AN INTRODUCTION
When people are building eLearning programs, a lot of the focus is placed on having the user take something away from the experience. However, many people don’t realize that games offer a lot of takeaways as well, which aren’t exactly the same, but have become fixtures. So much so that doing anything different means the game isn’t intuitive, and the new ideas need to be explained. The challenge is really finding where these two ideas meet and offering something that hits both the eLearning and gaming ideals.
WHAT ARE THESE TAKEAWAYS?
What I mean by games having takeaways is mainly in the controls. Every type of game in our minds has that certain set of familiar keys (for example, W, A, S, D) we use that are the standard for how we interact with the material on screen. The same goes for eLearning in the sense that we’re expecting to be able to the exact same things with our controls, like Play, Stop, Next Screen, Previous Screen, and volume. Any breaks in those conventions means we need to explain how everything works. Immediately in that small detail ,is a takeaway.
In the grander scheme of things, however, we’re dealing with games that are becoming more sophisticated in their overall quality. There are deeper stories, larger worlds, and generally more immersive experiences. All things that could benefit an eLearning program that uses a simulation, which I talked briefly about in my article on virtual reality. There’s also another aspect to the issue, which is generational.
We have a group of people in eLearning who grew up in a time where games and learning were two very different worlds and they have problems combining the two ideas. To them it means you’re developing one thing or another because a lesson can’t be conveyed. Completely untrue! A game can teach you a lot without you noticing, and still make the experience enjoyable.
HOW CAN WE COMBINE THESE IDEAS?
We’re always looking for ways to keep the enjoyment of pure gaming, but also use that idea to help the user learn more detailed things in an eLearning program. The main one of which is via simulation. It offers an environment where the user can be immersed in the activity and get an idea of what to expect when the learning comes more from practice. It’s also something that already exists, because there are simulators for driving and fight simulators, therefore this idea is easy to grasp.
WRAPPING UP
If you would like to explore more about gamification, mobile learning and eLearning, take a peek at our company website: Pathways Training and eLearning, at http://www.pathwaystrainingandelearning.com/. We always look for fresh ways to engage learners and to make the learning experience as fun as possible!
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