Educational game – designed to teach about certain subjects, expand concepts, reinforce development, understand an historical event or culture, or assist in learning a skill through play.
Game based learning (GBL) – a type of game play that has defined learning outcomes. Game based learning is designed to include subject matter with gameplay so the players retain and apply the subject matter to the real world.
- These are web based games. Some require software, browser plug-ins or applications – Flash Player, Unity. The additional software is available for download without charge, although they may require system administrator access and/or additional storage space to install.
- Games for learning – parts of a game are: goal, challenge, core mechanics, components, rules and space
Word games
Critical thinking games
- puzzles
Discovery
Creative
Video games can be used to solve really hard problems.
- Foldit – protein folding – allows users to modify a protein structure and gives players a score based on how “good” of a fold they make. After professional scientists spent years trying and failing to figure out the structure of an AIDS-like virus found in monkeys, they put the problem out to the FoldIt community. Citizen scientists solved the protein in 10 days.
Learning by competing
- National STEM Video Game Challenge – students submit original game designs for a chance to win prizes for themselves and money for their schools or a nonprofit of their choosing.
- Kodu – Microsoft competition
Do It
Challenges for you to work on…
- Gamestar Mechanic – game-based quests and courses to help you learn game design and make your own video games
engineering 4 kids 