Designing Educational Games and Simulations

Creating effective educational tools requires balancing engaging gameplay with clear learning outcomes. This text-only course guides you through the process of designing games and simulations that teach, inspire, and foster deep exploration. You will transition from a player or educator to an educational game designer. By understanding core learning theories, game mechanics, and simulation structures, you will know how to construct interactive experiences that make complex concepts easy to grasp. What you'll learn: - Understand the core principles of game-based learning and educational simulations. - Align game mechanics with specific educational objectives and learning standards. - Design interactive narratives, decision trees, and feedback loops that keep players engaged. - Apply modern gamification frameworks and motivation theories to learning environments. - Structure simulations for urban planning, scientific exploration, or historical inquiry. - Evaluate and playtest educational games to ensure both fun and learning efficacy. The course begins with foundational terminology and the cognitive science behind game-based learning. You will then progress through the step-by-step design process, exploring narrative branching, simulation modeling, and modern digital implementation strategies. This course is designed for educators, instructional designers, and aspiring game developers who want to create educational content. No prior programming or game design experience is required. Start your journey into educational game design and transform how people learn today.