Running head: TRENDS IN IDT: GAMES AND LEARNING 1

Trends in Instructional Design and Technology:

Games and Learning

Martha Rice

Texas A&M University - Texarkana

Trends in IDT: games and learning 2

Abstract

Video games are popular with the current generation of students, known as digital natives. In

education and training, video games and simulations referred to as serious games pose realistic

problems learners must solve by using sophisticated skills they learn from playing the games.

Although serious games have been shown to help even reluctant learners become motivated to

learn the skills they will need to be successful, K-12 public educators are still reluctant to use

serious games in their classrooms.

Trends in instructional design and technology: games and learning

Digital natives enjoy video games (Monsour & El-Said, 2008; Ulicsak & Wright, 2010); young

adults spend around 7 ½ hours of each day using technology (Lewin, 2010). Video game players

become engrossed in the experience of playing their games, dedicating hundreds of hours to

learning the minutiae and improving their skills (Kelly, 2005; Reese, 2007; Squire, 2008).  Born

into a technological world, digital natives learn best with active student-centered instruction,

multimedia, collaboration, critical thinking tasks, and real world problem solving (FAS, 2006;

Monsour & El-Said, 2008; “A review of recent games and simulation research,” 2006). Serious

gaming can help digital natives learn more effectively.

Serious Gaming

Serious gaming refers to the type of educational video game (including simulations and virtual

worlds) that deal with real world problems and seek to educate learners as problem solvers

(Schollmeyer, 2006; Ulicsak & Wright, 2010). Serious games contain challenges, scaffolding,

chances for learners to practice skills, immediate feedback, and opportunities for collaboration

(FAS, 2006). Serious games are NOT simply drills or online worksheets (Squire, 2008; Ulicsak

& Wright, 2010). Serious games are good for learners, who benefit from dedicating time and

Trends in IDT: games and learning 3

effort to solving problems (Driscoll, 2005), because rather than simple questions and answers,

serious games create more intensive learning (Monsour & El-Said, 2008).

Virtual Worlds and Simulations

Virtual worlds and simulations are special categories of serious gaming. Virtual worlds can be

simple interactive fantasy worlds or complex virtual realities (Kelton, 2008). Players explore

and manipulate virtual worlds where they can make and test hypotheses about how things work

(Osterweil, Austin, Drzaic, & Roy, 2006). Simulations introduce learners to new worlds,

simplified so that they can learn the basic rules and skills necessary to succeed in that world, and

by extension, its real world counterpart (Driscoll, 2005; “A review,” 2006). Learners playing

serious games can experience situations as experts (FAS, 2006). Simulations can make

expensive and dangerous experiments possible for the classroom (Driscoll, 2005; FAS, 2006;

Ulicsak & Wright, 2010). Serious games are widely used in military and health care training. 

They are also being used more and more in business training (Squire, 2008; Ulicsak & Wright,

2010). Although use of simulations is rising in Public K-12 schools, virtual worlds are still

considered somewhat risky to use with students (Kelton, 2008).

Skills learned through serious gaming

Research has proven that serious gaming benefits learners in many ways. Serious games help

learners link abstract knowledge to concrete knowledge, allowing students to understand how to

use newly used knowledge. Serious games can prepare learners by helping them learn work

skills like critical thinking and problem solving, interpersonal skills, negotiating skills, and

analytical skills, flexibility, teamwork and logistics, decision making, prioritizing, strategy, self-

directed learning, independence, and creativity. Multiplayer games help learners with team-

building skills, goal-orientation, and networking skills (FAS, 2006). Learners can learn to

Trends in IDT: games and learning 4

handle pressure, make decisions and experience consequences of their decisions (FAS, 2006;

Ulicsak & Wright, 2010). Serious games also improve learners’ attitudes toward learning

(Reese, 2007).

Serious games and motivation

To educate learners, trainers and teachers have to capture learners' attention from the many

factions vying for learners' attention.  Serious games appeal to learners (FAS, 2006; Monsour &

El-Said, 2008), and create motivation for learners to learn (Ulicsak & Wright, 2010). Even

reluctant learners feel motivated through serious games that reward independent learning (FAS,

2006) and scaffold play (learning) (Squire, 2008; Ulicsak & Wright, 2010) to avoid both

boredom from challenges that are too easy, and frustration from challenges that are too difficult

(Kelly, 2005). Serious games allow learners time to think through problems before acting. They

also allow students time to reflect afterwards (An & Bonk, 2009). Learners receive instant

feedback (“A review,” 2006). Serious games help learners who do not like tradition school

settings because the game itself can recognize students for what they are doing right and they can

feel successful and intelligent (Ulicsak & Wright, 2010). Serious games allow learners to take

risks safely (An & Bonk, 2009; FAS, 2006; “A review,” 2006). As with consumer video games,

in serious games, players expect to fail when they are still unfamiliar with the task. Learners

innately understand that failure is not a bad thing but helps learners to learn to succeed (Squire,

2008; Ulicsak & Wright, 2010).

Serious gaming results

Serious games produce positive results. Learners who have used military training have suffered

fewer errors when they begin to use real equipment, suggesting that simulation experience

creates real expertise (Kelly, 2005). Studies have shown positive correlations between 4th and 8th

Trends in IDT: games and learning 5

graders’ math scores and time spent using educational math games and simulations on computers

(“A review,” 2006). Not only do learners retain more of what they learn actively (FAS, 2006),

around 80% of active learning is retained when gained through serious game play (Monsour &

El-Said, 2008).

Serious gaming in K-12 public school setting

Learners will always need good teachers, but teachers can use educational games to help their

students learn more effectively (Kelly, 2005). There is resistance to using serious gaming in

education, however. they do not realize the benefits students might gain from playing games

(Ulicsak & Wright, 2010). Educational gaming can making curricula more uniform and

standardize learning experiences (Kelly, 2005). Serious gaming has been proven highly

effective, but ironically, the K-12 education community has still not adopted wide use of serious

gaming.

Trends in IDT: games and learning 6

Resources

An, Y.J., & Bonk, C.J. (2009, May/June). Finding that SPECIAL PLACE: designing digital

game-based learning environments. Tech Trends, 53(3)

Driscoll, M.P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction. Boston: Pearson.

Federation of American Scientists. (2006). FAS on educational games: harnessing the power of

video games for learning. Retrieved from http:// www.fas.org/gameFAS/Resources/FAS

%20on%20Educational%20Games.pdf

Kelly, H. (2005). Games, cookies, and the future of education. Issues in Science and

Technology, Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/gameFAS/Resources/issues in SnT henry

kelly.pdf

Kelton, A.J. (2008, September/October). Virtual Worlds? "Outlook Good". Educause, 43(5),

Retrieved from www.educause.edu

Lewin, T. (2010, January 20). If your kids are awake, they're probably online. The New York

Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/education

Mansour, S., & El-Said, M. (2009). Multi-Players Role- Playing Educational Serious Games: A

Link between Fun and Learning. International Journal of Learning, 15(11), 229-239.

Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

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Osterweil, S., Austin, A.C., Drzaic, K., & Roy, D. (2006). Unifying education and game in

educational games. Comparitive Media Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Cambridge, MA. Retrieved from

http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/library/papers/mit_june2006.pdf

Trends in IDT: games and learning 7

Reese, D. (2007). First Steps and beyond: Serious Games as Preparation for Future Learning.

Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 16(3), 283-300. Retrieved from

ERIC database. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

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A review of recent games and simulation research. (2006). The Center For Technology In

Education, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, MD. Retrieved from

http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/library/papers/cte_november2006.pdf

Schollmeyer, J. (2006). Games get serious. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 62(4), 34-39.

Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

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Squire, K. (2008). Video Game-Based Learning: An Emerging Paradigm for Instruction.

Performance Improvement Quarterly, 21(2), 7-36. Retrieved from ERIC database.

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Ulicsak, M., & Wright, M. (2010). Games in education: serious games. Bristol, Futurelab.

Retrieved from http://www.futurelab.org.uk