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TITLE
Plague Inc.
LEARNING OBJECT
Computer game about spreading infectious diseases.
WEBSITE OF THE PRODUCT
NAME OF PRODUCER
Ndemic Creations
DATE OF PRODUCTION
2012
TYPE OF PRODUCT
Mobile Apps, Downloadable software
SUBJECT TAUGHT
Biology
LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE
Advanced
TARGET GROUP AGE
14 – 16 years old
LANGUAGE/S OF TEACHING RESOURCES
Math
TUTORIAL SUPPORT
Yes
DESCRIPTION
Plague Inc. is a strategic game about the spreading of different pathogens in the world, creating pandemics. The learning about diseases and infections is acquired by problem-based learning, creativity and model-based reasoning. The goal of the game is to kill humanity by mutating the pathogen, making it resistant to cure. It starts with one person being infected by a pathogen and the player chooses a country where this person gets infected. The game continues with the spreading of the pathogen to all continents. The game introduces different pathogens and the player can choose different ways of spreading the disease like animals, dust particles, blood, and water. The game also shows how pathogens can change by mutations and, for example, become resistant to antibiotics or vaccines. The player also chooses different symptoms like coughing, anaemia, nausea and skin blisters.
The teacher should introduce the cause of infections and diseases, transmission of bacteria and viruses, and how to cure diseases. The students should go through the tutorial, which explains how the game works. After the students have gained experience of playing the game, the teacher should discuss the questions that appear during the game, the different options they have chosen, and the outcome of the game. The students will learn about diseases and infections by getting experience of how transmission of disease can occur in the world and the different ways it can be transmitted between people. The students will also learn about different pathogens, how they can evolve, and how they can be stopped.
Plague Inc. has been reported as an example to engage students and enhance learning in microbiology courses at university [2].
The teacher should introduce the cause of infections and diseases, transmission of bacteria and viruses, and how to cure diseases. The students should go through the tutorial, which explains how the game works. After the students have gained experience of playing the game, the teacher should discuss the questions that appear during the game, the different options they have chosen, and the outcome of the game. The students will learn about diseases and infections by getting experience of how transmission of disease can occur in the world and the different ways it can be transmitted between people. The students will also learn about different pathogens, how they can evolve, and how they can be stopped.
Plague Inc. has been reported as an example to engage students and enhance learning in microbiology courses at university [2].
COMMENTS
The game is based on a mathematical model of the spreading of pathogens. It simulates the outbreak of a pandemic and shows the consequences of pathogen mutations as well as actions to prevent contagion and distribute a cure. The game is easy to play and has low cost.
The weak point is that all players need a computer or smartphone. The game has been used to teach model-based reasoning in economics and biology [1]. The pedagogical value is that the students can experience themselves what affects the spreading and curing of diseases.
References
[1] Jacques, L.A. 2015. An Analysis of Plague, Inc.: Evolved for Learning. Well Played—A Journal on Video Games, Values, and Meaning. 4, 2 (2015), 112–125.IO2.B – Review of Existing ICT Science Learning Objects
[2] Robinson, L.A., Turner, I.J. and Sweet, M.J. 2018. The use of gamification in the teaching of disease epidemics and pandemics. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 365, 11 (Jun. 2018). DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fny111.
The weak point is that all players need a computer or smartphone. The game has been used to teach model-based reasoning in economics and biology [1]. The pedagogical value is that the students can experience themselves what affects the spreading and curing of diseases.
References
[1] Jacques, L.A. 2015. An Analysis of Plague, Inc.: Evolved for Learning. Well Played—A Journal on Video Games, Values, and Meaning. 4, 2 (2015), 112–125.IO2.B – Review of Existing ICT Science Learning Objects
[2] Robinson, L.A., Turner, I.J. and Sweet, M.J. 2018. The use of gamification in the teaching of disease epidemics and pandemics. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 365, 11 (Jun. 2018). DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fny111.
TEACHERS’ COMMENT
The teachers found the game entertaining, but to have limited pedagogical use. It may be used to demonstrate contagion pathways, but there is no way for the teacher to follow the students’ learning processes and no evaluation of the learning results is possible in the context of the game.