Games in Science Education:Discussion of the Potential and Pitfalls of Games‐Based Science Education

This paper presents a categorisation of science game formats in relation to the educational possibilities or limitations they offer in science education. This includes discussion of new types of science game formats and gamification of science. Teaching with the use of games and simulations in science education dates back to the 1970s and early 80s were the potentials of games and simulations was discussed extensively as the new teaching tool ( Ellington et al. , 1981). In the early 90s the first ITC -based games for exploration of science and technical subjects was developed (Egenfeldt-Nielsen, 2005). After the turn of the millennium, there has been an increasing awareness both on potentials in using commercial computer games in science education, and on developing so serious games for scientific subjects such as chemistry, physics and biology (Squire & Klopfer, 2007; Shaffer, 2006; Magnussen, 2007). Some of these newer formats are developed in partnerships between research and education institutions and game developers and are based on learning theory as well as game design methods. Games well suited for creating narrative framework or simulations where students gain first-hand experience of scientific contexts or phenomena students are unable to experience directly in the school science education. This can be through game-based simulations where students have the opportunity to manipulate scientific phenomena in environments that are impossible to create in the classroom (Magnussen et al., 2012) or computer or computer -assisted role-playing game where students have the opportunity to work as professional technical or scientific experts in simulated universes with fictional problems (Shaffer, 2006) . Overall science games can be categorised into four categories:1. Training Games: Games designed to train basic skills through repetition of a simple practice. This could be training of basic math skills or composition of chemical compounds2. Inquiry Games: In these games the focus is the scientific inquiry with collection of data and verifying hypotheses. The games are built around a task or a puzzle the gamer needs to solve 3. Simulation and Strategy games: Experience and manipulation of scientific phenomena is the focus of these games. Examples are games centred around atomic models or electromagnetic forces which players score points for successfully manipulating.4. Profession simulation games and research Cooperative Games: The focal point of these games is for gamers to role-play scientific profession or to participate in real scientific research processes at a high level through playing the game. Examples of this is games where gamers role-play forensic detectives or scientific discovery games where the goal is to help real-life scientists to new protein structuresThese categories of games has new approaches to science education such as new forms of cooperation with actors outside the school setting, new possibilities for first-hand experience of scientific phenomena or representations of knowledge in digital and physical science environments, Use and design of new types of models or tools for scientific inquiry and innovation education.