1. Gamify Your e-Learning Solutions:
A Trend 20 Years in the Making
The term gamification is new, but the concept is not.
If, like me, you’ve been in this instructional design world for
some time now, you may find yourself a bit hesitant to jump
on the latest bandwagon in learning. After all, if you asked
me in 2004 what training would look like in 2014, I would’ve
likely said, “virtual reality, instructor-led courses taught on
training islands in SecondLife, and perfectly meta-tagged
learning objects that align to competencies available in the
corporate university.”
Enter reality. Unfortunately, it’s not looking much different than it
did back then. LMS’s are filled with outdated courses collecting
cobwebs, new e-learning reflects the simple cookie-cutter “text
and next” format, and does SecondLife even still exist?
But, ever the eternal optimist that I am, I have hope. I hope that
if you ask me today what training looks like in 2024 that it won’t
look like this. Why? Because I think there is a “trend” worth
your consideration to adopt – gamification.
The term gamification is new, but the concept is not. Over
twenty years ago, Dr. Allen started Allen Interactions to
overcome the very problem of content heavy, boring e-learning.
Ten years later, in 2003, he published his Guide to e-Learning,
a book that made me an instant Allen fan and introduced me
to the concepts of Context, Challenge, Activity and Feedback
and the Seven Magic Keys for Motivation. These instructional
design models that Dr. Allen wrote about 11 years ago align
strikingly well with game design. And yet…here we are today
and gaming is made to sound new and fresh.
I ask that you give the trend of gaming consideration in your
instructional design for the sake of your learners. Today’s
learners have the information they need for virtually any subject
with the swipe of a finger. Why should they continue to tolerate
listening and waiting for a next button to appear 18 times to
find the information they need? Learners can get information
anywhere today. Therefore, we can go back to what we were
hoping to do all along—help them learn something in training.
And, as instructional designers, we know how people learn.
We understand, through theory and research that practice,
repetition, and failure help people learn. So, let’s start using
those very techniques to train our workforce.
How do you incorporate gaming into your learning? How do
you create something that is more than just “gaming for the
sake of gaming”? How do you move beyond the cool fad of
gamification and really produce performance-changing games?
By aligning tried and true instructional design theories to your
games, that’s how. And when you do, watch out! People will
have fun, they’ll learn, and best of all—they’ll perform.
If you want to learn more about techniques to align instructional
design theories to gamify your learning, join me for a
complimentary webinar hosted by SABA. During our time
together, I’ll demonstrate the Allen Interactions Taxonomy
Alignment for Gaming, a tool to help you decide the appropriate
type of game to meet your performance objectives. I hope to
“see” you then!
Angel Green is a senior instructional strategist for Allen Interactions’ Tampa studio, where she is responsible for providing consultation and
instructional design expertise to clients, partnering with them to build engaging, interactive learning experiences. With nearly 15 years of
experience, Angel has worked for organizations such as IBM, MetLife, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, and holds both MS and BS degrees
from Florida State University. An accomplished speaker, Angel has held positions as an adjunct instructor of public speaking and is past
president of a Toastmasters International chapter. She also frequently blogs on Allen Interactions’ e-Learning Leadership Blog and is
co-author of the new Leaving ADDIE For SAM Field Guide.