What Games Have to Teach Us About AI-Enhanced Learning

This article examines how foundational principles from educational games and simulations can inform the development of effective AI-enhanced learning environments. Drawing from decades of research beginning with early computer games and extending through sophisticated educational simulations like simSchool, the paper identifies core pedagogical elements that have made games effective learning tools: clear rules and goals, meaningful interactions, engaging challenges, simulated environments, learner agency, consequential decision-making, and social learning opportunities. The article synthesizes insights from pioneers like Seymour Papert and James Paul Gee to propose a framework consisting of four principles (augmentation over replacement, cognitive partnership, preserving human connection, supporting metacognition) and five elements (player agency, interactive dynamics, challenge design, environmental context, core mechanics) for AI-enhanced learning. The paper argues that AI can transform traditional game elements by creating dynamically adaptive learning experiences that respond to individual trajectories while maintaining the social and experiential qualities that make games powerful educational tools. This framework offers guidance for developing AI educational technologies that amplify human potential rather than replace human agency. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Games, Simulations, AI-Enhanced Learning