ABSTRACT

Can we learn through play? Can we really play while learning?

Of course! But how?!

We all learn and educate others in our own unique ways. Successful educational games adapt to the particular learning needs of their players and facilitate the learning objectives of their designers.

Educational Game Design Fundamentals embarks on a journey to explore the necessary aspects to create games that are both fun and help players learn. This book examines the art of educational game design through various perspectives and presents real examples that will help readers make more informed decisions when creating their own games. In this way, readers can have a better idea of how to prepare for and organize the design of their educational games, as well as evaluate their ideas through several prisms, such as feasibility or learning and intrinsic values.

Everybody can become education game designers, no matter what their technical, artistic or pedagogic backgrounds. This book refers to educators and designers of all sorts: from kindergarten to lifelong learning, from corporate training to museum curators and from tabletop or video game designers to theme park creators!

chapter 1|30 pages

Designing Learning Experiences

chapter 2|36 pages

The Magical Powers of the Game Designer

chapter 3|34 pages

Pedagogy and Games

chapter 4|12 pages

The Game Core

chapter 5|34 pages

Where to Start?

chapter 6|24 pages

Let’s Make a Game!

chapter 7|30 pages

A Closer Look at Game Mechanics

chapter 8|10 pages

Games as Reflection Tools

chapter 9|18 pages

Knowing Your Audience

chapter 10|26 pages

Story

A First Look

chapter 11|28 pages

Game Interfaces

chapter 12|14 pages

Game Aesthetics

chapter 13|16 pages

Testing and Feedback

chapter 14|4 pages

Documenting and Communicating

chapter 15|2 pages

The Final Chapter