Play Serious Games

Re-Mission 2, a collection of free online games launched by HopeLab, harnesses the power and appeal of casual games to help young people with cancer fight their disease. Combining research on the neuroscience of interactive video game play with the fun and accessibility of casual games, Re-Mission 2 is the follow-up to HopeLab’s breakthrough Re-Mission video game, released in 2006.

Game-based learning has been used in language classrooms for many years, but the availability of motion sensing devices has opened up a whole new world of learning for students. This video from Cramlington Learning Village in the UK shows how one classroom is learning French and Spanish using the Nintendo Wii and electronic dancemats.

A new technology startup in Las Vegas is simplifying language learning on the web. Starting with Japanese as its first foray into language mastery,Nihongo Master turns learning a language into a game with points and badges as prizes for fluency.

Imagine a young girl starting school in the North African country of Mauritania. What are the chances she will continue to secondary school or even university? Will she keep up with, or even surpass, the boys in her class? To find the answers to these questions, Mind the Gap: Gender & Education, a new online game, takes players on an interactive journey where they can explore and compare the educational pathways available to girls and women around the world.

Sokikom is a massively multiplayer online math social learning game designed to help students in grades 1-6 build skills while developing a love for learning math. Integrated with a classroom management tool similar to ClassDojo, teachers can optionally use both products.

Even though older adults might still carry a negative association with video game consoles and devices, today’s technology is vastly different than it was 20 years ago. Apps have exploded on the scene, and while there are plenty of time wasting games available on the market, today’s offerings also include a wide range of affordable apps that enrich learning and allow for quick on-the-go play. Whether your child is waiting for the doctor or relaxing on a long car ride, the following apps are some of the best games that pack an educational punch.

Skoolbo the educational game for kids, has just completed an improvement analysis on the 10 million literacy and numeracy questions answered by players. They found that after three hours of learning time, there were average improvements of 23.3% in literacy and 12.2% in numeracy.

Are you a teacher? Do you like game based learning? Would you be interested in participating in a study? The study is about how to train teachers for emergency situations in school through game based learning. Emergencies on school property are caused by a wide variety of uncontrollable events. For some countries the threat of earthquakes is a priority while others fear hurricanes, school shootings or the spread of disease. In preparation for the unpredictable, many schools now develop an emergency management plan in anticipation of crisis events.

Electronic Arts Inc. in collaboration with GlassLab, today announced SimCityEDU is in development, an online educational community based on the award-winning SimCityTM videogame. SimCityEDU will serve as a resource for classroom teachers who have a strong interest in utilizing digital platforms as a learning tool to drive student interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects*.

In response to the White House challenge to federal agencies to create games that have a positive impact on learning, health, and social change, The SuperGroup and U.S. Department of State have launched Trace Effects, an on-and-offline interactive 3D video game experience designed for students ages 12-16 throughout the world who want to expand their English skills and learn about American culture.

iD Tech Camps announces four new courses based on the Minecraft platform, as educators worldwide are incorporating Mojang’s popular title into their core curricula.

A group of friends scurry inside after some outdoor fun. It’s time for a relaxing change of pace – video games. They settle in, flip on the computer, and wait.  Blocks, colors, and characters fill the screen. But the kids aren’t home. They’re in class – eagerly awaiting the day’s lesson from their teacher – with Minecraft.

The growth of game based learning in education has been rapid and serious games can be applied to a wide variety of fields such as medical training. Dassault Systèmes have launched a 3D lifelike experience online called “Staying Alive”, developed in partnership with iLUMENS, a medical laboratory from Paris Descartes University, that uses simulation technologies for medical training. On the Staying Alive web site, both healthcare professionals and the public are able to learn appropriate behavior, movements and techniques that can contribute to saving the life of a person who has experienced sudden cardiac arrest.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) have released Disaster Hero, a learning game designed to teach families how to prepare for all types of hazards or emergencies.

We love looking through YouTube to find examples of teachers using new technology in their classroom, and Minecraft, a creative building-style game, has some fascinating examples of this.

With nine out of ten U.S. children playing electronic games, and more than 52 percent having played educational video games (1), Ballard & Tighe, Publishers, a leader in instructional and assessment materials for English language learners, is providing an educational game that is relevant and engaging to students. Its newest offering, Word Raider: Escape, is a modern day video game aimed at helping elementary students learn academic vocabulary in an innovative way.

The iPad has long been used to help kids be creative, with a huge array of different apps to get their imaginative juices flowing. One of the newer apps that is promoting creativity by using a building-style gaming platform is Bloxy HD.