"Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced the final winners of this year's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract awards-funds that are reserved for entrepreneurial small businesses using cutting-edge R&D to develop commercially viable technologies to solve tough problems. And there's something that may surprise you about the winning contracts: More than half-or 12 in all-are for games and game-related projects, more than in any previous year. That says a lot about the increasingly creative field of educational games, and the growing base of evidence indicating that games can be an important and effective component of our strategy to prepare a highly skilled 21st century American workforce."
Abstract: "Phishing is a form of online identity theft, which
attempts to appropriate confidential and sensitive
information such as usernames and passwords from
its victims. To facilitate cyberspace as a secure
environment, phishing education needs to be made
accessible to home computer users and mobile
games enable embedded learning in a natural
environment. Previously, we have introduced a
mobile game design that aimed to enhance
avoidance motivation and behavior to protect
against phishing threats. This paper focuses on a
design that develops the conceptual knowledge that
is necessary to combat phishing threats, home
computer teaching users about phishing emails and
web addresses. The prototype game design is
presented on Google App Inventor Emulator."
A father describes how, despite his efforts to the contrary, both his sons are deeply involved in video games, highly accomplished, and travel great distances and time to visit fellow players and participate in gaming events. Whether this is at the expense of social skills, interactions and real life is considered.
Highlights two games, one designed an American and one designed by Chinese, one taking as its subject the end of American military hegemony, the other portraying American soldiers as "the enemy." Socio-political implications of these developments are discussed, particularly how these represent a break from mainstream video game content.