Atsusi 2c Hirumi - Playing Games in School: Video Games and Simulations for Primary and Secondary Education

Editor and contributor Atsusi 2c Hirumi is an associate professor and co-chair of the Instructional Technology program at the University of Central Florida (UCF), Orlando. Born in New York, Hirumi spent most of his formative years in Nairobi, Kenya. He earned a bachelors degree in science education at Purdue University, a masters degree in educational technology at San Diego State University, and a doctorate in instructional systems at Florida State University. He earned tenure and promotion to associate professor at the University of HoustonClear Lake (UHCL) before moving to the University of Central Florida in 2003. Since 1995, Hirumi has centered his teaching, research, and service on the design of alternative e-learning environments. At UHCL and UCF, he led efforts to transform entire certificate and masters degree programs in instructional technology for totally online and hybrid course delivery and has worked with more than 10 universities, community colleges, school districts, and medical centers across the U.S. and in Mexico to establish online training programs, courses, and degree programs.

For the past four years, Hirumi has focused his research on story and game-based approaches to teaching and learning as an extension of his research agenda. He is examining the neurobiological foundations of human learning and conducting research to guide the design of instructional games and help explain game-based learning. Hirumi has published many refereed journal articles and seven book chapters and has made more than 100 presentations at international, national, and state conferences on topics related to his research. He is working on two forthcoming books, one on the use of games for learning and one on the design of alternative e-learning environments. Recent awards include the Texas Distance Learning Association (TxDLA) award for Commitment to Excellence and Innovation, the WebCT Exemplary Online Course Award, the University of HoustonClear Lake Star Faculty Award, the Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Practitioner Award, the Enron Award for Innovation, and an award for excellence for an electronic performance support system designed to help faculty develop and deliver interactive television courses.

Tom Atkinson has a PhD in educational leadership and research from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. With more than 30 years in higher education, he specializes in designing, producing, delivering, and evaluating interactive instruction. Atkinson teaches Instructional Technology at the University of Central Florida, where his research focuses on game design, virtual worlds, and mobile learning.

Michael Barbour is an assistant professor of Instructional Technology at Wayne State University in Michigan. He received his PhD from the University of Georgia, and prior to his doctoral studies was a secondary social studies teacher in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. His research interest focuses on the use of online learning at the K12 level as a way to provide equitable opportunities to rural students.

Anthony K. Betrus is associate professor and chair of the Department of Information and Communication Technology at the State University of New York at Potsdam. He teaches classes in educational technology, media development, and simulations and games. He has been teaching at the collegiate level since 1995, when he taught his first class on game development at Indiana University. Betrus has taught at least one Simulations and Games class each year since then. His primary research interest is the intersection of educational technology and simulations and games, specifically, finding better ways to use simulations and games to enhance and improve learning.

J.V. (Jeff) Bolkan is acquisitions editor for ISTEs book publishing group. For the past decade, he has been deeply involved with the organizations flagship magazine,