The “I’s” Have It: A Framework for Serious Educational Game Design

Serious educational games have become a topic that has seen increased popularity in recent years. This article describes lessons learned and a framework for people interested in designing educational games. Although there are many critical components of a quality educational game, a nested model of 6 elements for educational game design is presented. These nested elements are grounded in research and theory in both education and psychology, along with instructional technology and the learning sciences. The 6 elements of educational game design are derived from several studies on game design and development from Grade 5 through graduate school.