Reasons to Use Serious Educational Games

Traditional methods of education are giving way to technological advances in many areas, not the least of which is the corporate world. Businesses are using simulations, serious games, and gamification to enhance the training experience of their employees and to effectively prepare them for the work they do.

Games aren’t right for teaching every skill and process, but they can add a human element to education that is lacking in more conventional training programs. Serious games can address social skills and attitudes, as well as concrete procedures. There is an abundance of other reasons to use eLearning gamification.

Why use serious games?

While there is a whole host of reasons why serious educational games are a very successful way to train employees, here are five that stand out as the most important considerations.

Serious games are engaging. The nature of serious game draws the player into the world of the activity. When a person is mentally immersed in what they are doing, they will comprehend information at a deeper level. This is besides the fact that games can be really fun for employees and encourages participation!
Serious games allow users to take risks in a safe environment. This is the reason that gaming and simulation are so popular in the medical community. There are procedures that cannot be safely practiced on an actual person. Similarly, it is much better for a new employee to learn how to interact with customer complaints, problems, and issues through a virtual world, as opposed to potentially losing a client.
Serious educational games provide immediate feedback. It is invaluable for a learner to receive feedback in real time, as they are working through an activity. It gives them the opportunity to evaluate their choices and make changes as necessary. They have the ability to approach issues from different angles, while quickly being able to see if they were successful or not.
Serious games promote teamwork and collaborative learning. Much of the training done via serious games requires coworkers to cooperate with their peers in order to resolve a situation. Learning to work well with others is an important interpersonal skill, in the workplace and in life. Another benefit of cooperating with coworkers is the sense of being a part of a team that has the ability to evolve. When employees become invested in their peers, they are more likely to ask for help or to give help when needed.
Serious educational games teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A corporate training program that utilizes games to teach processes and procedures gives employees a chance to learn at a deeper level. They are able to think through problems and analyze outcomes to decide if they made the best possible choices for a given situation.

A comprehensive approach

Serious educational games reach learners on a deeper level than traditional methods can. The key to any successful learning experience is allowing learners the freedom to explore, question, and really contemplate the information presented to them. The benefits reach beyond just the employees but extend to the business as a whole and the clients and customers they serve.

Designing Digitally, Inc. creates serious games suited to meet each client’s needs. Get in touch with our experts to discuss how serious games can benefit your organization.