‘Gamification’ is a term that one comes across very often. Some of us love it, some of us might even hate it; but nobody can ignore it! As gamification gradually finds its way into the realm of education, more and more educators are voicing their criticism or admiration for it. Despite the criticism, the gamification of education is here to stay. This week, we take a closer look at ‘Gamification’ and what various L&D professionals think about it. Below are our top 5 GBL links from this week. Read them, share them or bookmark them. Gamification in Education: Epic Win, or Epic Fail? MORE >>

The Learning eXplosion , by Matthew Murdoch and Treion Muller, is a great read that steps you through how to successfully move your classroom instructor-led training into the virtual classroom. The book specifically focuses on 9 Rules for Creating Effective Virtual Training : 1. The Rule of Continual Change – Learners and designers must always be prepared for change. The Rule of Knowledge Transfer – When transitioning from instructor-led classroom to virtual classrooms, be prepared to think through a new approach to the training delivery, content, timing, etc. MORE >>

In the last few weeks at Saffron Interactive there has been a lot of talk about gamification. For those that attended the recent Learning Technologies Exhibition you may have have seen one of our seminars debating the pro’s and cons of looking to videogames to provide an example for increasing engagement in Learning and development. We also developed a new mobile assessment game based on the Bribery Act. So, shameless self-endorsement over, let’s talk about gamification! Here are my 3 simple gaming mechanics: The Appointment Dynamic. Achievement Badges. Rate of variable reward. MORE >>

Social Learning and Social Media have the potential to revolutionize workplace learning. People have always learned best from one another— “social” enables this to happen un-restricted by physical location and in all kinds of extraordinarily creative ways. Social technologies—everything from 140-character “micro-sharing” messages to media-rich online communities to complete virtual environments and more—enable people to connect, collaborate, and innovate on levels never before dreamed of. They make learning dramatically more dynamic, stimulating, enjoyable, and effective. Jodi Harrison. MORE >>

Today I attended two learning events in Paris, in the morning the  iLearning Forum  hosted by  Sally Ann Moore  and this afternoon Expo-Langues , the conference where Peter Isackson and I will be speaking tomorrow morning. Looking at other cultures inevitably teaches me about nuances I had failed notice in my own. Buzzwords travel from the U.S. to France incredibly fast. Lots of French vendors are touting social learning although they no more get it than American LMS providers promising systems to manage informal learning. Catalog of courses? Social? Some concepts were missing in action. MORE >>