The Director's Manual is an important part of any simulation game. This paper provides an outline that will help the game designer prepare a well-organized and effective manual. Six sections that should be in the manual are discussed: the overview of the game, preparing for the game session, the game session, debriefing the game (the post game…

There are three essential principles that must be met before an activity can be called a game: (1) competition, (2) abstraction, and (3) power. Elements within the principles are varied to give each game a particular style and value. (Author/STS)

Two approaches are described with their philosophic implications: building a model as preliminary to simulation game design, and discovering a model after the game has been developed. A third alternative presented attempts to span the chasm created by the first two and integrate both design processes. (VT)

Using a single set of resource materials built around a given scenario, a number of simulation projects of different types, designed for teaching a wide range of subjects, can be developed. The Pumped Storage Multi-Project Pack is described. (Author/STS)

A symposium to involve students in community issues is described. (CK)

An interesting way to improve pupils' spelling skills is presented. (CK)

This is a package of classroom games for the elementary grades. They cover the basic subject areas and are adaptable to various ages and numbers of players. Included are two pages of puzzles ready to be duplicated and given to students. (SJL)

A practical overview of things to keep in mind when planning and implementing educational games. (BD)

Presents the rules for two educational card-games that provide an opportunity to integrate, analyze, and interpret basic concepts in gastrointestinal physiology. Enhances students' abilities to apply and synthesize. (DDR)

Describes an educational game for nurses involving questions related to pain assessment and management and the standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. (SK)

An in-class game can be used to improve students' understanding of how a tradable discharge permit (TDP) program might work. There are, however, trade-offs one must face in designing such a game. An exercise might, in theory, demonstrate all the nuances of a TDP program and yet be so complex that students learn little from the experience. The…

This study examined the role of games in graduate-level instructional technology courses, where the curriculum includes complex abstract theory and hands-on, practical skills. A qualitative approach was used in the study, relying on classroom observations of student behavior (recorded by digital photographs), informal student verbal comments,…

Serious Games are digital games with an educational, informative, or persuasive goal beyond mere entertainment (Abt, 2002). They are promising because they often contain features that appear to be useful for learning (Squire, 2004), eliciting behavioral or attitudinal change (Yee, 2007) or encouraging new perspective taking, empathy, and new ways…