What are serious games?
Computer games have become the most popular form of entertainment in the world. However, this technology was only recently introduced as an educational intervention in higher education institutions under the name of “serious games”.
Serious games are video games designed to solve problems, not entertainment, using the same media like video games intended for recreational play. The extensive use of serious games is a challenge, especially because of the development costs involved. However, there is software that allows you to create serious games at a lower cost.
Additionally, thanks to their attractive form, they are used in many areas of life, such as:
- military,
- education,
- research,
- healthcare,
- crisis management,
- spatial planning,
- engineering
- and politics.
The use of games in educational practices provides a new way of providing information and assessment that can increase interactivity and enable independent learning. Real simulations and simulation games give the user the opportunity to gain experience. Knowledge-generated actions can be tested here according to the principle of trial and error. Compared to traditional teaching methods, serious games also create a platform that allows students to learn and practice skills in a risk-free environment.
Literature:
Arnold, J. L., McKenzie, F., Miller, J. L., & Mancini, M. E. (2018). The Many Faces of Patient-Centered Simulation: Implications for Researchers. Simulation in healthcare : journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, 13(3S Suppl 1), S51–S55. https://doi.org/10.1097/SIH.0000000000000312
Moro, C., Phelps, C., & Stromberga, Z. (2020). Utilizing serious games for physiology and anatomy learning and revision. Advances in physiology education, 44(3), 505–507. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00074.2020