Elearning Course Design in Corporate Learning: The Implications

The people who are in college today or are preparing to go in the near future have grown up immersed in technology. Most of them are familiar with computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices, and probably own at least one, possibly two or even three.

Many colleges are taking advantage of the benefits of elearning themselves, while also studying elearning course design with their students. The timing is perfect for opening up new avenues for gamification in corporate training along with it serious games in some more areas. The long-term significance of these changes is important for many areas of life, including when these students enter the workforce.

Who’s doing what

Let’s take a look at how some colleges and universities around the country are utilizing elearning and how they are studying it.

Pennsylvania State University has an Education Gaming Commons (EGC) where students take specific learning objectives and build games from scratch to meet those objectives. They help faculty with games and they have ventured into gamification in the classroom. The EGC isn’t affiliated with any particular department, but rather reaches out to any student on campus who has an interest in gamification or educational gaming. The EGC is also sought out by faculty members who wish to engage with their students in a different way.
Indiana University has a Virtual Xperience Lab where they analyze how people learn from games. The results of their research are being used for elearning course design.
Emerson College in Boston uses their Engagement Game Lab with a more specific purpose. Their intent is to pave a way for greater civic involvement in communities.
Columbia University’s Games Research Lab at Teacher’s College studies ways to integrate game-based learning into elementary and high schools.

These schools are representative of a trend that’s happening all over the country. There is every indication that college students and faculty will continue to delve deeper into the best methods for implementing gaming strategies into education. Gamification strategies will become commonplace, thanks, at least in part, to the work being done by colleges and universities.

Mobile learning is also being used more frequently to make education accessible on the go and to give it an element of fun. Learners who are having fun are engaged. Engaged learners are much more likely to retain the knowledge they are taking in and to be able to apply it successfully.

Future implications

Technology will continue to be a significant part of life as time goes on. The students of today who are interacting with gamification, serious games, and elearning course design will be set up for success when they are older and entering a profession. Even if they don’t go into a technology-based field, they will surely encounter gamification in corporate training. The more familiar they are with it, the more likely they are to succeed and comprehend at a deeper level.

The future of education, in all its forms, will continue to be enhanced by the increasing implementation of technology.