The popularity of entertainment gaming over the last decades has led to the use of games for
non-entertainment purposes in areas such as training and business support. The emergence of the
serious games movement has capitalized on this interest in leisure gaming with an increase in
leisure game approaches in schools colleges universities and in professional training and
continuing professional development. The movement raises many significant issues and challenges
for us. How can gaming and simulation technologies be used to engage learners? How can games be
used to motivate deepen and accelerate learning? How can they be used to greatest effect in
learning and teaching? The contributors explore these and many other questions that are vital
to our understanding of the paradigm shift from conventional learning environments to learning
in games and simulations.
