Utilization of Digital Games in Built Environment Education

Abstract

In this age, it is an accepted fact that architecture is not a phenomenon which comes into existence, only when it is constructed, but even the ideas which are at the stage of abstract thought, which have not been transformed into concrete buildings are also products of architecture. To this respect, it is possible to grind the rigid boundaries of architecture education and to bring new expansions to education. Many methods, as a support to the conventional ones, are used to equip the individuals, up to a level of necessities of the time, who have communed with technology since their birth. Digital game based learning is one of the innovative and inventive approaches. Utilization of learning via digital games in architecture and related fields may incur several reasons. As literature is reviewed, it is seen that different digital games were utilized for different reasons. Therefore it is thought that providing the mentioned reasons in a structured form is required for future studies. In this article prepared with this mindset, the aim is to "reveal which genre of digital games is used for which purposes regarding the fields associated with architecture". Screening method and document analysis were utilized in the research with the mentioned purpose. The research is limited to the digital games that are utilized in architecture and associated sub disciplines. The findings of the study reveal that the digital games are utilized with the purpose “to increase built environment awareness, to develop as a contributing citizen, to increase the design ability and to design in harmony with natural environment” mostly. Due to the current status of utilizing digital games in built environment education and revealing the shortcomings and the potential, it is thought that this article has significance and will provide a guideline for future studies.