Uniting Game Design and Teaching: Mapping Serious Games to Learning Patterns

What is it about?

Researchers are on a quest to make educational games even more effective. Their secret weapon? Borrowing wisdom from experienced teachers. This study focused on a specific type of game: serious games, designed to teach players something valuable. The researchers analysed twelve cybersecurity games, dissecting how players interact with them. Instead of just focusing on visuals and characters, they considered interaction mechanics – the core elements that drive how players learn within the game. Here's where the teacher's wisdom comes in. The researchers compared these game mechanics to established "pedagogical patterns," which are essentially tried-and-true methods teachers use to help students learn. Think of it as building a bridge between two worlds. By mapping these game mechanics to teaching patterns, the researchers created a valuable tool for both game designers and educators. Now, imagine an educator brimming with ideas for a cybersecurity game. This research provides a way to translate those teaching methods, like encouraging students to discover solutions on their own, into the actual building blocks of the game. This comparison helps bridge the gap between game designers and educators, allowing them to create more effective learning games.

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Photo by Karthik Balakrishnan on Unsplash

Photo by Karthik Balakrishnan on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research is timely because serious games are becoming more popular, and this method can improve their quality and effectiveness. This research could make a difference by creating a common language for game designers and educators, leading to better learning games.