Katrin Becker & Jim Parker (2012) Serious Instructional Design: ID for Digital Simulations and Games SITE 2012–Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2012, Austin, Texas, USA; March 5-9, 2012

1. “If we teach today's students
as we did yesterday's, we are
robbing them of tomorrow.”
— John Dewey Serious
Instructional
Design:
ID for Digital
Simulations and
Games
Katrin Becker
&
Jim Parker
Katrin Becker, Jim Parker Serious Instructional Design - 2012 1

2. Inception
When gamers make games we often
get hollow games.
Skinning a game with ‘learnin’
When educators 
make games we “edufication”
often get
“edutainment”
Wrapping a game around
instruction

“education (is) a bitter medicine
that needs the sugar-coating of
entertainment to become
palatable” M.Resnick
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3. Is Focused Design Necessary?
Instructional
Game Designers:
Designers:
All we need is sound
All we need is
game design.
sound instructional
design.
NEITHER are sufficient.
The need for accuracy* necessitates the
incorporation of simulation design principles.
*Accuracy applies to
some aspects only.
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4. All (Digital) Games are Simulations
Experimental Experiential
Answer a Provide an experience
“What If?”
question.
Katrin Becker, Jim Parker Serious Instructional Design - 2012 4

5. Is Focused Design Necessary?
Instructional Game Design:
Design: focus is on
focus is on experience
content
Simulation:
focus is on
accurate
model implementation
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6. Designing Instruction
A.D.D.I.E.
Katrin Becker, Jim Parker Serious Instructional Design - 2012 6

7. Designing Simulations • Define Original
System
• Gather Data 
Conceptual Model
• Validate
• Create Operational
Model
• Verify
• Translate into
Simulation
• Test
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8. Designing Why are we
playing?
Games
Where are we
playing?
How are we
playing?
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9. Synergy:
Serious
Instructional
Design
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10. Thanks!
The Guide to Computer Simulations and Ga
Jim Parker Katrin Becker
Katrin Becker, Jim Parker Serious Instructional Design - 2012 10