Games & Simulations

Incorporating games or simulations into your course can help increase student engagement and learning. Below are several examples of games, simulations, and modeling tools in various disciplines, as well summaries of research on the use of games and simulations in education.

Example Games and Simulations

History

• Reacting to the Past (role-playing games)

Computer Science

• Truebiters – logic game

Databases

• SQL Murder Mystery

Software Engineering

• Process Imagination Game (video game, student-authored)
• GameDevTycoon (video game)
• SimSE (video game)

Engineering

• Zachtronics games, including several free games for schools

Computer Engineering

• NandGame
• PleasingFungus games – Manufactoria, …

Electrical Engineering

• Minecraft Redstone, logic circuits
• Falstad Animated Circuit Simulation

Mechanical Engineering

• Poly Bridge and several other bridge building games
• NIUTorcs – video game video, defunct?

Aerospace Engineering

• Kerbal Space Program
• FoilSim

Systems Engineering

• NetLogo – agent-based modeling and simulation tool
• Stella modeling tool
• Vensim modeling tool
• Powersim
• Vitech core modeling tool

Math

Calculus

• Variant Limits (video game)
• Calculus: The Board Game

Algebra

• DragonBox Algebra

Science

Physics

• PHET physics simulations
• Videogame Physics
• Electric Field Hockey
• Falstad applets
• Glowscript and VPython – open source coding for 3D simulations
• Google Sky – astronomy

Chemistry

• 7 Videogames for Teaching Chemistry
• Molecular Workbench
• Gas properties and other simulations from PHET
• SpaceChem

Biology

• WolfQuest
• Bioman games

Data Science / Statistics

• Smart City Plan
• Data Science ice breaker games

Business

Economics

• Non-Computerized Classroom-Games for College Economics
• ECON 201 – alien civilization game (defunct?)

Management

• Beer Game
• Diffusion Simulation Game

Humanities

Philosophy / Ethics

• Philosophy Experiments
• The Hobbes Game

Writing

• Toolwire writing games
• Twine – non-linear story authoring – some sample games

Social Sciences

Psychology

• DepressionQuest

Game & Simulation Authoring Tools

• Twine – non-linear story authoring
• GameMaker
• Glitch

Research on Games and Simulations in Education

• To play or not to play: on the motivational effects of games in engineering education
• Learning Science Through Computer Games and Simulations (free ebook)
• Using Empathy Games in the Social Sciences
• Game-based Learning and 21st century skills: A review of recent research
• Students as Designers and Creators of Educational Computer Games