The field of Games is rapidly expanding, prompting institutions throughout the world to create game development programs and courses focusing on educational games. As a result, games have also become a hot topic in the area of educational technology research. This increased interest is due to the technological advancement of digital games and the fact that a new, digital generation is emerging with a strong gaming background. Games: Purpose and Potential in Education focuses on the issues of incorporating games into education and instructional design. Ideas of identity development, gender diversity, motivation, and integrating instructional design within game development are addressed since each of these areas is important in the field of instructional design and can have a significant impact on learning. This volume brings together leading experts, researchers, and instructors in the field of gaming and explores current topics in gaming and simulations, available resources, and the future of the field.

The field of games is a rapidly expanding field. In many institutions throughout the world, an explosion of growth has been seen in the creation of game development programs as well as courses focusing on educational games. Games have also become a hot topic in the area of educational technology research. The expansion of interest in educational gaming is due to the increased advancement of digital games and the fact that the Net or Digital Generation has literally grown up surrounded by the idea of gaming. Whether it be role play games, collectible card games, board games, or computer and console video games, a new generation is emerging with a strong gaming background.

Games: Purpose and Potential in Education focuses on issues of how games can fit into education and instructional design. Some of these specific topics relate the ideas of identity development, gender diversity, motivation, and integrating instructional design with game development. Each of these areas is important in the field of instructional design and can have a large impact on learning.

This volume brings together leading experts, researchers, and instructors in the field of educational games and explores many of the current topics in the field of educational games and simulations, the future potential of the field, and resources related to educational games and simulations.