or practicing a skill.
Description
What is this technique about
Serious Games are games whose main objective is not entertainment or fun, but learning something new by experiencing it in an enjoyable way or practicing a skill. This technique is quite related to the aims of experiential learning. Games are useful tools to motivate students and foster their learning processes by challenging them and engaging them with the subject content. The key to its success lies in the fact that the contents and skills that want to be transmitted to students are presented through video games created with educational purposes and not as merely theoretical, oral or written content.
In 2005, Mike Zyda published the following definitions in the magazine Computer of the IEEE Computer Society:
- Game: A physical or mental test, conducted according to specific rules, which aims to amuse or reward the participant.
- Serious Game: a mental test, according to specific rules, that uses fun as a form of governmental or corporate training, with objectives in the field of education, health, public policy and strategic communication.
The serious game is a "computer application, which aims to combine aspects of both serious as, but not limited to, teaching, learning, communication, or further information with entertainment from the spring game. Such an association has intended to depart from mere entertainment”, according to Julian Alvarez (2007).
Where does it come from
Games are probably as old as society itself and, especially children and young people, have always been attracted to play as common entertainment. Thus, the use of games as a learning tool in the classroom predates current technological development. However, it can be observed that, since the year 2000, the introduction of play in the classroom has been driven by its benefits in reinforcing and boosting learners' learning in a practical and entertaining way.
It is possible to consider that the first "serious game", as conceived now-a-day, emerged in 1980 as a military training tool developed by Atari, which was known as Army Battlezone. Today we can choose between a wide range of serious games, such as: educational games, advergaming, market games, organizational-dynamic games, persuasive games, etc.
For which purposes it is used (why in your engineering teaching)
In recent years, numerous international studies, as the one carried out by Traci Sitzmann, have confirmed the usefulness of serious games in the field of education, demonstrating that their application significantly increases the academic results of students.
Some of the benefits of using serious games in teaching are:
- Increase student engagement and motivation
- Facilitate individual reflection and promotes active participation in the learning process
- Allow a real and safe practice in a controlled environment
- Improved memorization and retention skills of students
- Can encourage the development of soft skills and pro-social attitudes
General overview of how to implement it
As developing your own video game is a huge effort, you can check online resources in order to find the game that suits the training aims of your curricula, as well as your students’ learning needs.
To apply gamification in the classroom you may need a roadmap. In this case, we suggest you use the 6D Framework, developed by Kevin Werbach, based on a six-step checklist:
1. Define your objectives
2. Establish the behavior and expected results with the activity
3. Attend to the educational needs of your students and adapt the activity to their requirements
4. Design the activity cycles you need to implement to achieve the expected goals
5. Don’t forget the fun! While we are talking about video games designed for academic purposes, it is essential that the activity be attractive to students, so they can engage.
6. Use appropriate tools for your teaching.
Materials/equipment needed
To properly apply serious games in your engineering teaching, you will need:
- Computer devices and internet connection (smartphones will be sometimes useful too).
- Proper serious games/apps that suit your teaching needs. Find some examples here.
Resources
References
Papers:
(PDF) Concepts Of Serious Game In Education
A Meta-Analysis of Use of Serious Games in Education over a Decade
The Serious Games: what educational benefits?
Game-based Learning for Systems Engineering Concepts
The Use of Serious Games in the Education of Engineers
Serious Games to Improve Student Learning in Engineering ...www.asee.org › papers › download
For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business, K. Werbach & D. Hunter. Wharton School Press, 2012.
Serious Game Design and Development: Technologies for Training and Learning, J. Cannon-Bowers and C. Bowers. IGI Global, 2010. ISBN 978-1-61520-739-8
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