Designing Digitally
07/12/2017
Elearning companies are taking advantage of the popularity of integrating the latest technologies into today’s culture of learning.
From simulation and serious games to mobile learning games, the best corporate educational practices are more and more likely to involve a digital aspect.
Enter, video games.
Much like other forms of elearning, video games present a unique opportunity for learning. There are a number of benefits that make video games a viable choice for integration into corporate training.
1.Video games encourage learners to look at a situation or problem from a different view point.
The visual impact of working through a problem right in front of them causes a shift in thinking. The learner puts him or herself into the situation, and it takes on more meaning than simply reading text about the same issue.
2. Learners can work cooperatively, enhancing the overall comprehension of the activity.
When workers can bounce ideas off of each other, they learn to see situations from other angles. A more complete, farther-reaching solution can often be reached.
3. Serious games create a learner that is more confident in their job duties.
Going through the interactive exercises of a video game gives new employees a better sense of how to react when a real-life situation arises. Reading text about a potential problem and solutions is not nearly as effective.
4. Employees tend to push themselves harder and challenge themselves more when working within a video game, as opposed to other types of training.
An elearning company that is looking to market effective video game or serious game products for the corporate training environment should be sure their products follow some specific guidelines.
Video games should be anchored in the learning standards of the curriculum.
A game that is engaging but has no value in terms of reinforcing the concepts of the learning objectives is essentially a waste of valuable time.
In the business world, time is money, and there is no room for an activity that isn’t integral to the lesson.
Creators should be sure that the game’s design is in sync with the educational aims.
Serious games don’t have to be fun to be effective learning tools.
Organizations should not be misled by the term “game.” While many times the activities are engaging, they don’t have to be entertaining to be useful as a valid educational method.
Elearning companies can provide valuable resources in the form of serious games.
As long as the games are designed and developed to fit within the guidelines of a given curriculum, video games can enhance the comprehension of the material and allow the learner to take ownership of their learning.
With a better understanding of how to handle the various situations that can arise in a corporate environment, the workers of today will be better equipped than ever to handle whatever comes their way.
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