Using Games & Simulations in the Classroom

This teaching guide looks at some of the different ways that faculty can integrate online simulations and games (physical and virtual) into their classroom teaching and student learning experiences. For example, a growing number of teachers use platforms such as Kahoot as part of their class lessons. While classroom simulations and games have always been an important part of the educational process, from mock trials and Model UN to historical role plays, technological innovations (e.g., VR, AI, Geolocation) have opened up new opportunities for creative and experimental online and immersive learning. 

Students entering college today grew up in a full digital world where video games and digital apps are a central part of global popular culture. Finding creative ways to bring in and use these new interactive technologies in our classrooms can be a powerful way to connect with students who may be more receptive to game-based learning. While it is important to acknowledge some limitations and critiques around the "gamification" of learning, such as access, cost, and equity issues, a growing body of research has shown the value of game-based learning as one resource in a diverse educational toolbox.  

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• RESEARCH

  Examine selected research on using games and simulations in the classroom: 

  Podolefsky, N. S., Perkins, K. K., & Adams, W. K. (2009, November). Computer simulations to classrooms: tools for change. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1179, No. 1, pp. 233-236). American Institute of Physics. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3266723(opens in new window)

  Moore, E. B., & Lewis, C. (2015, October). Opportunity: Inclusive design for interactive simulations. In Proceedings of the 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility (pp. 395-396). https://doi.org/10.1145/2700648.2811387   

  Whelchel, A. (2007). Using civilization simulation video games in the world history classroom. World history connected, 4(2), 1-14. https://worldhistoryconnected.press.uillinois.edu/4.2/whelchel.html(opens in new window)

  Teaching Modeling and Simulation in the Humanities. Center for Mind and Culture. https://mindandculture.org/projects/engaging-virtual-environments/teaching-modeling-and-simulation-in-the-humanities/(opens in new window)

  deHaan, J. (2020). Language and literacy teaching with games: the “who” and transformative actions. Ludic Language Pedagogy, 2, p.162-186. https://doi.org/10.55853/llp_v2Pg8

  Barr, M. (2017). Video games can develop graduate skills in higher education students: A randomised trial. Computers and Education, 113, 86–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.05.016(opens in new window)

  PhET: Research and Development. PHET Interactive Simulation, University of Colorado Boulder. https://phet.colorado.edu/en/research(opens in new window)

  Explore the latest VR for Impact Research. Games for Change. https://www.gamesforchange.org/(opens in new window)

  McCall, J. (2023, August 4). Gameworld Space and Action-Choices in Historical Games (HPS framework). https://gamingthepast.net/(opens in new window)

  Minecraft Education. https://education.minecraft.net/en-us(opens in new window) (*CSU Chico faculty have access to the full Minecraft Education version through our school license.)

• APPLICATION

  Ready to start using simulations or games in your teaching? Here are some ideas and strategies to get you started:

  While using games in the classroom can be a lot of fun, they also require a lot of planning to pull off well. So before you start, think about what goals you want your game to meet. 

  Online games can be used to teach students critical media literacy skills, such as how to identify and analyze hidden or implicit bias in video game narratives. In the context of historically-based games, students can investigate how historical events are presented, distorted, and repackaged through game narratives. An example of this usage can be seen in this History Respawned episode(opens in new window) which explores Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War game to analyze how US-Russian Cold War political relations are both distorted and reimagined.

  For more engaged, hands-on learning, the Reacting to the Past(opens in new window) role play format is a great example of making history come alive through using historical recreations. 

  Another way to use these interactive technologies to create interactive stories or simulations that students get to play through in order to solve a given challenge or to test their knowledge about one or more specific sets of issues. Think of this as a digital version of a choose your own adventure story. One example of this in action is the When Disaster Strikes(opens in new window) simulation designed for a class here at CSU Chico. This paired lessons about emergency preparedness and prepper culture with realistic wildfire evacuation scenarios and classroom reflection and writing exercises. While this simulation used Google Sites to build the interactive story, a variety of different platforms can be used.