If you decide to go beyond these options to create your own game, here are some possible approaches:
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Use a frame game: Frame games, such as the Educational Games Central ones described above, lend themselves to use, even for complex subjects, without a long learning curve if you can structure your learning in a question-and-answer format. To give an example, the EGC Snakes and Ladders frame game has been used to reinforce introductory social psychology concepts.
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Do a COTS game modification: Some commercial games, especially first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, and MMOGs, provide toolkits that let you create “mods” including your own graphics, game scenarios and characters. In one example, the MIT Education Arcade project “modded” the game NeverWinterNights, which comes with the Aurora Toolset game-editing tool, to create the Revolution game (
http://www.educationarcade.org/revolution
) to teach about the American Revolution seen from Colonial Williamsburg. Another mod of NeverWinterNights, Project BTM, was developed at the University of Minnesota to teach information-gathering stages to journalism students (Paul et al., 2005).
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Get help to custom-build a learning game: Many universities and technical schools have game studies programs with students who are looking for projects or work designing and building games using current tools and techniques. You may also be able to find funding for research or learning object development. For example, computer science students at Dalhousie University are working with physicians to build handheld and cell phone game prototypes to help local children learn about and manage chronic diseases (Watters et al., 2006).
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Create a blended game with computer support: If building a full-scale computer-based game seems too daunting, you can consider a game that uses computers or handhelds to support a game that also involves offline activities. The MobileGame, for instance, uses task instructions and clues delivered by cell phone to run an orientation game introducing new students to a university campus (Schwabe and Göth, 2005).
Note
Match your first project with your experience, learner characteristics, and available technology, technology support, and development resources. To build institutional support, aim for early successes before embarking on a large, longer-term project.