The main reason for inclusion in the top 10 was the impact a game had on the instructional gaming field. Some of these are getting rather long in the tooth as far as games go, yet their impact continues to be felt in academic research that was foundational or is still printed. On the other hand, new titles are coming out all the time and this list may change in the future.
The standards for inclusion were easy. The game must be free and preferably available online. Some of the games are modifications of existing games (usually Neverwinter Nights). Therefore mods are free but to run them you'll need to buy the first engine. But that's a minor quibble since they're free if you already own the engine.
I'm interested in other titles, so if you've got a favorite that isn't on the list, drop me an e-mail and tell me about it. Finally, I also included the learning objectives, host URLs, and my comments on the games. Therefore give these educational games a look-see, and think about using them in a school room or other formal learning situation. And let me know about it if you do.
1. Revolution
Type: Alteration of Neverwinter Nights Gold
Learning Objective: Experience historical incentives for the American Revolution from the grassroots level.
Comment: This is the game that started people talking about seriously using the modifiable Neverwinter Nights engine for educational purposes. A few papers were published on this game, focusing on its interactive method of teaching scholars about the American Revolution. It was maybe best introduced to teachers in a generally read article by Joel Foreman over at George Mason in the first issue of Innovate.
2. Re-Mission
Type: Executable
Learning Objective: Understand cancer better and generate a positive approach toward defeating it.
Comment: It is a huge download, but worth the wait. The game from HopeLab is directed at teaching young cancer patients about the disease and providing occasions to augment understanding in a positive environment. It offers the very latest in instructional videogame design, with backing from a well-funded sponsor. Also available in Spanish and French, and can be ordered for free on CD by mail.
3. Brook Town
Type: Multi-user Virtual Environment
Learning Objective: Develop an appreciation of the systematic strategy through inquiry and teamwork, as well as an appreciation of history and environmental issues.
Comment: One of the 2 big NSF projects for tutorial gaming on this list, with several years of research following its progress. This Harvard product is unreservedly available to schools, but only on disk thru the post. The team likes sending it to teachers wishing to utilise the programme in science classes. Chris Dede spearheaded the project.
4. Search Atlantis
Type: Multi-user Virtual Environment
Learning Objective: Help scholars understand social studies, green concerns, current events, and scientific standards.
Comment: Although this Indiana University project offers a guest area where interested parties can explore the Search Atlantis universe, the NSF-funded project needs teachers contact the team before permitting full access. Several thousand participants have joined QA, and research is ongoing. Sasha Barab lead the project
5. Arden
Type: Modification of Neverwinter Nights Diamond
Learning Objective: Reach an appreciation of Shakespearean authorship and Elizabethan England.
Comment: As an element of the Serious Worlds Initiative over at Indiana University, Arden was initially funded by the MacArthur Foundation. Exec is Edward Castronova, whose book Synthetic Worlds covers lots of the business and social issues in MMOs. Castronova has confessed that Arden isn't very exciting to typical game-players (no monsters to slay). Nonetheless the notion of exploring Shakespeare's world should prove fascinating to English majors and other aficionados of the Bard's work.
6. The History Canada Game
Type: Alteration of Civilization III
Learning Objective: Understand social forces surrounding Canadian history since 1534.
Comment: O Canada! Down here south of the border, we hardly know ye! But , an initiative sponsored by Canada's National History Society and The Historica Foundation aims to change that, for Canadians as well as those outside her borders.
7. America's Armed forces
Type: Executable
Learning Objectives: Teamwork, and a bigger experience of US army expectations for sign ups.
Comment: Critics. Decry this free videogame as a inducting tool for the army. The Army shrugs its collective shoulders and says, "So?" Actually , America's Army has many fans with no army expectancies. One Ph.D. Candidate I work with is a self-described "America's Armed forces widow." Virtually 3 gigs for the unrestricted version; its free nature guarantees many adherents for several years to come.
8. Food Force
Type: Executable
Learning Objectives: Understand world hunger and efforts to diminish it.
Comment: Study room materials and directions are available on-site. Besides English, the UN-backed Food Force is available in (alphabetical order) : Chinese, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese[**] Norwegian, Polish, and Portuguese.
9. Whyville
Type: Instructional Online Virtual World
Learning Objectives: Supply a student-centered, hands-on environment for exploring assorted college subjects.
Comment: This Numedeon-backed product is directed at elementary and middle college scholars, in hopes of inspiring "scientific discovery" and "social responsibility."
10. SimCity
Type: Web-based
Learning Objectives: Understand variable manipulations for urban management while having fun building a simulated city.
Comment: Critics have attacked its oversimplification of urban management, but numerous kids the world over have learned such truisms as the correlation between higher taxes and a unhappy people. Also, if you deplete the fire departments ' budget, calamities will annihilate your town! The original SimCity is available online free from Electronic Arts, with adverts for the newest version, SimCity 4.
Finally a great ongoing resource for childrens instructional games in Britain needs to be from the BBC and their CBBC directed at small children and CBEEBIES directed at even younger children.
The standards for inclusion were easy. The game must be free and preferably available online. Some of the games are modifications of existing games (usually Neverwinter Nights). Therefore mods are free but to run them you'll need to buy the first engine. But that's a minor quibble since they're free if you already own the engine.
I'm interested in other titles, so if you've got a favorite that isn't on the list, drop me an e-mail and tell me about it. Finally, I also included the learning objectives, host URLs, and my comments on the games. Therefore give these educational games a look-see, and think about using them in a school room or other formal learning situation. And let me know about it if you do.
1. Revolution
Type: Alteration of Neverwinter Nights Gold
Learning Objective: Experience historical incentives for the American Revolution from the grassroots level.
Comment: This is the game that started people talking about seriously using the modifiable Neverwinter Nights engine for educational purposes. A few papers were published on this game, focusing on its interactive method of teaching scholars about the American Revolution. It was maybe best introduced to teachers in a generally read article by Joel Foreman over at George Mason in the first issue of Innovate.
2. Re-Mission
Type: Executable
Learning Objective: Understand cancer better and generate a positive approach toward defeating it.
Comment: It is a huge download, but worth the wait. The game from HopeLab is directed at teaching young cancer patients about the disease and providing occasions to augment understanding in a positive environment. It offers the very latest in instructional videogame design, with backing from a well-funded sponsor. Also available in Spanish and French, and can be ordered for free on CD by mail.
3. Brook Town
Type: Multi-user Virtual Environment
Learning Objective: Develop an appreciation of the systematic strategy through inquiry and teamwork, as well as an appreciation of history and environmental issues.
Comment: One of the 2 big NSF projects for tutorial gaming on this list, with several years of research following its progress. This Harvard product is unreservedly available to schools, but only on disk thru the post. The team likes sending it to teachers wishing to utilise the programme in science classes. Chris Dede spearheaded the project.
4. Search Atlantis
Type: Multi-user Virtual Environment
Learning Objective: Help scholars understand social studies, green concerns, current events, and scientific standards.
Comment: Although this Indiana University project offers a guest area where interested parties can explore the Search Atlantis universe, the NSF-funded project needs teachers contact the team before permitting full access. Several thousand participants have joined QA, and research is ongoing. Sasha Barab lead the project
5. Arden
Type: Modification of Neverwinter Nights Diamond
Learning Objective: Reach an appreciation of Shakespearean authorship and Elizabethan England.
Comment: As an element of the Serious Worlds Initiative over at Indiana University, Arden was initially funded by the MacArthur Foundation. Exec is Edward Castronova, whose book Synthetic Worlds covers lots of the business and social issues in MMOs. Castronova has confessed that Arden isn't very exciting to typical game-players (no monsters to slay). Nonetheless the notion of exploring Shakespeare's world should prove fascinating to English majors and other aficionados of the Bard's work.
6. The History Canada Game
Type: Alteration of Civilization III
Learning Objective: Understand social forces surrounding Canadian history since 1534.
Comment: O Canada! Down here south of the border, we hardly know ye! But , an initiative sponsored by Canada's National History Society and The Historica Foundation aims to change that, for Canadians as well as those outside her borders.
7. America's Armed forces
Type: Executable
Learning Objectives: Teamwork, and a bigger experience of US army expectations for sign ups.
Comment: Critics. Decry this free videogame as a inducting tool for the army. The Army shrugs its collective shoulders and says, "So?" Actually , America's Army has many fans with no army expectancies. One Ph.D. Candidate I work with is a self-described "America's Armed forces widow." Virtually 3 gigs for the unrestricted version; its free nature guarantees many adherents for several years to come.
8. Food Force
Type: Executable
Learning Objectives: Understand world hunger and efforts to diminish it.
Comment: Study room materials and directions are available on-site. Besides English, the UN-backed Food Force is available in (alphabetical order) : Chinese, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese[**] Norwegian, Polish, and Portuguese.
9. Whyville
Type: Instructional Online Virtual World
Learning Objectives: Supply a student-centered, hands-on environment for exploring assorted college subjects.
Comment: This Numedeon-backed product is directed at elementary and middle college scholars, in hopes of inspiring "scientific discovery" and "social responsibility."
10. SimCity
Type: Web-based
Learning Objectives: Understand variable manipulations for urban management while having fun building a simulated city.
Comment: Critics have attacked its oversimplification of urban management, but numerous kids the world over have learned such truisms as the correlation between higher taxes and a unhappy people. Also, if you deplete the fire departments ' budget, calamities will annihilate your town! The original SimCity is available online free from Electronic Arts, with adverts for the newest version, SimCity 4.
Finally a great ongoing resource for childrens instructional games in Britain needs to be from the BBC and their CBBC directed at small children and CBEEBIES directed at even younger children.
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