Strengthening Moral Competence with Commercial Videogames: Integrating Papers: Please into Lind’s Konstanz Method of Dilemma Discussion

Commercial videogames have come a long way since their emergence in the 20th century. They remain, however, widely excluded from educational discourse. A reason is the absence of reliable methodologies that ensure effective learning through videogames. There have been attempts to teach historical or other content-centred topics to students through edutainment software. It is argued, however, that games are much more effective in strengthening cognitive decision-making processes. One of these cognitive abilities is moral competence. This paper discusses the possibilities of strengthening moral competence through integrating the videogame Papers, Please into Lind's Konstanz Method of Dilemma Discussion (KMDD®). The goal is to craft a didactic framework in which a measurable learning curve in moral competence can be ensured by selecting games that provide a suitable degree of moral complexity. Through clearly defined goals, well-moderated discussions and streamlined reflections, games hold the potential to complement contemporary reading materials in schools and universities.