Computer simulated laboratory experiments and computer games: a designer's analysis

This paper describes a new research programme to design computer simulated experiments in the field of fuels and combustion, and describes how these are categorized according to a taxonomy proposed by Gredler in order to identify the key features which enhance science content and process skills. The simulations are designed to be as realistic as possible and are built using three dimensional computer aided design, rendering and animation tools with the intention of creating an interactive virtual laboratory on the computer screen. A number of popular and successful computer games are then categorized against this taxonomy for comparison with the computer simulations. The paper then describes how designers of computer simulations can add to their own learning by retrospectively analyzing their own simulations.