GBL Picks: Curated Game Based Learning Resources
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
How to Invest in Game Based Learning
I love finding articles about game based learning and gamification in Forbes Magazine because I know they’ll be paying attention to the money angle, and for some people that’s the only angle that will get their attention. In this article, contributor Jordan Shapiro writes about how “the game-based learning space, which is still in the formative stages of technological evolution, is clearly a sector fertile for investing.” It’s a great overview of how game based learning has come a long way and has shed the stigma around it. Plus it references some other great material and provides links to some cool reports and reviews.
Pick #2
The Game Changer: Gaming in Healthcare
I was initially hooked by this article when they started talking about Zombie Run!, an app designed to gamify your running. It’s an awesome way to use games in your every day life to motivate you to get (or stay) in shape. You should really check it out. Overall this is a great article about the benefits of games versus traditional methods, not to mention the subject matter being focused on is pharmacy and healthcare which is booming for the Instructional Design community as a whole right now. However, here’s the quote that landed this article in the GBL picks: “What really sparked my interest in the potential of gaming is that a lot of what we do in pharma is around educating and teaching people; whether that’s teaching doctors about specific products, educating the general public and patients about diseases and healthy ways to live, or teaching people how to take their medication.” It’s a great case for games.
Pick #3
Games: More than Just Reward Systems
For the final GBL Pick in today’s post I’m including a reality check—just read the title of the article. Game based learning and gamification are buzzwords right now, and that can be a bad thing. As some people in training and development rush to be on the cutting edge and incorporate this new thing they read about in a magazine, they end up going about it without any real understanding. You will encounter a scenario where someone slapped points and badges on their ordinary training system and call it game based learning. My favorite line from this article is, “Yes, salsa is integral to many Mexican dishes; no, pouring salsa on penne does not make it a Mexican dish.” Plus there’s a video clip at the end of the article where you can hear a panel of people with impressive resumes talk about emerging technologies in education and learning.
