Serious Games for Public Safety: How Gamified Education Can Teach Ontarians Emergency Preparedness

According to the Canadian Emergencies act, a national emergency is an urgent, critical situation that threatens the health and safety of Canadians (Department of Justice of Canada, 2022). Emergencies can also take on many forms: pandemics, natural disasters, civil unrest, or armed conflict. Currently, the Provincial Emergency Response Plan implemented by the Chief of Emergency Management Ontario is the framework that keeps Ontarians safe, allowing for organizations and municipalities to organize disaster relief, send out emergency alerts, and educate Ontario residents on emergency preparedness (PERP, 2019). This paper explores how serious games can prepare the public for emergencies based on response frameworks currently in use in metropolitan Ontario, Canada (cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, and Hamilton). This example was selected because it represents modern urban settings that require response plans and provides a framework that can be used to elaborate on. This paper will present the positive features of serious game applications concerning public safety and emergency management education. Case studies of serious game applications currently used for public health and safety purposes will be examined. Serious games may be a useful instrument for public safety education to enhance existing emergency preparedness and public safety education frameworks

Usage of Simulation Games in Higher Educational Institutions teaching Economics and Business

Higher education institutions are embracing technology development and innovative teaching methods in order to prepare their students to be future professionals. New teaching frameworks extend existing learning approaches and set students as main characters of the learning process, which shifts the focal point from educators to students developing their abilities and knowledge. Psychology experts distinguished the role of games and play as an important factor in intellectual development a long time ago. Simulation games in education are widely acknowledged as highly effective methods, which produce numerous positive effects such as higher performance, engagement, and learning motivation. In this paper, we aimed to investigate the usage of simulation games in higher education institutions. The survey research has been conducted on a sample of 180 lectures at several faculties of economics in numerous European countries. The main goal of the paper is to investigate what is the level of usage of simulation games at faculties of economics, with the specific goals of comparing simulation games to the other types of teaching and discuss their advantages as well as barriers towards their usage. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</p

Systematic Review of Education Games in Science Learning: Teachers and Students of Basic Education

The lack of ability of students in learning science in elementary schools and the lack of ability of teachers in providing supportive teaching media according to the characteristics of students who have difficulty causing the learning process cannot achieve the desired results. Thus, it affects the learning process, low learning outcomes, and student’ cognitive abilities. Therefore, this study aims to determine the types of educational game-based teaching media in science learning in elementary schools and the effectiveness of using educational game-based teaching media used in science learning in elementary schools. The method used was a systematic literature review using PRISMA diagrams. The database used for the literature search employed three digital libraries, namely Scopus, Springer Link, and WOS (Web of Science). For the selected literature to be relevant, the searcher used the keyword "educational games." In addition, screening was committed to obtaining scientific article publications from 2016 to 2021, which discussed the use of educational game-based teaching media in science learning in elementary schools. The search results for scientific articles contained 36 articles to be analyzed and synthesized. The analysis technique used was a narrative method by grouping the extracted data. The results of this study showed that the types of educational game-based teaching media used in science learning were the mixing method, literature review, qualitative, and experimental method. The use of multi-representation-based teaching materials has been demonstrated to be effective in the science learning process in elementary schools.

The Distant Horizon: investigating the relationship between social sciences academic research and game development

Research in the social sciences devotes a great amount of attention to investigating the impact of video games on the individual and on society. However, results generated by this research often fail to inform game development. The present study investigated the outreach of research conducted by the academic community by interviewing 30 game developers and 14 researchers, highlighting critical aspects in the relationship between game research and game industry. Specifically, we found that the difference in priorities, speed cycles, and dissemination practices between these two contexts hinder communication. Subsequently, we carried out a focus group for a set of developers and researchers (N=6) with the aim of eliciting recommendation for improving communication between academics and developers. Among the recommendations to emerge were calls to diversify dissemination channels, promote joint conferences and develop research-production partnerships. It was felt such measures could strengthen the influence of research results outside the academic community

Development of a Database of Educational Games Applicable to Production Engineering

Discussion over the years regarding the quality of newly graduated engineers in Brazil has concluded that there are gaps between learning and market expectations. Analyzing the current scenario, the Ministry of Education (MEC) has approved new national curriculum guidelines that emphasize skills development and the adoption of active methodologies. The aim is to develop students as protagonists of their own learning. One of these methodologies is game-based learning (GBL), which utilizes games for educational purposes to integrate theory and practice. GBL simulates reality and presents concepts in a playful way, resulting in greater student engagement and interest. However, research shows that a lack of knowledge and difficulty accessing such games are barriers to implementing this methodology. Previous research has focused on the development of serious game metadata (SGM), the establishment of controlled vocabularies, and the identification of educational games targeting production engineering (PE). The authors of the present paper developed a database focused on the disciplines and content covered in production engineering courses. The paper describes the database and its aims to: (a) increase the use of games in the teaching-learning process; (b) make the process more effective; and (c) prepare better professionals

Perspectivas de los estudiantes sobre la inclusión de videojuegos en el aprendizaje

Los videojuegos representan una alternativa tecnológica para lograr la innovación en el campo educativo. Por esta razón, esta investigación mixta analiza la percepción de los estudiantes de Facultad Negocios sobre la incorporación de esta herramienta digital en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. La muestra está compuesta por 132 alumnos que cursan las carreras de Administración, Contaduría, Comercio, Mercadotecnia e Informática en la Universidad La Salle México. Por medio del enfoque cuantitativo se evalúan la inclusión de los videojuegos para desarrollar las capacidades sobre la aplicación de los contenidos teóricos, el aprendizaje, la generación de nuevas ideas, el espíritu competitivo, la creatividad y la adaptación a nuevas situaciones. Asimismo, el enfoque cualitativo analiza el uso de este software para la construcción de entornos interactivos y dinámicos. Los resultados obtenidos permiten afirman que los videojuegos representan un medio idóneo para perfeccionar las competencias de los universitarios. En conclusión, los docentes deben identificar las nuevas tecnologías de información y comunicación que faciliten la asimilación del conocimiento y el desarrollo de las habilidades

Perspectives of students on the inclusion of video games in learning

URL del artículo en la web de la Revista: https://www.upo.es/revistas/index.php/IJERI/article/view/2613Los videojuegos representan una alternativa tecnológica para lograr la innovación en el campo educativo. Por esta razón, esta investigación mixta analiza la percepción de los estudiantes de Facultad Negocios sobre la incorporación de esta herramienta digital en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. La muestra está compuesta por 132 estudiantes que cursan las carreras de Administración, Contaduría, Comercio, Mercadotecnia e Informática en la Universidad La Salle México. Por medio del enfoque cuantitativo se evalúan la inclusión de los videojuegos para desarrollar las capacidades sobre la aplicación de los contenidos teóricos, el aprendizaje, la generación de nuevas ideas, el espíritu competitivo, la creatividad y la adaptación a nuevas situaciones. Asimismo, el enfoque cualitativo analiza el uso de este software para la construcción de entornos interactivos y dinámicos. Los resultados obtenidos permiten afirman que los videojuegos representan un medio idóneo para perfeccionar las competencias del alumnado. En conclusión, los docentes deben identificar las nuevas tecnologías de información y comunicación que faciliten la asimilación del conocimiento y el desarrollo de las habilidades.Video games represent a technological alternative to achieve innovation in the educational field. For this reason, this mixed research analyzes the perception of students of Business School about the incorporation of this digital tool in the teaching-learning process. The sample is composed of 132 students who attend the courses of Administration, Accounting, Commerce, Marketing and Computer Science at La Salle University in Mexico. Through the quantitative approach, the inclusion of video games evaluated the development of the skills about the application of theoretical contents, learning, generation of new ideas, competitive spirit, creativity and adaptation to new situations. Also, the qualitative approach analyzes the use of this software for the construction of interactive and dynamic environments. The results obtained allow affirming that video games represent an ideal media to improve the competences of university students. In conclusion, teachers should identify new information and communication technologies that facilitate the assimilation of knowledge and the development of skills.Universidad Pablo de Olavid

Strategies, resources and interactions in class: contributions for postgraduate training in administration and related fields

El artículo presenta una reflexión sobre las estrategias pedagógicas, recursos para la enseñanza e interacciones en clase desde la perspectiva de la formación, con la inquietud de animar y enaltecer prácticas pedagógicas transformadoras, inspiradas en el diálogo reflexivo, el trabajo colaborativo y el aprendizaje significativo en posgrados y, particularmente, para el caso de la administración y afines. Teóricamente se parte de dos nociones principales. La primera refiere a la formación, comprendida como un proceso permanente y dinámico de creación, y que tiene como propósito fundamental el dar forma de manera continua y consciente a la potencialidad de la persona en entornos complejos y cambiantes. La segunda alude a la práctica pedagógica, entendida como la experiencia deliberada y reflexiva de profesores y estudiantes alrededor del acto formativo, esto es, da cuenta de los modos en que los actores educativos producen, experimentan, reflexionan y apropian particulares estrategias pedagógicas, recursos e interacciones en clase. El abordaje metodológico utilizado es cualitativo y privilegia las técnicas de consulta y análisis documental, fundamentalmente. Con estos dispositivos se busca orientar presentes y futuras apuestas pedagógicas para programas posgraduales en administración y campos afines. Como principales hallazgos se identifican aperturas pedagógicas y didácticas para el trabajo formativo; pautas de reflexión sobre la actividad docente y observaciones acompañadas de un ejercicio de retroalimentación que invita a los directivos a pensar la enseñanza de la administración y afines con una trascendencia cognitiva, social y ética, además de incorporar y fortalecer la formación docente como ámbito generador de prácticas pedagógicas innovadoras.The article presents a reflection on pedagogical strategies, resources for teaching and interactions in class from the perspective of training, with the aim of encouraging and exalting transformative pedagogical practices, inspired by reflective dialogue, collaborative work and meaningful learning in postgraduate studies and, particularly, in the case of administration and related subjects. Theoretically, it starts from two main notions. The first refers to training, understood as a permanent and dynamic process of creation, and whose main purpose is to continuously and consciously shape the potential of the person in complex and changing environments. The second refers to the pedagogical practice, understood as the deliberate and reflexive experience of teachers and students around the training act, that is, it gives an account of the ways in which educational actors produce, experience, reflect and appropriate particular pedagogical strategies, resources and class interactions. The methodological approach used is qualitative, and it privileges consultation techniques and documentary analysis, fundamentally. With these devices we seek to guide present and future educational efforts for postgraduate programs in administration and related fields. As main findings, pedagogical and didactic openings for training work are identified; patterns of reflection on teaching activity and observations accompanied by a feedback exercise that invites managers to think about administration and related teachings with a cognitive, social and ethical significance, as well as incorporating and strengthening teacher training as a generating environment for innovative pedagogical practices