SIMPAR, a simulation game designed to allow participants to play out assigned roles which parallel some of the real life aspects of parent-child relationships, is presented. SIMPAR is a game about workers (children) and foremen (parents) in a handicapped work setting in a company called PARLINK, Inc. The following topics are covered: (1) an…

This high school environmental guide uses the Students Toward Environmental Participation (S.T.E.P.) approach. Activities are designed to develop an awareness of the purpose, interrelationship, and wholeness of the earth through activities, games and role-playing. Sample activities include: trust walk, scavenger hunt, nature collage, and alphabet…

An experimental application of gaming technique in an undergraduate course in urban planning is described. Student response, which was generally favorable, is also discussed. (VT)

Describes four simple learning games, providing a brief rationale, educational goals, implementation procedures, and tips for facilitating students' learning. The four games described are the Gender Reversal Game, the Humor Game, the Stratification Game, and the World System Game. (Author/JDH)

Since 1998, I've been experimenting with the use of role-playing games to teach astronomy. Students play the role of competing teams of researchers, racing to solve some astrophysical mystery. In this article, I review what has been learned from using these games around the world over the last eight years. The most common problem encountered is a…

The learning of science can be made more like the practice of science through authentic simulated experiences. We have created a networked handheld Augmented Reality environment that combines the authentic role-playing of Augmented Realities and the underlying models of Participatory Simulations. This game, known as Outbreak @ The Institute, is…

Designed to simulate a Senate committee hearing on software copyright laws, this role-playing game exposes students to a wide variety of viewpoints about software copying, including piracy. The game is structured to bring out as many points of view as possible; the goal of the simulation is exposure to these various points, not the final committee…

The feasibility of using simulation games as an instructional tool in the leisure services classroom is examined. (JD)

The Caltech political military exercise (PME) is a game in which players assume roles of leaders of various countries and attempt to act as they think these leaders would in a time of international crises. The main purposes of the exercise are (1) to provide students with an experience in crisis diplomacy and policy formation, and (2) to provide a…

Describes a fun game in which students act as electrons, protons, and neutrons. This activity is designed to help students develop a concrete understanding of the abstract concept of atomic structure. (DKM)

This article discusses the value of using fantasy and role playing games (FRPG) in the curriculum of gifted students. It lists ways that FRPG can supplement 26 academic subjects and develop 24 learning skills. Objections from religious groups to use of the games are addressed. Different types of games are compared. (CR)

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends 2014, taking place in Porto, Portugal, from 4 to 6 of April. Psychology, in our time, offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and behavioral…