Richard Lamb

Cognitive Aspects of Creativity: Science Learning Through Serious Educational Games

Teams of some of the most imaginative people develop successful commercial video games. The design processes for successful video games permit critical thinking and innovative thought. The integration of Serious Educational Games (SEG) (Annetta, 2008) into science curriculum was once thought an impossibility, but through several years of work, and funding by the National Science Foundation, it has now become a reality. Using a constructionist approach to science education and SEG development has the potential to impact the process of science learning rather than science content learning alone. Taking it a step further, we ask how can SEG design foster creativity in high school science students? In this chapter, we will share some of the theory that drives SEG development, the SEG development steps, and the results from one high school science class development exercises.

Assessing Serious Educational Games

Games can train and teach just like teachers do in a traditional sense. However, bad games (like bad teachers/trainers) don’t teach well. A standard for Serious Educational games must be established. This chapter discusses the rationale, development, and psychometrics of a Serious Educational Game Rubric.