Mouaheb, Fahli, Moussetad, & Eljamali (2012) The serious game: What educational benefits?

The purpose of this article is to discuss the importance of the serious game in learning.

This article analyzed the game Virtual University in order to find the uses of the serious game. It was discussed that this type of game can be used by a variety of ages for various purposes. These uses are teaching tools, entertainment, and a technology of information and communication. After listing the uses of this type of game it was shown how these uses show up in Virtual University. It was discussed after this analysis that the serious game has educational values which have been based on learning concepts that were advocated for in several theories. In having these educational values it was stated that this type of game allows for intrinsic motivation, generates cognitive conflicts and provides situated learning. All of these things were shown in Virtual University.

This article relates to Assessing Higher Order Thinking in Video Games because these both analyze the educational benefits of games.

The keywords for this article were: serious game, constructivist psychocognitive theories, intrinsic motivation, socio-cognitive conflicts, situated learning.

Some useful articles were:

Herrington, J, Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments, Educational Technology Research and Development,;1; vol. 48, no 3, p. 23-48. [http://edserver2.uow.edu.au/∼janh/Assessment/Authentic%20Assessment_files/ETR%26D.pdf].

Joshua, S, Dupin, J.J. (1993). Introduction à la didactique des sciences et des mathématiques. Paris, PUF.

Malone, T.W., Lepper, M.R. (1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning.Ê In R.E. Snow and M.J. Farr. (Eds.), Aptitude, Learning and Instruction III: Conative and Affective Process Analyses.Ê Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum, 1987. Sité par Schaller.D. in What Makes a Learning Game? [http://www.eduweb.com/schaller-games.pdf].

Some questions I have after reading this article are:

How can a serious game be used in schools?

Is a serious game primarily for job preparation?

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