Games-based resources - Games research
ELSPA (Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association)
With a thought provoking foreword from Lord David Puttnam and introduction from Professor Stephen Heppell this document serves as a good place to start in relation to finding out more about games based learning. A series of well-informed articles about how games have been applied in schools in various contexts helps inform to inform non-game player of what has been happening in classrooms with games.
PDF file: ELSPA Unlimited Learning (1.3 MB)Futurelab
Released in 2005 this document establishes a history and rationale for games based learning. It attempts to explain the context through which games based learning in education has been explored and it also makes recommendations about how games based learning materials could be designed and applied for effective use.
Becta
The results from Becta commissioned researchers who interviewed representatives of four games development companies. Provides a snapshot of approaches and attitudes to development, as well as some insight into where there may be common ground between games and educational product development, and where there are clear differences.
Further research
Have a look at these sites which document published research related to this topic.
Ren Reynolds - Bibliography
The Bibliography has over one hundred references, with a recommendation system and theme indexing. Many texts are essential reading in a number of subject areas.
Becta - Computer Games in Education
This site acts as portal through which Becta can share the research they have carried out over the past years into computer games as learning tools.