The Serious Game: What Educational Benefits?

Abstract

This work lies in the educational opportunities of a learning tool: the serious game. The serious game was investigated using an American example: Virtual University.We first highlight the main features of this media, namely that it can be used as: a teaching tool, a means of entertainment, and as a technology of information and communication. It aims for multiple learning objectives, it finds application in many areas and it targets all age groups. Then, we show that learning through the serious game has educational values that are based on learning concepts advocated by constructivist psycho-cognitive theories; it guarantees intrinsic motivation, generates cognitive conflicts and provides situated learning.