Games for Learning

Games for Learning

Games are a ubiquitous part of life in our culture, and experts suggest they will become even more deeply embedded in the coming years. Games help people develop a disposition toward collaboration, problem-solving, communication, experimentation, and exploration of identities, all attributes that promote success in a rapidly-changing, information-based culture. Research into the cognitive and socio-cultural aspects of gaming has exploded in the last decade as people have begun to realize the potential for game-based learning (Gee, 2003; Salen, 2007).

Note: This page focuses on the use of specific games in teaching. "Gamification" of learning is slightly different, focused on the incorporation of gaming principles like leaderboards, badges, choice, and leveling up, often without actual games. The differences are subtle in some cases. For more about gamification, see University of Waterloo's Gamification and Game-Based Learning.

Some games aim to increase content knowledge by letting the players "live" the scenario. They may also create a sort of apprenticeship model in which players identify with experts and take on those roles as they move deeper into the game. Participation in so-called "serious games" has been shown to help change attitudes and affect players' actions in the real-world (TED Talk by Jane McGonigal). Games seem to be particularly successful in helping people develop problem-solving and decision-making skills and encouraging innovation. Without a doubt, gaming prompts people to do a tremendous amount of research and inspires participants to spend an extraordinary amount of time on task.

Perhaps the most advanced use of "serious games" at IUB comes through Reacting to the Past (RTTP), an approach developed at Barnard College. In this approach to engaged learning, students role-play characters in elaborate historical scenarios, which helps them understand these historical events and figures with new levels of complexity. Not only do students learn more about the historical events and people through their research, but they also develop skills in communication, collaboration, leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Carl Wienberg from the College of Arts and Sciences and PACE leads the PACE Institute for Role-Immersive Teaching and Learning (PIRTL), offering training for IUB instructors on how to incorporate RTTP in their classes. Learn more at the PIRTL site or from Carl's guest post in the CITL blog, "The French Bread Gambit."

Using Games in a Class

  • Consider using single- or multi-player serious games (see Games for Change) as a warm-up for an in-class or online discussion.
  • Have student engage with virtual patients or scenarios in nursing, audiology, or other clinical situations.
  • Create pick-your-path scenarios to help students explore decision making in business or other fields.
  • Have students play and critique a video game for content accuracy (Civilization series).
  • Have students build and run their own amusement parks (Roller Coaster Tycoon) or cities (SimCity series), or explore public health crises (Pandemic) to apply and analyze decision-making processes and concepts studied in class.
  • Explore complex current/historical issues and learn to take on differing identities in conflicts (Games for Change) or historical events (Reacting to the Past).
  • Have your students design a game. It doesn’t have to be a video game.

Who Is Teaching with Games at IUB?

  • Carl Weinberg (PACE and History) leads a community of IUB instructors using Reacting to the Past (RTTP) role playing games. The PACE RTTP website lists several IUB instructors who have used RTTP games in their classes.
  • Each year, IU sponsors the Teach, Play, Learn Conference to bring together IU instructors using gaming and play to advance their students' learning. This is a good opportunity to network with other IU instructors using games for learning.
  • Anne Massey, Lee Sheldon, and Jeanne Johnston ran an Alternate Reality Game (ARG) called The Skeleton Chase during 2008-2009 to encourage a more active lifestyle.
  • Ed Castronova does research on the economies of virtual worlds and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). He calls them "petri dishes" for economics and other social sciences research.
  • Keith Dayton uses simulations in his business classes.

References

Gee, J.P., 2003. What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Macmillan, pp. 225.
Groundbreaking book on learning in games. Gee believes that good games embody good learning theory.

Salen, K. ed. 2008. The ecology of games: Connecting youth, games, and learning. MIT Press, pp. 278.
Eye-opening book with chapters from some of the giants in the field. Available free for download.

For more help or information about using gaming in your classes, contact the CITL.