<s>
An	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
is	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
that	O
provides	O
learning	O
or	O
training	O
value	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Edutainment	O
describes	O
an	O
intentional	O
merger	O
of	O
video	O
games	O
and	O
educational	B-Application
software	I-Application
into	O
a	O
single	O
product	O
(	O
and	O
could	O
therefore	O
also	O
comprise	O
more	O
serious	O
titles	O
sometimes	O
described	O
under	O
children	O
's	O
learning	B-Application
software	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
narrower	O
sense	O
used	O
here	O
,	O
the	O
term	O
describes	O
educational	B-Application
software	I-Application
which	O
is	O
primarily	O
about	O
entertainment	O
,	O
but	O
tends	O
to	O
educate	O
as	O
well	O
and	O
sells	O
itself	O
partly	O
under	O
the	O
educational	O
umbrella	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
play	O
a	O
significant	O
role	O
in	O
the	O
school	O
curriculum	O
for	O
teachers	O
who	O
seek	O
to	O
deliver	O
core	O
lessons	O
,	O
reading	O
and	O
new	O
skills	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
findings	O
have	O
made	O
teachers	O
all	O
over	O
the	O
world	O
recognize	O
the	O
numerous	O
benefits	O
of	O
gaming	O
and	O
to	O
include	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
learning	O
in	O
their	O
curricula	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
can	O
be	O
categorized	O
into	O
two	O
classes	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
are	O
aimed	O
to	O
encourage	O
creative	O
thinking	O
and	O
problem	O
solving	O
,	O
and	O
encourage	O
greater	O
interactivity	O
from	O
the	O
user	O
,	O
often	O
presented	O
in	O
non-linear	O
experiences	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Such	O
games	O
include	O
strategy	B-Application
war	I-Application
games	I-Application
that	O
include	O
historical	O
references	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
Total	O
War	O
franchise	O
or	O
the	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
trilogy	O
and	O
an	O
in-game	O
encyclopaedia	O
like	O
Civilization	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
City-building	B-Application
games	I-Application
such	O
as	O
the	O
SimCity	B-Application
series	O
and	O
Caesar	B-Application
(	O
1993	O
–	O
2006	O
)	O
invite	O
players	O
to	O
explore	O
the	O
social	O
,	O
practical	O
and	O
economic	O
processes	O
involved	O
in	O
city	O
management	O
;	O
</s>
<s>
Empire-building	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Civilization	B-Application
series	O
(	O
1991	O
–	O
2013	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
Europa	B-Application
Universalis	I-Application
series	I-Application
(	O
2000	O
–	O
2014	O
)	O
help	O
players	O
to	O
learn	O
about	O
history	O
and	O
its	O
political	O
,	O
economic	O
and	O
military	O
aspects	O
;	O
</s>
<s>
Railroad	O
management	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Railroad	B-Application
Tycoon	I-Application
(	O
1990	O
–	O
2003	O
)	O
and	O
Rails	B-Application
Across	I-Application
America	I-Application
(	O
2001	O
)	O
illuminate	O
the	O
history	O
,	O
engineering	O
and	O
economics	O
of	O
railroad	O
management	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Geography	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
PlaceSpotting	B-Application
(	O
2008	O
–	O
2009	O
)	O
help	O
players	O
to	O
find	O
locations	O
on	O
earth	O
according	O
to	O
some	O
hints	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Physics	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Quantum	B-Application
Moves	I-Application
and	O
A	B-Application
Slower	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
of	I-Application
Light	I-Application
aim	O
to	O
impart	O
intuition	O
for	O
complicated	O
physics	O
concepts	O
such	O
as	O
quantum	O
mechanics	O
and	O
special	O
relativity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Trading	O
and	O
commerce	O
based	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
The	B-Application
Patrician	I-Application
challenge	O
players	O
to	O
create	O
and	O
grow	O
a	O
trading	O
empire	O
managing	O
acquiring	O
,	O
processing	O
,	O
transporting	O
,	O
and	O
bartering	O
resources	O
within	O
a	O
limited	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
category	O
was	O
recently	O
started	O
by	O
Bot	B-Application
Colony	I-Application
(	O
2013	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Examples	O
of	O
children	O
's	O
learning	B-Application
software	I-Application
which	O
have	O
a	O
structured	O
pedagogical	O
approach	O
,	O
usually	O
orientated	O
towards	O
literacy	O
and	O
numeracy	O
skills	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Learning	O
Company	O
's	O
Reader	B-Application
Rabbit	I-Application
,	O
The	B-Application
ClueFinders	I-Application
and	O
Zoombinis	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
early	B-Application
mainframe	I-Application
game	I-Application
The	B-Application
Sumerian	I-Application
Game	I-Application
(	O
1964	O
)	O
was	O
,	O
while	O
not	O
the	O
first	O
resource	O
management	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
first	O
designed	O
for	O
elementary	O
school	O
students	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1970	O
Abt	O
published	O
a	O
book	O
on	O
the	O
topic	O
:	O
"	O
Serious	B-Application
games	I-Application
:	O
The	O
art	O
and	O
science	O
of	O
games	O
that	O
simulate	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
1983	O
the	O
Boston	O
Phoenix	O
reported	O
that	O
"	O
edutainment	O
"	O
games	O
were	O
a	O
new	O
focus	O
area	O
for	O
companies	O
after	O
end	O
of	O
growth	O
of	O
the	O
Atari	B-General_Concept
2600	I-General_Concept
software	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
then	O
,	O
many	O
other	O
computer	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
's	O
Seven	B-Application
Cities	I-Application
of	I-Application
Gold	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
1984	O
,	O
have	O
also	O
used	O
edutainment	O
as	O
a	O
descriptive	O
term	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Criticism	O
as	O
to	O
which	O
video	O
games	O
can	O
be	O
considered	O
educational	O
has	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
"	O
serious	B-Application
games	I-Application
"	O
whose	O
primary	O
focus	O
is	O
to	O
teach	O
rather	O
than	O
entertain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Likewise	O
,	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
well-designed	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
delivers	O
game	O
based	O
learning	O
that	O
can	O
motivate	O
students	O
to	O
participate	O
more	O
enthusiastically	O
in	O
subjects	O
,	O
including	O
those	O
that	O
are	O
often	O
less	O
popular	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
also	O
noted	O
that	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
offer	O
more	O
interaction	O
,	O
immediate	O
feedback	O
,	O
to	O
both	O
student	O
and	O
teacher	O
,	O
and	O
more	O
student	O
control	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
that	O
involve	O
aspects	O
of	O
reality	O
,	O
provide	O
students	O
with	O
opportunities	O
to	O
be	O
involved	O
in	O
an	O
interactive	O
environment	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
not	O
ordinarily	O
be	O
allowed	O
to	O
participate	O
in	O
but	O
from	O
the	O
safety	O
of	O
a	O
classroom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
military	O
also	O
utilizes	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ARMA	O
and	O
Socom	B-Application
franchises	O
in	O
their	O
training	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
authors	O
have	O
noted	O
the	O
educational	O
potential	O
of	O
games	O
like	O
The	B-Application
Sims	I-Application
(	O
for	O
its	O
social	O
simulation	O
)	O
or	O
the	O
Civilization	B-Application
series	O
(	O
for	O
its	O
historical	O
and	O
strategy	O
elements	O
)	O
,	O
concluding	O
that	O
video	O
games	O
as	O
a	O
whole	O
promote	O
intellectual	O
development	O
,	O
and	O
suggest	O
that	O
players	O
can	O
use	O
them	O
to	O
develop	O
knowledge	O
strategies	O
,	O
practice	O
problem-solving	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
improve	O
spatial	O
skills	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
some	O
evidence	O
which	O
shows	O
that	O
for	O
young	O
children	O
,	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
promote	O
student	O
engagement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Video	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Minecraft	B-Application
and	O
Portal	B-Application
have	O
been	O
suggested	O
as	O
platforms	O
for	O
teachers	O
to	O
experiment	O
with	O
their	O
educational	O
abilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Minecraft	B-Application
is	O
a	O
sandbox	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
user	O
can	O
create	O
objects	O
using	O
the	O
crafting	O
system	O
,	O
while	O
Portal	B-Application
is	O
a	O
physics	O
game	O
:	O
the	O
player	O
uses	O
the	O
laws	O
of	O
physics	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
gravity	O
and	O
inertia	O
,	O
to	O
advance	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
series	O
of	O
test	O
chambers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Minecraft	B-Application
and	O
Portal	B-Application
are	O
adaptable	O
to	O
some	O
learning	O
environments	O
;	O
for	O
instance	O
,	O
Minecraft	B-Application
has	O
been	O
used	O
for	O
young	O
children	O
while	O
Portal	B-Application
has	O
been	O
used	O
by	O
high	O
school	O
physics	O
teachers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Portal	B-Application
2	O
has	O
also	O
been	O
used	O
to	O
develop	O
cognitive	O
skills	O
in	O
older	O
undergraduate	O
students	O
,	O
however	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
2017	O
study	O
found	O
that	O
games	O
including	O
Portal	B-Application
2	O
,	O
Borderlands	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
Gone	B-Application
Home	I-Application
and	O
Papers	B-Application
,	I-Application
Please	I-Application
may	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
range	O
of	O
skills	O
in	O
undergraduate	O
students	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
communication	O
,	O
resourcefulness	O
and	O
adaptability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instructors	O
assigned	O
groups	O
of	O
students	O
to	O
play	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
SPORE	B-Application
in	O
a	O
freshman	O
undergraduate	O
biology	O
course	O
on	O
evolution	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
group	O
of	O
students	O
that	O
was	O
assigned	O
to	O
play	O
SPORE	B-Application
and	O
complete	O
related	O
exercises	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
five	O
sessions	O
throughout	O
the	O
semester	O
,	O
had	O
average	O
class	O
scores	O
about	O
4%	O
higher	O
than	O
the	O
non-gaming	O
group	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
inaccuracies	O
helped	O
to	O
stimulate	O
critical	O
thinking	O
in	O
students	O
;	O
one	O
student	O
said	O
it	O
helped	O
her	O
understand	O
"	O
the	O
fine	O
parts	O
of	O
natural	B-Application
selection	I-Application
,	O
artificial	O
selection	O
,	O
survival	O
of	O
the	O
fittest	O
,	O
and	O
genetic	O
diversity	O
because	O
of	O
the	O
errors	O
within	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Students	O
who	O
have	O
played	O
Europa	B-Application
Barbarorum	I-Application
had	O
knowledge	O
of	O
historical	O
geography	O
beyond	O
the	O
scope	O
taught	O
during	O
the	O
basic	O
ancient	O
history	O
course	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
were	O
able	O
to	O
identify	O
the	O
most	O
important	O
stages	O
of	O
civilization	B-Application
development	O
in	O
the	O
case	O
of	O
states	O
of	O
the	O
Hellenistic	O
era	O
and	O
were	O
very	O
knowledgeable	O
about	O
military	O
history	O
and	O
history	O
of	O
art	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
source	O
studied	O
teachers	O
using	O
Civilization	B-Application
III	O
in	O
high	O
school	O
history	O
classrooms	O
,	O
both	O
during	O
and	O
after	O
school	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
students	O
,	O
particularly	O
high-performing	O
students	O
,	O
were	O
concerned	O
about	O
how	O
it	O
could	O
affect	O
their	O
studies	O
;	O
they	O
felt	O
that	O
"	O
Civilization	B-Application
III	O
was	O
insufficient	O
preparation	O
for	O
the	O
'	O
game	O
 '	O
of	O
higher	O
education.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
tutorials	O
for	O
Civilization	B-Application
V	O
take	O
an	O
hour	O
to	O
finish	O
,	O
and	O
complete	O
games	O
can	O
take	O
tens	O
of	O
hours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
example	O
of	O
this	O
would	O
be	O
in	O
first-person	O
shooter	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Call	B-Application
of	I-Application
Duty	I-Application
franchise	O
(	O
although	O
these	O
games	O
are	O
violent	O
by	O
nature	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
have	O
been	O
subject	O
to	O
massive	O
negative	O
reception	O
by	O
parents	O
with	O
varying	O
justification	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
Call	B-Application
of	I-Application
Duty	I-Application
franchise	O
itself	O
falls	O
short	O
of	O
actual	O
tactical	O
strategy	O
or	O
realism	O
in	O
depth	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
many	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
genre	O
(	O
first-person	O
shooters	O
)	O
from	O
which	O
one	O
can	O
learn	O
key	O
skills	O
from	O
the	O
games	O
:	O
they	O
stimulate	O
the	O
player	O
at	O
the	O
cognitive	O
level	O
as	O
they	O
move	O
through	O
the	O
level	O
,	O
mission	O
,	O
or	O
game	O
as	O
a	O
whole	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
games	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Guitar	B-Application
Hero	I-Application
and	O
Rock	B-Application
Band	I-Application
franchises	O
,	O
have	O
been	O
used	O
to	O
provide	O
insight	O
to	O
the	O
basic	O
nature	O
of	O
education	O
in	O
video	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Games	O
similar	O
in	O
nature	O
to	O
Animal	B-Application
Crossing	I-Application
give	O
the	O
opportunity	O
for	O
its	O
players	O
to	O
practice	O
multiple	O
life	O
applicable	O
skills	O
such	O
as	O
time	O
management	O
,	O
materialistic	O
value	O
,	O
investing	O
in	O
payment	O
plans	O
,	O
skill	O
building	O
,	O
and	O
more	O
day	O
to	O
day	O
neighborhood	O
based	O
activities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
targeted	O
towards	O
those	O
with	O
special	O
education	O
needs	O
include	O
virtual	O
reality	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
can	O
provide	O
knowledge	O
building	O
experiences	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
help	O
learners	O
in	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
reading	O
comprehension	O
and	O
cognitive	O
skills	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
introducing	O
them	O
to	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
parents	O
and	O
teachers	O
can	O
make	O
children	O
interested	O
in	O
technology	O
and	O
technical	O
skills	O
from	O
an	O
early	O
age	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
are	O
important	O
for	O
individualized	O
learning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Research	O
shows	O
that	O
children	O
who	O
play	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
have	O
improved	O
visual-spatial	O
skills	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Children	O
who	O
play	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
have	O
sharpened	O
visual	O
attention	O
skills	O
and	O
improved	O
capacity	O
to	O
visualize	O
3D	O
objects	O
(	O
Achtman	O
et	O
al	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Furthermore	O
,	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
as	O
they	O
improve	O
their	O
aim	O
and	O
hand-eye	O
coordination	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
the	O
major	O
limitations	O
of	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
is	O
that	O
they	O
leave	O
little	O
room	O
for	O
spontaneous	O
play	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
has	O
been	O
noted	O
that	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
can	O
help	O
students	O
focus	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
once	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
ended	O
many	O
find	O
it	O
hard	O
to	O
adapt	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
slower	O
pace	O
of	O
receiving	O
information	O
in	O
the	O
classroom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Using	O
educational	B-Application
computer	I-Application
games	I-Application
also	O
relies	O
on	O
the	O
teacher	O
having	O
prior	O
knowledge	O
of	O
how	O
the	O
game	O
works	O
and	O
be	O
somewhat	O
computer	O
literate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Regardless	O
of	O
the	O
enthusiasm	O
surrounding	O
video	O
games	O
and	O
learning	O
,	O
very	O
few	O
studies	O
have	O
come	O
to	O
a	O
conclusive	O
answer	O
as	O
to	O
whether	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
improve	O
academic	O
achievement	O
and	O
classroom	O
performance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Only	O
additional	O
research	O
could	O
tell	O
whether	O
playing	O
educational	B-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
improves	O
classroom	O
behaviour	O
and	O
academic	O
skills	O
.	O
</s>
