Learn why games can be useful in learning and how to design them. Play some exemplary games that will help you understand the mechanics of game design and work incrementally towards designing and developing your own educational game prototype via game modifications ("mods"), engaging in gaming communities, evaluating existing games, building learning plans using games and learning the basics of a simple gaming shell language.
This was the most challenging course for me in the entire program but also one of the most rewarding. It combined elements of design, development, research, and theory all at once, which pushed me to think differently about how learning can be structured. The course was heavily influenced by Karl Kapp’s work on gamification, but it went beyond just adding game mechanics to learning. Instead, I learned how to design serious games that drive engagement and support learning objectives through meaningful decisions. Playing and analyzing games helped me break down the mechanics that make them effective and then applying those insights to my own game designs made the learning experience incredibly hands-on. The iterative nature of game design required constant testing, feedback, and revisions, which taught me a lot about persistence and problem solving in instructional design.
Throughout the course, I created multiple game-based learning experiences, including a narrative-driven Twine game for manufacturing quality control, an analog board game for driver’s education, and a top down sorting mini game in Construct 3. Developing these projects required me to think about how to align learning objectives naturally into game mechanics rather than just layering content onto a game like structure. My background in communication, media, and screenwriting unexpectedly became an asset, especially when designing engaging narratives and structuring decision making scenarios using principles like the Hero’s Journey. Late nights spent troubleshooting, iterating, and refining my designs reflects the idea that game-based learning is not just about entertainment, it’s about crafting meaningful, immersive learning experiences. I walked away from this course with a completely new perspective on instructional design and a toolkit for incorporating serious games into future learning solutions.