These games are overlaid onto biological systems using a computer, and players then manipulate living organisms in a video game–like fashion. Recently, “gamification” has also been applied to get players to interact with real-life biological systems, a concept known as “biotic games”. Probably the most well-known example in schools is the computer game “Oregon Trail”, which has been teaching kids since 1971 about the perils of pioneer life. A related concept is called “game-based learning” or more commonly, “educational games.” Long popular with teachers as an active learning approach, and more recently popular in medicine, educational games increase engagement with subject material through playing a game. Witness the success of projects such as Foldit and EyeWire, which have thousands of dedicated followers or “players” who help solve protein structures and map neurons, respectively. This approach has been particularly popular in citizen science, in which the public is engaged in the collection and/or analysis of data.
Gamification is loosely defined as the application of game principles and game design in a nongame context. Making science more accessible and interesting to the public through the process of “gamification” has become increasingly popular in recent years.
