This is work that came out of my doctoral research. It connects the dots between accepted pedagogy and existing commercial games. Books, film, television, and indeed every other medium that came before them has been used and sometimes studied as media for the delivery of instruction. Outstanding examples of each medium have been applied to educative purposes with enduring results. Digital games are now also receiving attention in this context. This chapter shows how pedagogy connects with videogames by looking at a few well-known and commercially successful games through the lens of several known and accepted learning theories and styles, using the premise that “good” games already embody sound pedagogy in their designs even if the incorporation of those theories was not deliberate.

Chapter Goals

• Provide evidence that good games already implement sound pedagogy

1. Introduction
2. Studying the Masters
   1. Choosing Good Games
3. Instructional Design Theory
4. Game Elements