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Games and simulation in higher education

The evolution of computer technologies, together with the increasing speed of Internet-based communications, has promoted the use of simulation software and serious games in higher education. These technological and methodological tools can significantly enrich the learning experience in almost any knowledge area. In particular, they will have a significant impact on how the learning process is performed in the so called STEM education. This thematic series brings together state-of-the-art articles related to the use of serious games and simulations in higher education. Technological and pedagogical characteristics of these innovative learning tools are explored through this series, alongside their cultural, technological, and/or social contexts.

Edited by: Angel A. Juan, Birgit Loch, Sebastian Ventura, Thanasis Daradoumis

  1. This study investigated whether the use of a gamified mobile learning app influenced students’ academic performance and boosted their engagement in the subject. Created to better engage students in lecture con...

    Authors: Ekaterina Pechenkina, Daniel Laurence, Grainne Oates, Daniel Eldridge and Dan Hunter
    Citation: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 2017 14:31
  2. The focus of higher education institutions is the preparation of future professionals. To achieve this aim, innovative teaching methods are often deployed, including games and simulations, which form the subje...

    Authors: Dimitrios Vlachopoulos and Agoritsa Makri
    Citation: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 2017 14:22
  3. This study is grounded in a social-cultural framework that embeds learning in social activities, mediated by cultural tools and occurring through guided participation in the social practice of a particular com...

    Authors: Fan Zhang, David Kaufman, Robyn Schell, Glaucia Salgado, Erik Tiong Wee Seah and Julija Jeremic
    Citation: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 2017 14:16
  4. A scenario is a description of a series of interactions between a player and a virtual character for one-to-one communication skills training, where at each step the player is faced with a choice between state...

    Authors: Raja Lala, Johan Jeuring, Jordy van Dortmont and Marcell van Geest
    Citation: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 2017 14:17
  5. Although visualization remains a primary mode of interaction in simulations, touch is the most common way people use to interact with the physical objects. A greater sense of immersion in a learning environmen...

    Authors: Uzma A. S. Shaikh, Alejandra J. Magana, Luis Neri, David Escobar-Castillejos, Julieta Noguez and Bedrich Benes
    Citation: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 2017 14:15
  6. Increasing interest has been shown in using video games as an educational resource due to their pedagogical possibilities and their current expansion as an entertainment activity. However, their use in schools...

    Authors: Marta Martín del Pozo, Verónica Basilotta Gómez-Pablos and Ana García-Valcárcel Muñoz-Repiso
    Citation: International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 2017 14:11