Games and Simulations in Informal Science Education. WCER Working Paper No. 2010-14

This paper explores the possibilities and challenges games and simulations pose for informal science education. The authors begin with a brief overview of the recent history of games and games research. They then attempt to clarify the distinctions between games and simulations. Next, they examine types of informal learning environments--"structured" informal learning environments such as workshops and after-school programs and relatively "unstructured" learning environments such as home and online environments--contrasting them with more formal learning environments such as school. The authors then turn their focus to research on learning across these contexts. They conclude by offering some thoughts on the opportunities and challenges for informal science education with games. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, 6 footnotes, and 21 software citations.)