Gaming Educational Applications explores how digital games can be powerful tools for education, moving beyond simple entertainment to foster genuine learning. The book examines the core principles of game design, such as challenge and reward, and demonstrates how these elements can be strategically applied across diverse subjects to enhance student engagement, knowledge retention, and skill development.
It highlights that thoughtfully designed games, when integrated into curricula, can lead to demonstrably improved learning outcomes compared to traditional teaching methods. This academic yet accessible work provides a historical and theoretical context for game-based learning, tracing its evolution and grounding it in established learning theories like constructivism.
The book emphasizes the importance of measurable learning outcomes, advocating for rigorous assessment methodologies, including pre— and post-testing and in-game analytics, to evaluate the impact of educational games.
It progresses from foundational concepts to case studies to a model for designing, implementing, and measuring the impact of game-based learning interventions, providing educators and developers with practical guidance.
