“Play to Learn: Exploring Online Educational Games in Museums” by Din

How does one embed authentic learning outcomes in designing online educational games especially in a museum context? How does one design an online educational game so children can play to learn about museum objects and exhibits? These are challenging questions. In order to provide an authentic learning experience for today’s learners, the choice of developing online educational games becomes a popular direction in current museum media. In order to enhance learning and teaching in the museum context, a good online educational game requires good graphics, good character development, good content, and applies constructive learning theory in the development of the game. Marvin Christensen (1995), writes that a constructivist teaching and learning model calls for learning as: hands-on, minds-on, and authentic learning. He states that,

“This approach to teaching and learning enables students to participate fully in a learning community where the teacher is not the only source of knowledge and information. It encourages full involvement in a community of learners that includes other students, parents, teachers, and outside experts. Technology becomes a tool, supporting the learning process as students seek new knowledge and understanding. The challenge is to define the new approach to teaching and learning with sufficient clarity that it becomes a useful vision for educators as they make decisions about instructional materials, activities, and strategies for teaching.”

By examining various types of museum online educational games, this paper hopes to provide an understanding of current museum gaming development.