Project Details

"Simulation and Advanced Gaming Environments (SAGE) for Learning" is a SSHRC funded project exploring the potential of simulations and games to support learning in light of new technologies, new media and our knowledge of how people learn. The bilingual project responds to (1) the exploding popularity of technology-based games and simulations for entertainment; (2) availability of new technologies for appealing, immersive, engaging games and simulations (for example, the Internet, handhelds and cell phones, realistic graphics, and expanding computing and networking power); and (3) growing evidence that learning works best when people collaborate, practice and reflect on their learning. This research will help us to better understand learning in these environments and to improve our ability to enhance learning in real-world practical contexts. We are concentrating on simulations and games in health-related learning, in areas such as medical education, health promotion, and public health education.

1. Identify factors in games that lead to play, motivation, and immersion experiences, and their relationship to learning outcomes
2. Develop a broad framework of features from which specific templates for games with educational purposes can be designed
3. Develop two prototypes in the health domain to illustrate and test the validity of the framework

SAGE CITY Demo

We have developed a front-end interface, called SAGE City, to support our gaming framework. This interface can be easily customized for different disorders or treatments programs since the framework is not tied to any specific games. A demo of the interface is available for download.