Learning does not hurt.

Lectures and computer games, which are separate worlds. But when professors germinates the idea that "Serious Games" boring studying longer-term - and fun. So far, specially developed for the educational games and even more rarely simple knitted.

 

"Counter Strike" in the lecture hall - unthinkable! Yet games are slowly but surely moving into the classrooms - as a so-called Serious Games, which taught a young audience to loose to be closer to nature, by establishing an entertaining action game knowledge.

"Global Conflicts - Palestine" as an educational computer game

Serious Games could usefully complement the lectures, says Linda Broad leek, Europe's first professor of game design at the private German media design university in Dusseldorf. Because young people can have such wonderful games for the sometimes boring learning enthusiasm.

On the Education Fair in early February Learntec Karlsruhe was Serious Games as a "tool" for the first time, a separate educational program dedicated point. At German universities, they have a rather short history. They were interested only in 2001, as a result of the UMTS-free purchases the e-learning programs for schools have been expanded.

No Money for Serious Games

Such games have had it so good as not present, says Broad leeks. "There was still the opinion that: learning must hurt." First tentative steps in the direction of Serious Games took the universities with special programs such as applets. Most were small Quizsituationen postpositive or simulations designed.

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In the shop you could buy these games do not, it was self-developments of the professors or the students. Even today, the majority of serious games in higher education rather simple crocheted admits Broad leeks On. Games with complex scenarios, in the course include a story, however, are rare. Often lacking for both the money and the necessary expertise.

Well-known companies like IBM, the Serious Games market, which will also in large companies to use, offer nothing comparable for universities. The development of games is not cheap. Federal funds would be around for such projects only in exceptional cases provided, says the professor. Programs and grants for serious games in higher education institutions do not exist. Most encouraging was only funded projects with long application phases. Serious Games were just "not quite at the top of the stack."

Studying longer-term stays

In addition, various skills needed to develop a game. With the educational scenario in order to develop expertise is as important as the knowledge about how games work. And for the implementation must be able to program games. "A law professor can not do anything alone afford," says Broad leeks.

SERIOUS GAMES

Term

The expression? Serious Games? was first introduced in 2001 at a conference in the U.S.. In many companies, the computer in the employee training to use.

Sample

Serious games can, for example, political connections to help mediate. In the game? Global Conflicts: Palestine? slip the player into the role of a journalist in the Middle East about the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians to report.

Use in universities

Science, architecture or economics are well suited for the deployment. It is a virtual chemistry laboratory or bridge construction on the PC. A large gap in the market is doing for the historians to. Here come the games have not yet used.

Handling

The task should be challenging, but not too difficult. So-called social skills such as customer friendliness, according to experts, however, does not make sense to train on the computer. Accompanying tutorials are important because they lead the player until he is independently in the virtual world can move.

A good example of successful integration of Serious Games in the study, the Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart. There, in the Bachelor of Science in business computer science from the IBM distributed 3D computer game "innov8" used to help students to understand the business world. The players have in a virtual company business processes, analyze, improve and manage themselves.

The games have a big advantage: The subject remains in the memory longer than rote learned from books. The players would not simply read something that they had experienced it, explaining Broad leeks. For the learning, this is much better, the show is already in children. Serious Games bring something only if they also made fun.

She stressed however: "If you so that would replace good teaching, I would be opposed." But as a supplement material is a Serious Game quite a reflection. Finally, the game situation itself seriously, and will also be taken seriously.