Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ Virtual Worlds, Simulations, and Games for Education: A Unifying View

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community
Are virtual worlds, simulations, and games for education all types of the same essential thing? I'm not sure I agree with this perspective, offered by Clark Aldrich, which depicts games, simulations and virtual worlds to all be more or less the same thing. However, Aldrich argues, "the ease with which players in a new virtual environment move from exploratory behaviors to more structured simulation structures also illustrates the connection among virtual worlds, simulations, and games." For example, "the aspects of computer game design, such as scoring mechanisms, scripted storylines, and competition-based motivation, can drive increased engagement in an educational simulation."

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Dec 25, 2024 7:38 p.m.

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