Abstract
Serious games are a powerful learning tool experiencing increasing popularity as they present a cost-effective alternative to classroom-based learning for knowledge acquisition as well as perceptual, cognitive, behavioural, affective, motivational, physiological and social learning outcomes. Serious game designers employ learning theories to ensure the effectiveness of the end product for intended learning outcomes. Additionally, research has also been conducted to create a formal and iterative framework facilitating game production and development. However, there are also quality considerations and pitfalls to serious games. This chapter discusses the conceptual foundations of serious games as well as their benefits and challenges. It will further present case studies of serious games to showcase the large variety of types and design choices.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Serious game types and their importance. Retrieved from http://game-accessibility.com/documentation/serious-game-types/
- 2.
UK-first research into use of virtual reality to help burns victim with their rehabilitation. Retrieved from http://sth.nhs.uk
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
References
Ackermann, E., Gauntlett, D., & Weckstrom, C. (2009). Defining systematic creativity. Billund, Denmark: Lego Learning Institute.
Aldrich, C. (2002), A field guide to educational simulations, Learning Circuits. American Society for Training and Development. Retrieved from http://www.simulearn.net/pdf/astd.pdf
Aldrich, C. (2009). The complete guide to simulations and serious games: How the most valuable content will be created in the age beyond Gutenberg to Google. San Francisco: Wiley.
Alzheimer’s Research UK. (2019). The mobile game that can detect Alzheimer’s risk | Alzheimer’s Research UK. Retrieved from https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/the-mobile-game-that-can-detect-alzheimers-risk/
Arnab, S., Lim, T., Carvalho, M. B., Bellotti, F., de Freitas, S., Louchart, S., et al. (2015). Mapping learning and game mechanics for serious games analysis. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(2), 391–411. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12113
Bandura, A. (2002). Social cognitive theory in cultural context. Applied Psychology, 51(2), 269–290.
Bellotti, F., Berta, R., Gloria, A., Ott, M., Arnab, S., Freitas, S., et al. (2011). Designing serious games for education: From pedagogical principles to game mechanisms. Reading, UK: Academic Publ. Ltd. Retrieved from https://www.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=dedup_wf_001::26aa8b2fde8194dbf4685876a7dd10bc
Bernstein, A., Klein, M., & Malone, T. W. (2012). Programming the global brain. Communications of the ACM, 55(5), 41–43.
Bilateral Negotiation Trainer (BiLAT). (2012). Retrieved from http://ict.usc.edu/prototypes/bilat/
Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1984). Taxonomy of educational objectives. Handbook 1: Cognitive domain. White Plains, NY: Longman Publishing Group.
Boyle, A. (2011). Gamers solve molecular puzzle that baffled scientists. Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/gamers-solve-molecular-puzzle-baffled-scientists-f6C10402813
Boyle, E., Connolly, T. M., & Hainey, T. (2011). The role of psychology in understanding the impact of computer games. https://doi-org.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/10.1016/j.entcom.2010.12.002
Breuer, J., & Bente, G. (2010). Why so serious? On the relation of serious games and learning. Journal for Computer Game Culture, 4(1), 7–24. Retrieved from https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00692052
Bushner, A. (2015). Press A to Retry: Teaching and motivating players through failure in difficult games. (Master’s thesis, Purdue University). Retrived from https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_theses/1095
Connolly, T. M., Boyle, E. A., MacArthur, E., Hainey, T., & Boyle, J. M. (2012). A systematic literature review of empirical evidence on computer games and serious games. Computers & Education, 59(2), 661–686.
Cooper, S., Treuille, A., Barbero, J., Leaver-Fay, A., Tuite, K., Khatib, F., et al. (2010, June). The challenge of designing scientific discovery games. In proceedings of the fifth international conference on the Foundations of Digital Games (pp. 40–47). ACM.
Cordova, D. I., & Lepper, M. R. (1996). Intrinsic motivation and the process of learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88(4), 715–730. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.88.4.715
Darvasi, P. (2016). Empathy, perspective and complicity: How digital games can support peace education and conflict resolution. New Delhi, India: UNESCO MGIEP. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000259928
Djaouti, D., Alvarez, J., Jessel, J. P., & Rampnoux, O. (2011). Origins of serious games. In Serious games and edutainment applications (pp. 25–43). London: Springer.
Driskell, J. E., & Dwyer, D. J. (1984). Microcomputer videogame based training. Educational Technology, 24(2), 11–16. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/44427307
Federation of American Scientists. (2006). Summit on educational games: Harnessing the power of video games for learning. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/programs/ltp/policy_and_publications/summit/Summit%20on%20Educational%20Games.pdf
Freudmann, E. A., & Bakamitsos, Y. (2014). The role of gamification in non-profit marketing: An information processing account. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 148, 567–572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.081
Game Accessibility. (2019). About game accessibility. Retrieved from https://www.game-accessibility.com/about/
Garris, R., Ahlers, R., & Driskell, J. E. (2002). Games, motivation, and learning: A research and practice model. Simulation & Gaming, 33(4), 441–467. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878102238607
Geary, D. (1995). Reflections of evolution and culture in children’s cognition: Implications for mathematical development and instruction. American Psychologist, 50(1), 24–27.
Gee, D. (2007). Informed choice? Armed forces recruitment practice in the United Kingdom. https://www.forceswatch.net/resource/informed-choice-armed-forces-recruitment-practice-in-the-united-kingdom/
Gee, D. (2013). The Last Ambush? Aspects of mental health in the British armed forces. Forces Watch. Available at: http://www.forceswatch.net/resources/last-ambush-aspects-mental-health-british-armed-forces. Accessed 2 June 2015. Google Scholar.
Habgood, M. P. J., Ainsworth, S. E., & Benford, S. (2005). Endogenous fantasy and learning in digital games. Simulation & Gaming, 36(4), 483–498. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878105282276
Hall, C. (2009). Call to duty: Army launches start thinking soldier campaign. Retrieved from https://www.pocket-lint.com/games/news/activision/94882-british-army-start-thinking-soldier
Ketamo, H., & Kiili, K. (2010). Conceptual change takes time: Game based learning cannot be only supplementary amusement. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 19(4), 399. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/854589835
Khatib, F., DiMaio, F., Cooper, S., Kazmierczyk, M., Gilski, M., Krzywda, S., et al. (2011). Crystal structure of a monomeric retroviral protease solved by protein folding game players. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 18(10), 1175.
Kidd, J. (2015). Museums are using virtual reality to preserve the past – before it’s too late. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/museums-are-using-virtual-reality-to-preserve-the-past-before-its-too-late-44600
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of bloom’s taxonomy: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 212–218. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Livingston, G., Sommerlad, A., Orgeta, V., Costafreda, S. G., Huntley, J., Ames, D., ... & Cooper, C. (2017). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care. The Lancet, 390(10113), 2673–2734.
Mayer, R. E. (2003). The promise of multimedia learning: Using the same instructional design methods across different media. Learning and Instruction, 13, 125–139.
Meichenbaum, D. (1977). Cognitive behaviour modification. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 6(4), 185–192.
Michael, D. R., & Chen, S. L. (2005). Serious games: Games that educate, train, and inform. Roseville, CA: Muska & Lipman/Premier-Trade.
Orji, R., Vassileva, J., & Mandryk, R. (2014). Modeling the efficacy of persuasive strategies for different gamer types in serious games for health. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, 24(5), 453–498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11257-014-9149-8
Parker, L. E., & Lepper, M. R. (1992). Effects of fantasy contexts on children’s learning and motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62(4), 625–633. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.62.4.625
Pederson, C. C. (2010a). Trauma and agitation: Video games in a time of war. Afterimage: The Journal of Media Arts and Cultural Criticism, 38(2), 9–13.
Pederson, C. C. (2010b). The museology of computergames—an interview with the curator of the computerspiele museum, Andreas Lange, and art historian and archivist Dr. Winfried Bergmeyer, Berlin. Eludamos. Journal for Computer Game Culture, 4(1), 87–100.
Protopsaltis, A. (n.d.). Learning theories and serious games [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://www.meducator.net/dissemination.activities/files/163.pdf
Rayner, A. (2018, March 18). Are video games just propaganda and training tools for the military? The Guardian. Retrived from https://www.theguardian.com/t
Sánchez, R. (2005). Matari 69200 [Video game based installation] Daniel Langlois Foundation. (2009 November 7– 2009 December 12).
Sanford, K., Starr, L. J., Merkel, L., & Bonsor Kurki, S. (2015). Serious games: Video games for good? E-Learning and Digital Media, 12(1), 90–106.
Saunders, J., & Gibson, H. (2018). Unpacked refugee and virtual reality at UNICEF headquarters in New York. The C3RI Impact Blog. Retrieved from https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/c3riimpact/centric-unpacked-refugee-vr-blog/
Savery, J. R., & Duffy, T. M. (1995). Problem based learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework. Educational Technology, 35(5), 31–38.
Simpson, E. (1972). The psychomotor domain. Washington, DC: Gryphon House.
Skinner, B. F. (1990). The behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis. Cambridge, MA: BF Skinner Foundation.
Smithsonian American Art Museum. (2012, March 8). The Art of Video Games: Exhibition Trailer [Video file]. Retrived from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gXrCEzuAis
Strand, S., & Berndtsson, J. (2015). Recruiting the “enterprising soldier”: Military recruitment discourses in Sweden and the United Kingdom. Critical Military Studies, 1(3), 233–248.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285.
Taylor, M. (2009, September 27). Army recruitment surge due to patriotism and recession. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/
Thompson, M. (2008). Killing in the name of: The US army and video games. Retrieved from https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2008/12/army-video-games/
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wilkinson, P. (2016). A brief history of serious games. In Entertainment computing and serious games (pp. 17–41). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Wilson, K. A., Bedwell, W. L., Lazzara, E. H., Salas, E., Burke, C. S., Estock, J. L., et al. (2009). Relationships between game attributes and learning outcomes. Simulation & Gaming, 40(2), 217–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878108321866
Winn, B. M. (2009). The design, play, and experience framework. In Handbook of research on effective electronic gaming in education (pp. 1010–1024). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
World Health Organization. (2019). 10 facts on dementia. Retrieved 4 June 2019, from https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/dementia/en/
Wu, W., Hsiao, H., Wu, P., Lin, C., & Huang, S. (2012). Investigating the learning-theory foundations of game-based learning: A meta-analysis. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 28(3), 265–279. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00437.x
Yusoff, A., Crowder, R., Gilbert, L., & Wills, G. (2009, July). A conceptual framework for serious games. Paper presented at the 21–23. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICALT.2009.19. Retrieved from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5194153
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Maugard, N. (2019). Fundamentals of Serious Games. In: Akhgar, B. (eds) Serious Games for Enhancing Law Enforcement Agencies. Security Informatics and Law Enforcement. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29926-2_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29926-2_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-29925-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-29926-2
eBook Packages: Mathematics and StatisticsMathematics and Statistics (R0)