Epistemic games are computer games that can help players learn to think like engineers, urban planners, journalists, architects, and other innovative professionals, giving them the tools they need to survive in a changing world.
Based on more than a decade of research in technology, game science, and education, epistemic games revolutionize the ongoing debate about the pros and cons of digital learning to show the future of education in the digital age.
The word epistemology comes from the Greek root words episteme, meaning “knowledge” or “understanding,” and logos, meaning “thought” or “study.” Thus epistemology is the study of knowledge and what it means to know something.
Epistemic games are games that help players learn the ways of thinking–the epistemologies–of the digital age. (more…)
Welcome to the Epistemic Games website. Here you can…
Find out the latest updates on the games we develop…
Read more about research on epistemic games on our publications page…
See who is talking and writing about epistemic games and what they are saying…
View webcasts and other discussion about epistemic games…
Join the conversation about epistemic games and the future of education in the digital age…
Or, where can I buy a copy of these games?
The epistemic games you can learn about on this site are monument games: games designed to test new ideas about learning that have been studied in detail. They show how games can help young people learn to think in innovative ways for a changing world.
The disappointing news is that these games are not (yet) widely available. They were designed to be tested, not distributed.
The most comprehensive work to date on epistemic games:
How can we make sure that our kids are learning to be creative thinkers in a world of global competition? David Williamson Shaffer offers a fresh and powerful perspective on computer games and learning. How Computer Games Help Children Learn shows how video and computer games can help teach kids to build successful futures–but only if we think in new ways about education itself.
The epistemic games group is made up of researchers, educators, and game designers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. If you’re interested in building and studying epistemic games and the future of education, find out more about who we are, and what we do.
We’re always interested in talking with potential collaborators and new epistemic gamers….
This site has four main sections that you can explore:
Games - where you can learn about our different epistemic games
People - where you can learn about the members of our group
How Computer Games Help Children Learn - where you can find information about the book
Webcasts - where you can see recent presentations of our work
You can also look at:
Updates - the latest news about our games and research
Buzz - what people are saying about our work
Publications - to read what we’ve published recently
the Blog - our latest thoughts about games and education
As you move through the site, the blue navigation bar on the right lets you control what you see. So if you are looking at Games page, the navigation bar will show you a list of games you can read more about. If you choose one of the games, the bar will let you look at updates, buzz, publications, and the Blog about just that game.
We’ve tried to make the site informative and accessible, and hope that you’ll leave us comments on the postings to join the discussion!
David Williamson Shaffer, author of How Computer Games Help Children Learn is available for interviews. Please contact him by phone (+1 608 265 4602) or email (dws@education.wisc.edu). His bio and other information are available online.
A collection of images from epistemic games (with suggested captions) can be downloaded for news reports or other stories on our work.
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Read what people are saying about the definitive work on epistemic games...
A must read for anyone who cares about learning.
--Seymour Papert
Like Dewey, Piaget, and Papert before him, Shaffer challenges us to rethink learning in a new age.
--Kurt D. Squire
Beautifully written.... A tour de force.
--Deborah Lowe Vandell
This groundbreaking book... will benefit educators, school administrators, policy makers, and, most importantly, parents.
--Yam San Chee
The Epistemic Games Research Group is housed within the Educational Psychology Department and the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at
the School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.