Classroom Implementation of a Games-Based Activity on Astronomy in Higher Education

The use of games-based learning to support science education affords students the opportunity to explore new and inaccessible worlds. However, teaching undergraduate non-science majors about astrophysics is complicated due to the scientific intricacies associated with the field. This paper briefly describes the preliminary results from an initial playtest conducted at five universities across the United States. Undergraduate non-science majors reported the game was useful in learning about the scale of the universe, exploration, and scientific formulas. However, many saw a disconnect between gameplay and university instruction. This paper closes with a brief glimpse into the future of astronomy education and video games.