In April, Minecraft introduced "Heat Wave Survival," a minigame challenging players to defeat a fire-breathing Heat Dragon symbolizing extreme heat's threat amid rising global temperatures. This exemplifies a trend where game developers incorporate climate change themes into entertainment. Initiatives like the nonprofit-led development of games promoting renewable energy and heat-resilient infrastructure aim to educate youth on climate issues.
Read MoreThis thesis examines the effects of using a commercial video game in education. The thesis investigates earlier studies on video games and second language learning (L2), along with an analysis of the educational properties of video games.
Read MoreGame development has become increasingly accessible with tools like RPG Maker and Game Builder Garage, which simplify creation without requiring prior coding or design experience. Despite this progress, challenges remain in making mainstream engines like Unreal and Unity fully accessible.
Read MoreThe article discusses the growing challenge of discerning truth from fiction in an era dominated by digital manipulation and misinformation. It highlights a study on the effectiveness of the video game 'Bad News' in teaching media literacy. Designed to simulate the role of a fake news producer, the game educates players on recognizing and resisting deceptive tactics.
Read MoreIn his article, Terry Pearce discusses how models and frameworks can serve as inspiration for learning games, emphasizing their potential to simulate complex concepts and processes. Pearce illustrates this with a game he developed around the 'Nine Box Grid' for Talent Management, where players utilize character cards representing team members to navigate challenges and opportunities based on the grid's categorizations.
Read MoreThe study conducted by researchers from Uppsala University and others demonstrated that a computer game called Bad News significantly improved upper secondary school students' ability to discern between reliable and misleading news. Involving 516 Swedish students across different programs at four schools.
Read MoreIn the discussion on workplace motivation, traditional reward programs are scrutinized for their unintended consequences despite their initial appeal. While promising short-term productivity boosts, extensive research, including insights from Deloitte, suggests that these programs often erode company culture and fail to sustain long-term engagement.
Read MoreIn recent years, video games have become pervasive in American childhoods, with over 90% of children engaging in gaming regularly. Despite concerns about their impact on education, research from Brunel University London indicates that incorporating video game elements into learning environments can significantly enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
Read MoreIn the original Settlers of Catan, players colonize an island, gathering resources to expand and build settlements and roads. In the new version, Catan: New Energies, players face a modern challenge: managing pollution while developing their territory.
Read MoreBoris Nakashyan, a second-year student at the University of Virginia and aspiring entrepreneur and doctor, combines his passions for entrepreneurship and medicine through his unique academic escape rooms. Modeled after traditional escape rooms but designed for educational purposes, Nakashyan's creations engage students in solving puzzles related to course content.
Read More"Beat the Heat," the latest interactive game from ASU's Ask A Biologist program, aims to educate K–12 students on essential heat safety practices just in time for summer. Developed by experts in heat safety, the bilingual game immerses players in scenarios where they must make decisions crucial for staying safe in hot climates.
Read MoreMillions of gamers worldwide are transforming entertainment into scientific advancement through 'Borderlands Science,' a mini-game embedded within 'Borderlands 3.' Players align genetic sequences in the game, generating massive amounts of data that outpace traditional methods by orders of magnitude.
Read MoreThis summary captures the essence of Bryan Alexander's exploration into a gaming seminar exercise, highlighting its objectives, implementation, and reflections for future improvements. In a recent gaming seminar, I introduced a new exercise that aimed to synthesize the semester's learning and foster creative design.
Read MoreIn response to the "Great Resignation" post-Covid-19, organizations turned to workplace gamification to inject purpose, engagement, and excitement into work environments. This trend has surged in recent years, particularly in tech sectors in the US, as a means to motivate employees through game-like elements such as points, badges, and challenges.
Read MoreAlaska Escape Rooms in downtown Anchorage offers immersive experiences like Raven’s Eye and Conjured Kingdoms, where participants engage in puzzles and decisions, from imprisoning villains to rescuing damsels. Founded in 2017, it has become a popular venue for diverse events, including date nights and team-building exercises for businesses.
Read MoreScott Nicholson from Wilfrid Laurier University is collaborating with the mEducation Alliance to create a resource for libraries in low-resource settings, focusing on board and card games. The initiative aims to compile games that are easy to explain, engaging, and robust enough for long-term use. Key criteria for selection include robustness, explainability, table presence, engagement, and overhead. Community members are invited to suggest suitable games via a Google Document. This project seeks to empower youth to teach games in libraries, fostering community connections and learning. For more information, contact Scott Nicholson at scott@scottnicholson.com
Read MoreFantasy sports have transformed into sophisticated platforms that enhance critical thinking and strategic planning skills. Participants analyze player statistics, historical performance, and matchup projections to make informed decisions. Roster management requires balancing player potential and injury risks, while trading involves assessing team needs and negotiating effectively. Developing a long-term strategy emphasizes adaptability and foresight. Additionally, real-time updates from sports news influence decision-making. Understanding opponents' strategies is vital, as is managing the psychological aspects of losses and expectations. Overall, fantasy sports cultivate valuable skills like analytical thinking and data-driven decision-making, which extend into real-life scenarios.
Read MoreNew research suggests that integrating games into teaching can significantly enhance learning outcomes in subjects like economics and statistics. Led by Assistant Professor Joshua Fullard from Warwick Business School, the study compared traditional lecturing with game-based learning among university students. Those who used games showed a remarkable 7% increase in exam scores, with significantly fewer failing—only 7% compared to nearly a fifth in the traditional group.
Read MoreRecent developments in the video game industry challenge the notion of gaming as merely a recreational pastime, highlighting its potential to tackle real-world issues through "gamification." This approach integrates game mechanics into non-game contexts to engage users in solving problems like energy conservation and climate change, exemplified by the UN's Mission 1.5.
Read MoreThe Games-Based Learning Virtual Conference (GBLVC) 2025 invites session proposals for its annual three-day virtual event from June 6-8, 2025. Hosted by the Games-Based Learning Alliance and University XP, GBLVC fosters discussions among educators, designers, and professionals on using games for teaching and training. Sessions can be pre-recorded or live, with diverse topics including gamification, professional development, and culturally relevant games. Proposals are due by December 8, 2024, with notifications sent by January 13, 2025. Presenters receive complimentary conference access. GBLVC promotes diversity and encourages participation from varied backgrounds.
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