Moolakkattu1

Tartu University

[MA] Education Technology

INTRODUCTION TO VIDEO GAME ANALYSIS (HVLC.04.054)

FINAL ASSIGNMENT

MATHEW JOHN MOOLAKKATTU

Professor: Marie-Luise Meier

Date: 05/01/2023

Tartu
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Educational Video Games: Emergence, Existence and the Future

Introduction

Games that are intended to teach players something new or aid in the development of

a specific skill are referred to as educational games. Numerous disciplines, including

arithmetic, science, reading, language arts, and social studies, can be taught using them.

Educational games come in a wide variety of formats, such as simulations, puzzles, tests, and

interactive games. Educational games can be played in schools or at home and can be

customised for different age groups and skill levels. A significant quantity of research has

been conducted on the usefulness of educational games, and many of these games are now

created with the use of evidence-based methodologies. These practices can include the use of

clear learning objectives, formative assessment, and feedback to help learners progress.

In one form or another, educational games have been around for millennia. But over

time, there have been substantial changes in both the design and application of instructional

games. Here are a few significant developments in educational game development:

1. Technology: The emergence of new technology has been one of the main forces

behind change in educational video games. Since the invention of computers and the

internet, educational games have evolved in terms of gameplay and aesthetics to

become more interactive and captivating.

2. Research: The usefulness of educational games has also been extensively studied,

which has sparked the creation of novel game-based learning strategies and the

adoption of more evidence-based design principles.

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3. Personalization: Educational games are increasingly being created with a greater

focus on the needs and preferences of specific students. This can be done by adapting

the game's content and level of difficulty to the player's skill level or by using data on

the player's development to modify the game in real time.

4. Gamification: To entice and interest players, many instructional video games now

employ gamification strategies like points, badges, and leaderboards. Gamification

can also be used to increase the enjoyment and fun of learning.

Last but not least, instructional games have seen a significant increase in popularity in recent

years. They can now be found on many other platforms, such as computers, tablets, and

smartphones, and are utilised in classrooms and households all over the world. This paper

shall attempt to see how educational video games have progressed and what kind of impact it

has had on students. It will also try to deduce what the future beholds for educational video

games. It is important to understand that the games under consideration are those which were

originally intended to educate and not the ones that are just video games out of which gamers

could learn something or the other or have certain educational elements in them.

Evolution of Educational Video Games:

With the advent of technology, traditional educational games and games, in general, got

digitised paving the way for video games to rise to fame. Since the idea of an "educational

video game" has changed throughout time, it is challenging to pinpoint the very first

instructional video game. However, video game critics argue The Sumer Game released in

1964 to be the earliest video game with the purpose to educate. “Critical Kate” Willaert dubs

this as “the first one designed for elementary school students, making it the first

“edutainment” game as we know it.” 1 The Sumerian Game did initially seem a little sparse,

but even those early iterations at least had the steward. However, it wasn't until a significant
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redesign took place over the course of the summer of 1966 that it became the first truly

narrative gaming experience. Even though there are mentions of games such as Logo

Programming (1967), Lemonade Stand (1979) and Snooper Troops (1982) that succeeded it,

The Oregon Trail is considered the true successor to be considered a game that had more

dominant educational purposes: This game, released in 1985, is a simulation of the journey of

a group of pioneers traveling west in the United States in the 19th century. It was widely used

in schools to teach history and decision-making skills and is often cited as one of the first

educational video games. Players are required to make decisions throughout the game

regarding their travel, including what supplies to bring, when to rest, and where to get food.

In the game, players must find their way through the wilderness, navigating through deserts,

mountains, and rivers while overcoming obstacles like illnesses and mishaps. Along the way,

they gain decision-making and problem-solving abilities as well as knowledge of the

geography and history of the American West. In the 1980s and 1990s, The Oregon Trail was

a well-liked video game and was frequently used in classrooms to teach history. It is still

playable on a multitude of platforms despite numerous updates and rereleases.

The same decade also produced games such as Number Munchers and The Learning

Company Math, classic math games that challenge players to correctly solve math problems

in order to advance through the game. Math and Science were subjects with which most

educational games were associated traditionally. The same trend continued in the video game

era as well. After The Oregon Trail, History and Geography games started to gain a lot more

of the limelight. One franchise that became an instant hit was "Where in the World is Carmen

Sandiego". The games challenge players to track down a fictional criminal called Carmen

Sandiego, who has stolen valuable artefacts from around the world. The franchise became a

popular educational game in schools. Since then, the franchise has expanded to include many

other games, including "Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?", which focuses on history, and
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"Where in Europe is Carmen Sandiego?", which focuses on European geography. The

Carmen Sandiego games are known for their engaging gameplay, catchy music, and

educational value. They have been released for a variety of computer platforms and are still

popular today. One of the earliest educational games related to science is The Human Body

which was released in the 1990s and used interactive activities to teach players about the

different systems of the human body. Educational video games that help with language and

vocabulary were also very popular towards the end of the 20 th century. Games such as Reader

Rabbit (1983), Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing (1987) and The Great Word Adventure (1995)

were a few of the popular ones of the time.

Debates on the Impact of Educational Video Games

There is already a significant market for instructional video games, with a variety of

games accessible for students of various ages. Around the world, educational video games are

now often utilised in homes and classrooms. These games can be found on a range of devices,

such as computers, tablets, and smartphones. The use of personalization and adaptive

learning approaches, which enable the game to adapt to the requirements and skills of

individual learners, is one of the major developments in educational video games at the

moment. This can be done by adapting the game's content and level of difficulty to the

player's skill level or by using data on the player's development to modify the game in real

time. Another trend is the use of gamification tools like leaderboards, points, and badges to

engage and motivate students. Gamification can also be used to increase the enjoyment and

fun of learning. The effectiveness of instructional video games has been extensively studied,

and many games are being created with the use of research-based techniques. To aid in

learning progression, this includes the use of precise learning objectives, formative

evaluation, and feedback.

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However, insufficient and fragmented research over the past 20 years makes it

difficult to assess the potential or effects of educational games on learning. The article Video

Games in Education, addresses the claim that the educational benefit of the game was

obscured by the amusement elements. There are however some researches that oppose and

some that support the effect of educational video games on children. Children who played

instructional games were less likely to experience focus issues at school, according to a small

survey. Kids who played violent or arcade-style video games were in stark contrast. These

non-academic games increased the likelihood of attention issues in children (Hastings et al

2009). Prosocial video games may put adults and kids alike into a friendlier mode, a state of

mind that makes us more likely to behave in helpful or kind ways. This is supported by a

number of lines of evidence, including (1) that prosocial play goes hand in hand with

prosocial behaviour in real life and (2) that prosocial play goes along with prosocial

behaviour in real life (Dewar 2013). How long the effect lasts is unclear. Maybe it simply

lasts for a moment right after play. However, even if that is true and the feeling disappears

after a given time, there may still be long-term advantages. A child has the chance to learn

about the advantages of being kind, supportive, or cooperative whenever they have a nice,

prosocial interaction with another person. It makes kids feel emotionally rewarded and more

socially attached. Therefore, it's a positive thing if playing prosocial games enhances these

opportunities. It might provide children with a small boost toward improving their social

skills.

What does the Future Behold?

Even while educational games have been a part of curricula since the 1980s, their

potential has not yet been completely realised. The need for research to ultimately

comprehend the genuine advantages of educational games is greatly warranted as the area of

education increasingly turns to technology. Many players, whether young or old, believe they
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are increasing their talents in the interim, and they are also adopting favourable attitudes

toward learning new ideas.

In a world where many of today's students will pursue careers that do not yet exist,

digital literacy and an understanding of how systems (computer and otherwise) work will

become more crucial, according to Gershenfeld, who wrote about video games' potential to

transform education in the Scientific American. Future workers will almost probably have

employment that involves some level of knowledge of digital media and technology, he adds,

and "they will almost certainly change jobs frequently throughout their lives." The majority

of educational games created to date have no underpinning corpus of research or consistent

philosophy of learning. Important questions concerning this relatively new media need to be

asked and answered. To build engaging virtual worlds, we must comprehend how effective

commercial gaming conventions work. Elena Malykhina says “the biggest impact of video

games will be on students who have not responded as well to traditional teaching methods.”

A new model of learning through meaningful activity in virtual worlds as a preparation for

meaningful activity in our post-industrial, technology-rich, real world will be possible

through extensive research on the subject. It will be possible to use video games to move our

system of education beyond the traditional academic disciplines, derived from mediaeval

scholarship and constituted within schools developed during the industrial revolution.

Some notable games of the current era include Quest Atlantis, Whyville, Minecraft, Kahoot,

Code.org, Prodigy and Duolingo. All these games have different educational intentions

ranging from teaching language and computer programming to current affairs and design and

architecture.
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References:

 Dewar, G. (2013). The effects of video games on school achievement. Chicago

 Gershenfeld, A. (2014). Mind games. Scientific American, 310(2), 54-59.
 Hastings EC, Karas TL, Winsler A, Way E, Madigan A, Tyler S. 2009. Young
children’s video/computer game use: relations with school performance and behavior.
Issues Ment Health Nurs. 30(10):638-49.
 Malykhina, E. (2005). New School of Thought. Information Week, (1026), 39-40.
 Squire, K. (2003). Video games in education. Int. J. Intell. Games & Simulation, 2(1),
49-62.
 https://www.acriticalhit.com/sumerian-game-most-important-video-game-youve-
never-heard/