eLearning Industry – Marina Arshavskiy
Regardless of our age, playing with simulators (e.g. stock market investment, driving or flight simulators) and games (Starcraft, Hearts of Iron, World of Warcraft) always puts us on the path to learning and experiencing new things. That is because if our objective is to “win” the game, then we need to explore and learn the “system” in order to beat it. That is exactly what Game-Based Learning (GBL) is all about.
In this article I will cover the types of game-based learning as well as the benefits of simulations and games. In addition, I will mention some of the tools that can be used to build eLearning games and simulations. Lastly, I will discuss how you can incorporate “gamification” into your eLearning content.
Simulations And Games: Types Of Game-Based Learning
Many different types of game-based learning have evolved over the years, each having a different audience and its own unique objective. Here are some alternate gaming styles to consider when designing game-based learning content:
- Flash Cards, Game Show Competitions.
These are best suited for memorization-based or drill-based applications. - Role-Play, Quests.
These work well when the learning objective is to encourage imitation, reinforce continuous practice, and emphasize increasingly challenging content. - Strategy, Adventure.
When the objective is to foster decision-making abilities, or sharpen choice-making and quizzing skills, then these types of games are the best way to go. - Multi-Player Gaming.
These types of games are best suited when fostering collaboration and team work is the ultimate learning objective. - Open-Ended Simulation.
For teaching experimentation and logic, exposing learners to games and simulations that are open-ended (no single wrong/right answer) is the best way to go. - Timed Games, Reflex Testing.
When the objective is to foster quick thinking and thinking “out of the box,” then these types of games are ideal.
Even though the above list classifies each type of game as being the best for specific learning objectives, there is no rule that says game-based learning design can’t mix and match several of these elements into a single course. For instance, role-playing games can easily be based on open-ended simulation techniques.
by MindMake via MindMake Blog
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