Engaging (in) Gameplay and (in) Debriefing

Abstract

In this editorial, I thank the guest editors and authors for their excellent and pioneering work. I set the topic of engagement within a broader area of learning and debriefing, and of the transformation of simulation/game engagement into learning. I suggest some broad areas for research on engagement in simulation/games (in both gameplay and debriefing) and in other realms of life. I emphasize that, only with properly engaged debriefing can a simulation/game have or maximize the positive learning outcomes than we aim for. Also, running simulation/games without debriefing them fully is unethical. I suggest that engagement in debriefing is as (or more) important as (than) engagement in gameplay, and more worthy of attention and research, given that the learning happens in the debriefing, not (much) in the game. I end with some quotes from the articles in this symposium.