The empirical study, in this article, involved 42 students (ages 14-15), who used the urban simulation computer game SimCity 4 to create models of sustainable future cities. The aim was to explore in what ways the simulated "real" worlds provided by this game could be a potential facilitator for science learning contexts. The topic investigated is…

Have you ever bought a computer program that you thought would be great for your struggling students, only to find that it did not work on your school computers, or that your students found it difficult to use? Selecting science software for students with learning and other disabilities can be a challenge. This Idea Bank provides a list of…

This paper explores the possibilities and challenges games and simulations pose for informal science education. The authors begin with a brief overview of the recent history of games and games research. They then attempt to clarify the distinctions between games and simulations. Next, they examine types of informal learning…

Augmented Reality (AR) simulations superimpose a virtual overlay of data and interactions onto a real-world context. The simulation engine at the heart of this technology is built to afford elements of game play that support explorations and learning in students' natural context--their own community and surroundings. In one of the more recent…

StarLogo The Next Generation (TNG) enables secondary school students and teachers to model decentralized systems through agent-based programming. TNG's inclusion of a three-dimensional graphical environment provides the capacity to create games and simulation models with a first-person perspective. The authors theorize that student learning of…

Commercial computer games contain "physics engine" components, responsible for providing realistic interactions among game objects. The question naturally arises of whether these engines can be used to develop educational materials for high school and university physics education. To answer this question, the author's group recently conducted a…

This publication consists of a lengthy list of environmental games (35) on the market today, their source and purchase price. Included is a description of the major changes the types of games have undergone. The first group of games resembled closely ordinary board games with success dependent on skill and/or chance rather than understanding of…

The author briefly examines the types of simulation games and how they can be used in social science, science, mathematics, and vocational education. (DE)

Proposes an approach to chemical kinetics and mechanism using statistical games, illustrating its use in monomolecular, catalytic, autocatalytic, consecutive, and equilibrium reactions. Major features of the games are also outlined and discussed. (JN)

Presents a computer game which assists in learning the classification of igneous rocks and a simulation program which illustrates some aspects of igneous textures. (SL)

Games have become an integral part of many science classrooms. This article describes an electronic game box built by a seventh grade class for use with an adopted version of a television game show. Included are a list of materials, a schematic diagram, and photographs of the completed game box. (MA)

This publication is a selected list of games and simulations concerned with urban, environmental, and social problems. The contents are divided into four major parts: (1) games developed at the University of Michigan; (2) games distributed by Simile II; (3) games distributed by other companies; and (4) computerized gaming/simulations. All titles…

Three different simulation and gaming techniques are described in detail as examples of exercises that provide education through science, demonstrating how science and technology fit into the broad political, social, and environmental context. These games and simulations also cultivate useful skills and desirable attitudes. (Author/JN)

Presents a report on a one-day meeting on "Education through Physics" which was held at the University of Stirling, Scotland on Friday 25 May, 1979. (HM)