Practical, appropriate, empirically-validated guidelines for designing educational games

Abstract

There has recently been a great deal of interest in the
\npotential of computer games to function as innovative
\neducational tools. However, there is very little evidence of
\ngames fulfilling that potential. Indeed, the process of
\nmerging the disparate goals of education and games design
\nappears problematic, and there are currently no practical
\nguidelines for how to do so in a coherent manner. In this
\npaper, we describe the successful, empirically validated
\nteaching methods developed by behavioural psychologists
\nand point out how they are uniquely suited to take
\nadvantage of the benefits that games offer to education. We
\nconclude by proposing some practical steps for designing
\neducational games, based on the techniques of Applied
\nBehaviour Analysis. It is intended that this paper can both
\nfocus educational games designers on the features of games
\nthat are genuinely useful for education, and also introduce a
\nsuccessful form of teaching that this audience may not yet
\nbe familiar with.