What is it about SimCity, Civilization, etc. that makes them useful for learning?
A good paper that investigates the recent enthusiasm for educational gaming is assistant professor (Wisconsin-Madison) Kurt Squire’s Cultural Framing of Video Games (2002) found in the journal Game Studies. This paper directs researchers, politicians, game developers and the public in general toward some important issues. Questions addressed include: what are people learning about academic subjects playing games such as SimCity, Civilization, Tropico, or SimEarth? Might games be used in formal learning environments? Read the full paper by clicking on the link above.