Conference Co-Chairs:Jordi Sánchez Navarro and Daniel Aranda, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain

Programme Co-Chairs:Thomas Connolly and Mark Stansfield, University of the West of Scotland, UK

Keynote Speaker:Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen, IT-University of Copenhagen, Denmark, “Beyond Edutainment: The educational potential of computer games”

Call for Papers, Workshops and Tutorials

Over the last ten years, the way in which education and training is delivered has changed considerably with the advent of new technologies. One such new technology that holds considerable promise for helping to engage learners is Games-Based Learning (GBL). The Conference offers an opportunity for scholars and practitioners interested in the issues related to GBL to share their thinking and research findings. Papers can cover various issues and aspects of GBL in education and training: technology and implementation issues associated with the development of GBL; use of mobile and MMOGs for learning; pedagogical issues associated with GBL; social and ethical issues in GBL; GBL best cases and practices, and other related aspects. We are particularly interested in empirical research that addresses whether GBL enhances learning. This Conference provides a forum for discussion, collaboration and intellectual exchange for all those interested in any of these fields of research or practice.

The conference committee welcomes both academic and practitioner papers on a wide range of topics and a wide range of scholarly approaches including theoretical and empirical papers employing qualitative, quantitative and critical methods. Action research, case studies and research in practice are welcomed approaches. Work-in-progress, panel discussion, proposals for workshops and tutorials are also welcome. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:- Technology: Innovative games-based learning technologies, applications, tools and environments; Use of mobile games for learning; Technology for massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) for learning; Implementation issues associated with games-based learning. Pedagogy: Learning and instructional theory for games-based learning; “Serious” games; Role playing; Assessment in games-based learning; Evaluation of games-based learning; Use of narrative and storytelling; Use of audio; Case studies and best practices in the use of games-based learning; Future of games-based learning. Social and Ethical Issues: Social and collaborative aspects of games-based learning; Political education using games; Gender, age, cultural and violence issues; Ethical issues; Organisational issues associated with the implementation of GBL in education and training;

Submission details

Abstract details:The Abstract should be a minimum of 300 and no more than 500 words including up to five keywords and keyphrases to be received by 27 March 2008. Please read the abstract guidelines

Submission:Via the online submission form. Please ensure that all required fields are completed. Abstracts must include the proposed title for the paper, the full names first name and surname, not initials); postal addresses and email addresses of all authors and a telephone number for at least one contact author. Please indicate clearly if the contact author is not the lead author.

Full paper:Only required when the abstract has been selected and not to be more than 5,000 words including abstract, keywords and references (the Harvard referencing rules need to be followed). Submission date will be no later than 15 May 2008. Papers should be submitted as .doc or .rtf file attachments by email to the conference manager, Elaine Hayne