GBL Picks: Curated Game Based Learning Resources

gblpicks

The Knowledge Guru team is obviously very interested in the future of game based learning, and right now that future is bright. But not everyone is as informed about the industry. We are setting out to change that. We’re on a mission to educate the Instructional Design community and the decision makers in Training and Development about game based learning and its true potential.

As part of that mission we’re bringing you GBL picks, a series of curated resources on game based learning and gamification. We’ll explain why each resource is important and how the information in them can be used to shape opinions on game based learning. So now, without further ado, here are this week’s GBL picks:

Pick #1

Jesse Schell On Serious Games @ Serious Play 2013

Serious Play 2013 was quite an exciting conference for game based learning. Jesse Schell not only delivered the pre-conference workshop talk and the keynote address, but he also won a gold medal for his work on Play Forward: Elm City Stories. That makes him pretty authoritative in the game based learning world, and that’s why this is a great resource. Here you’ll find Jess Schell’s SlideShare presentations from the 2013 Serious Play Conference. There is some great information for anyone interested in serious games and game based learning.

Pick #2

Strategic Ways to Develop Game-Based Learning for High ROI

Our next resource is about getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to gamification and game based learning. This article focuses on one central concept: “Games built with reusability and scalability in mind can be customized and repurposed across the organization at a fraction of the cost of building games from scratch.” The article simply highlights a few of the points Sharon Boller stresses at her Play to Learn Workshop. The Knowledge Guru is a great example of a game that is reusable and scalable across your organization. And as you’ll see in the article, that is the secret to a great return on investment.

Pick #3

Video Games Becoming Required Coursework In Schools

For the final pick, I always like to include articles that demonstrate the attitude shift that’s happening right now in the world of games. This article from Huffington Post talks about how video games, once considered entertainment, are increasingly becoming part of required coursework at all levels of education. I like stressing articles like this one in GBL Picks because if all levels of education are starting to use games to teach students, then the businesses that hire those students are going to really have games in their training. It’s evidence of an attitude shift. Games are the future of engaging learning solutions, whether it’s education or corporate training and development.