Game Lab - Serious Games
This course provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to design and develop serious games and gamified applications for purposeful use in contexts such as education, healthcare, sustainability, and corporate environments. By ‘serious games’, the course includes both educational games and social impact games, as well as gamification strategies. Students also learn about sustainability considerations and international perspectives in the design and application of serious games and gamified solutions.
Game Lab 3 is essentially a production course, centred on project-based teamwork and iterative design, while also integrating theoretical understanding, workshops, guest lectures, and supervision from academic staff and industry professionals. Students engage in iterative development, peer collaboration, and reflective practice throughout the course.
After completing the course, the student:
Knowledge
- has an understanding of key approaches, enablers, barriers, techniques, tools, and methods in serious games, including both educational and social impact games, as well as gamification
- is familiar with relevant research and development work and can relate it to real-world applications
- understands the historical development and societal impact of serious games and gamified systems
- recognises the importance of continuous professional development and staying updated with innovations in the field
- has knowledge of sustainability considerations and international perspectives in the design and application of serious games and gamified solutions
Skills
- can utilise relevant tools and techniques for creating and testing serious games and gamified systems, including workshopping, prototyping, and evaluation strategies
- can critically reflect on design and development processes, adapting based on feedback and supervision
- can identify, assets, and integrate the expertise of international stakeholders in the design, sustainability aspects and implementation of serious games and gamification
- can apply theoretical frameworks to practical challenges, making justified design choices
General competence
- has insight into relevant ethical and accessibility issues related to serious games and gamification
- can plan and execute production-oriented projects that adhere to ethical standards and accessibility guidelines, using project-based teamwork as the primary mode of learning and development
- can communicate theories, challenges, and solutions both orally, in writing, and through playable artefacts
- can engage in constructive discussions with peers and contribute to the development of concepts and practices in the field
The course combines lectures, workshops/seminars, project-based group work, guest lectures, and independent research. Students engage in iterative design and prototyping.
Attendance is expected for workshops and project sessions due to the collaborative nature of the work.
As a production course, Game Lab - Serious Games places particular emphasis on hands-on teamwork and the creation of playable prototypes, mirroring industry development practices.
Compound assessment (SV) Graded: A-F
Mandatory attendance (OD) (0/100) min. 80 % attendance in teaching activities
Exam:
Portfolio (MA) (100 /100), consisting of both individual and group components:
- Individual assessment (25/100) - participation in workshops/seminars, reflection log documenting process, and assigned tasks.
- Group project (3-6 individuals) (75/100) - collaborative design, development, documentation, and presentation of a serious game or gamified prototype.
Graded: A-F
