The use of real contexts in learning has been of central interest to educational developments such as experiential learning, case studies, work placements and simulations. They centre around the benefits of putting students in realistic situations, using real tools to solve real/realistic problems. A growing number of learning games are making use…

Building on the use of the internet and social media as sites for activism, this paper highlights the emergence of political activism and collective protest in the online gaming environment. Referencing social movement theory and the rapidly evolving capacity of multiplayer online games to facilitate the development of strong group identities and…

Single and multiplayer serious Kinect games have been used in many different areas, including education. Due to its relative newness as a technology, a dearth of literature exists concerning the requirements for the use of Kinect games in educational settings. A comprehensive review was conducted to include various perspectives in order to provide…

Mindful Gnats is a computer game and App that introduces mindfulness and relaxation skills to young people aged nine years and older. In this paper the authors describe their model for using technology to support children with the development of psychological skills. This model combines a computer game to introduce and practice psychological…

This paper adds to the small but growing body of research into the potential of augmented reality games for teaching and learning English as a foreign language (EFL). It explores the extent to which such games enhance the language learning experience of advanced level EFL learners. The author draws on his work developing "Mission not really…

In a previous work the author created the Education and Entertainment Grid by combining various taxonomies from the fields of play and learning. In this paper, a section of this grid known as the Entertainment Grid will be extended by including previously unused elements of Richard Bartle's online player types and Robert Caillois' play complexity.…

It is widely acknowledged that digital games can provide an engaging, motivating and "fun" experience for students. However an entertaining game does not necessarily constitute a meaningful, valuable learning experience. For this reason, experts espouse the importance of underpinning serious games with a sound theoretical framework which…

Digital games and their power as a tool for acquiring knowledge, training skills and changing behavior are--for some laymen--associated with rather negative concepts, and are thought to pose a general health risk. This paper shortly reviews and evaluates the scientific evidence for both positive and negative outcomes. It describes how particularly…

The battle between educators and entertainers continues when it comes to gaming. While this is so, the edutainment battleground has expanded to include actors outside formal schooling agencies, namely International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs). These actors employ digital games with the aim to educate and activate towards specific social…