The educational potential of computer games that emphasises cooperative rather than aggressive behaviour, has landed a Charles Sturt University academic a $60 000 Federal Government grant.

Head of CSU's School of Information Technology, Professor Terry Bossomaier was this week recognised in his efforts to encourage science education through sophisticated new computer games technology, receiving a Department of Industry, Science and Resources' Science and Technology Award grant.

The proposal is for players to access Protect the Platypus: A Biodiversity Game through the Internet. Through the use of artificial intelligence technology used to build the game, they will have the ability to control habitat, pollution, predators and other environmental factors.

"The competition will be in strategic thinking to keep the species alive, rather than killing off opponents," Professor Bossomaier said.

"Computer games of a cooperative nature are thought to be a way of attracting more girls into computing and the theme, environmental ecology, is an area with high female enrolment.

"So we thought it would be particularly beneficial to develop a plan that integrates our research into artificial intelligence agents and games technology, with an educational focus that students, teachers and parents will see as very positive," he said.

Plans are underway to distribute the game through schools across Australia, with the possibility of incorporating it into high school science education programs.

The grant comes as CSU launches Australia's first degree in computer games technology with its first students enrolling in 2001. Students in the course, will have the opportunity to be frontline testers in the development of the biodiversity game.

"This biodiversity game is just one example of the type of application students entering the new computer games technology course will learn about," Professor Bossomaier said.

"We already know that even very young children have the capacity to process quite complex information about computer games and how they work, so we want to take that motivation and encourage them to put it to productive use," Professor Bossomaier said.