Erasmus University Rotterdam

Serious Gaming

Taught in English

Some content may not be translated

23,423 already enrolled

Course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals

Jeroen Jansz
Mijke Slot

Instructors: Jeroen Jansz

4.6

(346 reviews)

9 hours to complete
3 weeks at 3 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

6 quizzes

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Placeholder
Placeholder

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV

Share it on social media and in your performance review

Placeholder

There are 6 modules in this course

Get ready to immerse yourself! This is the first week of the serious gaming course of Erasmus University Rotterdam. Although probably all of you have some personal experience with playing entertainment games – serious games are less known. To be able to study the subject, we first need to understand what serious games are. Therefore, we start this course by defining serious games and showing you what characteristics they have. Also, you might wonder if there is a clear difference between entertainment games and serious games; can entertainment games teach? Can serious games entertain? You will get an answer to these questions. Before we officially start, you might want to get an overview of the course and what you can expect the coming weeks. To make it easier for you to schedule your own learning path, we recommend that you watch the video: What can you expect of this course?

What's included

4 videos2 readings1 quiz1 discussion prompt

Now that we know what serious games are, we take you a level deeper. In this module we will provide you with two perspectives on games: the cultural perspective and the psychological perspective. The cultural perspective shows us how play and culture are connected. Humans are playful, and play serves a social function in our society. The psychological perspective explains in more depth why we keep on playing a game, even though we sometimes lose or get stuck in a level. You will learn about what is so motivating about games. We will not only discuss theories, but also give you a practical example of a serious game that encourages commuters to leave their car at home more often.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 quiz1 discussion prompt

From a brain training game to a game that simulates working in the emergency room in the hospital; throughout this MOOC, you will learn that serious games are applicable in various situations. In this module, we will introduce you to a taxonomy of serious games; a classification of the different kinds of serious games. Gamification is the lightest form of serious games - game elements are used in a non-game context. Simulations are the most immersive and 'serious' type of serious games. Players can actually practice a certain skill in a game. In this module, you will not only get explanation, you can also take a look at three case studies.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 quiz2 discussion prompts

So far you have learned what serious games are, how they are different from entertainment games and other media products, and you have seen a range of domains where serious games can be used. This module, we will dive into the way serious games work. How can a game influence the attitude of a player? You will be introduced to persuasive games. Rhetoric and psychological theories will help you to understand how the process of persuasion works. And we will analyze in practice how persuasive games can help us to feel empathy for poverty-stricken teenagers, what it feels like to have autism or understand the impact of gun violence.

What's included

4 videos3 readings1 quiz

By now you probably wonder to what extent serious games actually reach their desired outcome. This seems to be the million-dollar-question, because when an organization invests serious money in a serious game, they would like to be sure it works. But the answer is not that simple. To know more about impact, you need to know more about what it means, its complexities and understand what we already know about the impact of serious games. You will need this knowledge to be able to assess claims on certain impacts serious games can have. This module, we do not have a separate case-study, but we invited three serious games researchers to a round table in the studio, in which they will tell you about their own case studies and research projects. Put on your lab coat!

What's included

6 videos2 readings1 quiz

This is the final module of this course. Now you know and understand many aspects of serious games, and are aware of state-of-the-art research concerning the persuasiveness and impact of serious games, it is interesting to look forward. Although we do not own a crystal ball, we will explore some possible futures of serious games. Will we be playing games in virtual reality, or will we guide our game characters with our brains? We will discuss two technological developments in more detail; virtual reality and augmented reality. But before we look forward, this module will also provide you with a brief overview of all the things we have discussed so far. At the end, you will find the final quiz to test your knowledge gained throughout this course. Good luck!

What's included

3 videos2 readings1 quiz1 discussion prompt

Instructors

Instructor ratings
4.7 (77 ratings)
Jeroen Jansz
Erasmus University Rotterdam
1 Course23,423 learners
Mijke Slot
Erasmus University Rotterdam
1 Course23,423 learners

Offered by

Recommended if you're interested in Education

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.
Learner since 2018
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

Showing 3 of 346

4.6

346 reviews

  • 5 stars

    68.87%

  • 4 stars

    22.19%

  • 3 stars

    6.05%

  • 2 stars

    2.30%

  • 1 star

    0.57%

SC
5

Reviewed on Aug 21, 2022

JS
5

Reviewed on Nov 1, 2022

LS
5

Reviewed on Mar 8, 2022

Placeholder

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 7,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Frequently asked questions