Resources
Community and Forums
Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) Mailing Lists is an e-mail forum for the video game research community.
Games For Change Connect is a webpage with helpful links and a newsletter subscription for the serious games community.
Games For Health Listserv is an e-mail forum for the serious games community.
Hand Eye Society is a non-profit coalition of projects and people in support of Toronto's videogame communities.
International Game Developers Association is the largest non-profit membership organization serving individuals who create video games. They bring together developers at conferences, in local chapters and in special interest groups to improve their lives and craft.
IGDA Game Education Listserv is an e-mail forum established by the IGDA for the educational game community.
Science-Related Video Games
Click here to access the Serious Games Directory that is currently being created by the Serious Games Association to offer titles and brief game descriptions of serious games to educators. The games will be organized into five categories: Education, Health Care/Medical, Corporate, Military/Government, and Games for Good.
- Big Bond Theory (2011) iOS puzzle game by Ubisoft
- CellCraft (2010) Flash strategy game by Armor Games and funded by an educational grant from the Digital Media + Learning Competition
- Foldit (2008) desktop puzzle game by the Center for Game Science & Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington
- Good Blood! (2011) iOS action/adventure game by Helen Sell and frukti Games
- History of Biology (2010) desktop action/adventure game by Spongelab Interactive
- Immune Attack (2008) desktop action/adventure game by the Federation of American Scientists
- Immune Defense (2012) desktop action/adventure game by the Federation of American Scientists
- Immunity HD (2010) iOS puzzle game by Lonely Dodo
- Meta!Blast (2010) desktop action/adventure game developed by Iowa State University in collaboration with local high school educators
- Microbot (2010) console action/adventure game developed by Naked Sky Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts
- Microsurgeon (1982) console action/adventure game by Mattel Intellivision
- Osy Osmosis (2011) iOS action/adventure game by a research group at the University of Georgia
- Re-Mission (2006) desktop action/adventure game by HopeLab
- Spore (2008) iOS and console "god" simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts
- Virulent (2011) iOS action/adventure game by the Games, Learning and Society Research Group at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery
- Various science-related games can be found on the Spongelab website and the Nobel Prize website.
Software for Video Game Development
- Flash by Adobe (programming language: Actionscipt)
- GameMaker by YoYo Games (drag-and-drop program that creates exe games)
- Multimedia Fusion 2 by Clickteam (drag-and-drop program that creates exe games)
- StencylWorks by Stencyl (drag-and-drop program that creates iOS and Flash games)
- Unity 3D game engine by Unity Technologies (programming language: Unity, C++, C#, Javascript, Boo)
- Unreal game engine by Epic Games (programming language: UnrealScript, C++, C#, HLSL, Cg, CUDA)
- XNA Game Studio by Microsoft (programming language: C++, C#)
Schools Using Video Games for Learning
- Quest To Learn is an innovative public school in New York City that started in September 2009 through funding by the MacArthur Foundation. At Quest To Learn, students play in game-like environments, design, and build games. This idea has been advocated for many years by scholar Jim Gee.
Conferences Related to Video Games and Education
Fall
- Digifest Toronto Canada in October (started in 2002)
- Fun and Games Various locations in Europe in September (started in 2012)
- European Conference on Games Based Learning Various locations in Europe in October (started in 2007)
- GameDays and Edutainment Darmstadt Germany in September (started in 2005)
- Gamercamp Toronto Canada in November (started in 2009)
- Meaningful Play East Lansing USA in October (started in 2008)
Spring
- American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference Various locations in USA/Canada in April/May (started in 1991)
- Computer Human Interaction (CHI) Conference Various international locations in April/May (started in 1982)
- FITC Toronto Canada in April (started in 2002)
- Foundations of Digital Games Various international locations in May (started in 2006)
- Game Developers Conference San Francisco USA in March (started in 2000)
- South X SouthWest Interactive Austin USA in March (started in 1994)
- Ottawa Game Conference Ottawa Canada in May (started in 2012)
Summer
- Association of Medical Illustrators Meeting Various locations in USA/Canada in July (started in 1946)
- Games for Change Festival New York USA in June (started in 2004)
- Games for Health Conference Boston USA in June (started in 2005)
- Games+Learning+Society Conference Madison USA in June (started in 2005)
- Gordon Research Conference: Visualization in Science and Education Smithfield USA in July (started in 1994)
- International Conference on Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Various international locations in July, biannually (started in 1995)
- Serious Play Conference Redmond USA in August (started in 2011)
- SIGGRAPH Various locations in USA/Canada in August (started in 1974)
Books about Video Games and Education
- Adams E, Rollings A. (2007). Game Design and Development: Fundamentals of Game Design. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
- Dille F, Platten JZ. (2007). The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design. New York, New York: Lone Eagle Publishing Co.
- Gee JP. (2007). What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. New York, New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
- Koster R. (2005). A Theory of Fun. Scottsdale, Arizona: Paraglyph Press.
- Salen K, Zimmerman E. (2004). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
- Schell J. (2008). The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses. Burlington, Massachusetts: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
- Shaffer DW. (2006). How Computer Games Help Children Learn. New York, New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
- Swink S. (2009). Game Feel: A Game Designer's Guide to Virtual Sensation. Burlington, Massachusetts: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
Books about Molecular Biology
- Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K, Walter P. (2007). Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5th ed. New York, New York: Garland Science.
- Goodsell DS. (2009). The Machinery of Life. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
Research Articles Related to Science-Based Video Games and Education
Check out the Games for Health Journal started in 2011.
Foldit
Cooper S, Khatib F, Treuille A, Barbero J, Lee J, Beenen M, Leaver-Fay A, Baker D, Popović Z, Players F. (2010). Predicting protein structures with a multiplayer online game. Nature 466(7307): 756-760.
Eiben CB, Siegel JB, Bale JB, Cooper S, Khatib F, Shen BW, Players F, Stoddard BL, Popovic Z, Baker D. (2012). Increased Diels-Alderase activity through backbone remodeling guided by Foldit players. Nature Biotechnology 30(2): 190-192.
Good BM, Su AI (2011). Games with a scientific purpose. Genome Biology 12(12): 135.
Gilski M, Kazmierczyk M, Krzywda S, Zábranská H, Cooper S, Popović Z, Khatib F, DiMaio F, Thompson J, Baker D, Pichová I, Jaskolski M. (2011). High-resolution structure of a retroviral protease folded as a monomer. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 67(Pt 11): 907-914.
Khatib F, Cooper S, Tyka MD, Xu K, Makedon I, Popovic Z, Baker D, Players F. (2011). Algorithm discovery by protein folding game players. PNAS 108(47): 18949-18953.
Khatib F, DiMaio F; Foldit Contenders Group; Foldit Void Crushers Group, Cooper S, Kazmierczyk M, Gilski M, Krzywda S, Zabranska H, Pichova I, Thompson J, Popović Z, Jaskolski M, Baker D. (2011). Crystal structure of a monomeric retroviral protease solved by protein folding game players. Nature Structural and Molecular Biology 18(10): 1175-1177.
Immune Attack
Maxmen A. (2010). Video Games and the Second Life of Science Class. Cell 141: 201-203.
Meta!Blast
See the Meta!Blast website for conference proceeding publications.
Osy Osmosis
See the Osy Osmosis website for their game evaluation tools.
Re:Mission
See the HopeLab website for research publications, including:
- Beale IL, Kato PM, Marín-Bowling VM, Guthrie N, Cole SW. (2007). Improvement in cancer-related knowledge following use of a psychoeducational video game for adolescents and young adults with cancer. Journal of Adolescent Health 41: 263-270.
- Beale IL, Marín-Bowling VM, Guthrie N, Kato PM. (2006). Young cancer patients’ perceptions of a video game used to promote self-care. International Electronic Journal of Health Education 9: 202-212.
- Beale IL. (2002). An evaluation model for psychoeducational interventions using interactive multimedia. CyberPsychology and Behavior 5(6): 565-580.
- Cole SW, Yoo DJ, Knutson B. (2012). Interactivity and Reward-Related Neural Activation During a Serious Videogame. PLoS ONE 7(3): e33909
- Kato PM, Cole SW, Bradlyn AS, Pollock BH. (2008). A Video Game Improves Behavioral Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer: A Randomized Trial. Pediatrics 122: e305-e317.
- Kato PM, Beale IL. (2006). Factors affecting acceptability to young cancer patients of a psychoeducational video game about cancer. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing 23(5): 269-275.
- Suzuki LK, Kato PM. (2003). Psychosocial support for patients in pediatric oncology: The influences of parents, schools, peers, and technology. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing 20(4): 159-174.
- Tate R, Haritatos J, Cole SW. (2009). HopeLab’s Approach to Re-Mission. International Journal of Learning and Media 1(1): 29-35.
General
- Dahmani H-R, Schneeberger P, Kramer IM. (2009). Analysis of students' aptitude to provide meaning to images that represent cellular components at the molecular level. CBE-Life Sciences Education 8: 226-238.
- Jenkinson J, McGill G. (2012). Visualizing protein interactions and dynamics: evolving a visual language for molecular animation. CBE-Life Sciences Education 11(1): 103-110.
- Khalili N, Sheridan K, Williams A, Clark K, Stegman M. (2011). Students Designing Video Games about Immunology: Insights for Science Learning. Computers in the Schools 28(3): 228-240.
- Li R, Polat U, Makous W, Bavelier D. (2009). Enhancing the contrast sensitivity function through action video game playing. Nature Neuroscience 12(5): 549-551.
- Papastergiou M. (2009). Exploring the potential of computer and video games for health and physical education: A literature review. Computers & Education 53(3): 603-622.
- Schönborn KJ, Anderson TR. (2010). Bridging the educational research-teaching practice gap: Foundations for assessing and developing biochemistry students' visual literacy. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education 38(5): 347-354.
White Papers by the US National Academy of Sciences Related to Science-Based Video Games and Education
- Learning Science Through Computer Games and Simulations (2011)
- Exploring the Intersection of Science Education and 21st Century Skills: A Workshop Summary (2010)
- Surrounded by Science: Learning Science in Informal Environments (2010)
- Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits (2009)
- How Students Learn: Science in the Classroom (2005)