Pop-Memory. Education on the Holocaust and Computer Games – from Puzzles to Serious Games

Abstract

The use of computer games in education is a practice that has become an important element in the process of transferring knowledge across different disciplines. Projects such as: “Playing History. Your source for historical games”, education through games program run by the Institute of National Remembrance or online platform www.edugames.pl are good examples of successful uses of this form of teaching by historical sciences as well. In relation to this trend, any attempt at using games for teaching about the Holocaust still leads to many ethical dilemmas. This article concerns the attempts at presenting Shoah through the medium of game (in the context of artistic provocation and commercial projects). It also refers to the possibilities of showing the events related to the extermination of population during World War II through the so-called serious games approach. The paper is also concerned with the issue of the philosophy of computer games, representations of the past and new forms of transferring knowledge.