Gamification is an umbrella term which denotes a series of instructional activities which use game elements in nongame settings. Under this definition, there are various categories of gamification-based applications for learning, including serious educational games (SEGS), serious games, and educational simulations. This is the first of a two-part series on how to build serious games for online learning. In this paper we will examine the use of SEGS in training and education through a

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... review. The second article will be on how to create immersive games for training. Educational technology practices such as building high-engagement learning management systems, classroom game activities, and other forms of related curriculum development are all addressed. There is overwhelming evidence on the efficacy of SEGS and simulation games in higher education and training. Success factors and processes for building effective SEGS are reviewed in this first paper. KEY WORDS: predictors of success in higher education, empirical evidence for serious educational games, serious game design, immersive technology, complexity and simulation in open gameworlds PREDICTORS OF SUCCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: TOWARD AUTHENTIC ALIGNMENT A number of meta-analyses of the determinants of success in higher education have shown that course micro-organization is the strongest variable associated with strong alignment (Schneider and Preckel, 2017) . High effect sizes were linked to social interaction, stimulating meaningful learning, assessment, presentation, and technology. Technology improvements did not scale, surprisingly, and saturated early. Thus, the idea that we would use game systems for the audiovisual impact or learning management tools they could provide seems unfounded. Teaching variables with the greatest effect size were those factors related to using the appropriate pedagogical methodology based on