1) The document discusses using the simulation game SimCity to teach sustainable urban planning. Students play SimCity as part of a course project to design sustainable cities. 2) Data shows students who used SimCity scored higher on learning outcomes related to evaluating sustainability and producing urban development plans compared to previous cohorts. 3) Students reported being immersed in their projects through SimCity and receiving immediate feedback to improve their designs, compared to traditional classroom instruction.

1. RizaAtiq Abdullah bin O.K. Rahmat, Kamisah
Osman, Normah Abdul Aziz

2. Introduction
 Learning can be fun with computer game
just as the computer game in entertainment
industry. Students can be immersed in their
study just like players of computer game. In
addition computer game can be played
anywhere and anytime with the
advancement of computer and tablet
technology, so the computer game based
learning (Teed 2012) For these reasons,
SimCity, a simulation game of city
development was introduced in Urban
Sustainable Development course in 2011

3. Game Based Learning Theory
….
 Computer game can give many
dimensions of the real world in a box
which is very difficult to achieve in the
traditional class room instruction.
 The games are also can harness the
abundant of knowledge in the internet as
compared limited source of knowledge
in the class room
(Foreman, 2004).

4. Introduction …..
 The Sustainable Urban Planning course
is offered to final year Civil Engineering
student to instilled awareness among
future engineers. This course was
suggested by an international advisor to
civil engineering program in 2005.

5. Game Based Learning
Theory
Computer game can be a powerful
learning tool if the game is designed:
 to give players with immediate feedback,
 clear learning objective
 challenges that are matched to his or
her skill level
(Kiili, 2005).

6. Game Based Learning Theory
….
A computer game can be a good learning media when it
has the followings characteristic:
 give knowledge-construction process to allow
students to construct their own knowledge effectively,
 provide multi perspective view to broaden student
view,
 provide realistic and relevant contexts,
 embed social experience such as multi player
experience,
 give ownership of learning to the players,
 give awareness of knowledge construction process
 represent the learning in process in multiple mode
(Pivect, et al. 2003)

7. Experiment
 Sustainable Urban Planning Course
 subjective in nature: not attractive
 Project based + game : Kajang development
plan
 Case studies of the best practices before
embarking to the project
 SimCity: socio-economic analysis, land-use
planning and visual presentation
 The game is an additional to the project report

8. SimCity
The game allows players to
create a region of land
by transforming, and then to
design and build a settlement
which can grow into a city.
Players can zone different areas
of land
as commercial, industrial, or resi
dential development, as well as
build and maintain public
services, transport and utilities.
For the success of a city, players
must manage
its finances, environment, and qu

9. Project Presentation

10. Project Presentation

11. Project Presentation

12. CO Achievement
Cohort 2009- Cohort 2010- Cohort 2011-
2010 2011 2012
CO Ability to evaluate 4.19 4.23 4.54
1 sustainability of a city
CO Ability to evaluate best 4.21 4.19 4.48
2 practices in sustainable
urban planning
CO Ability to evaluate 3.35 3.32 3.42
3 sustainability of urban
development’s components
CO Ability to produce 4.15 4.15 4.46
4 sustainable urban
development plan for
existing mid-size Malaysian
town
CO Ability to present 4.10 4.12 4.38
5 sustainable urban
development plan
Average Achievement 4.00 4.00 4.25

13. CO Achievement
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
Cohort 2009-2010
2.5
Cohort 2010-2011
Cohort 2011-2012
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
CO1 CO2 CO3 CO4 CO5 Average

14. Students’ Feedback
 The simulation provides visualisation of their
ideas
 The simulation provides feedback on their
proposal in term of sustainability and they can
make adjustment for improvement
 They are immersed in their project and feel they
are playing instead of carrying out stressful
project.
 Only 5% of the students drop this course
compared to about one-fourth to one-third in
previous cohorts

15. Conclusion
 SimCity provides good video image and
feedback on urban design, public utilities
and sustainable parameters such as
energy usage, water supply and other
residence basic necessity.
 The students experienced contextual
learning when they play and as a result
their course learning outcomes’
achievement was improved.