Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2008 - (Page 19)

learners by using their time efficiently and presenting what is relevant to them. They will be motivated to play a game or simulation if they believe it was designed with a clear knowledge of their learning needs and a solid plan for meeting them. At the same time, many learning objectives are best addressed through fictional situations and environments in games and simulations. This only works when the fictional components are logically integrated into the simulation and explained to the learner – preferably up-front. For example, Hungry Red Planet teaches children about nutrition by putting them in charge of long-term meal and nutrition planning for a conlony on Mars. The goal is to help the colony survive by keeping its people healthy. Dietary learning objectives are truly relevant to this goal, so internalizing these learning objectives feels natural to players rather than forced. This game is set in an imaginary world, but its presentation of nutrition is effective and concrete. Fictitious yet effective context is not only attractive to children. Zapitalism is an economic simulation used in college economics classes. It requires students to run a business on a virtual island (Blunt, 7). The fictional nature of this island allowed designers to make its economy model key concepts while eliminating any factors that are not important to the learning objectives. This allows the level of complexity to match the learners’ needs rather than mirroring a confusing reality. In another example, Sun Microsystems, a large technology and networking company, commissioned a video game to serve as a part of its onboarding training. These games, Rise of the Shadow Specters and Dawn of the Shadow Specters, teach new employees about their company structure, history, values and culture by having them save a future incarnation of Sun Microsystems from evil hackers. The context fits the content, players need to understand their new employer in order to save it. Many Shadow Specter game players enthusiastically claim it to have been a great help in acclimating themselves to their new work environment. It is impossible for a simulation to model reality in all its complexity. Even in the most realistic and adult of simulations, designers must simplify reality and players must willfully suspend disbelief and take leaps of faith. Learners are most likely to do this when designers are honest and up-front about what the simulation does – and does not – model. The Global Supply Chain Management Simulation mentioned previously includes a scenario in which demand for a cell phone only exists from May through December. Because this fact is explained to the learner at the outset as a constraint and deviation from reality, learners are able to accept it, move past it, and focus their energy on understanding and solving other aspects of the global supply chain. Four: Let the Competition Begin In the past, competition in simulations and games has been limited to a rank on a score board. Increasingly, it is possible to have multiple learners interacting with each other online in real time as separate players competing in the same simulation. This is not only much more fun, it enables players to form alliances, strategize and learn from one another. It allows one player’s actions to affect another’s, making simulations and games more realistic and creating Takeaways Key Factors in Game and Simulation Success Allow learners to fail – Learner remember failure points in games and simulations and identify their needs, much like in real life. Unlike in real life, they have nothing to lose from losing. Provide useful feedback – Learners must see what behaviors lead to their success or failure so that they can implement this in the real world. Use competition – In a safe environment, competition motivates learners and creates a positive, memorable experience. Tailor it to the audience – Effective learning games and simulations have a context and level of difficulty that is appropriate for their audience and learning objectives. a unique experience for each separate play. Social learning is particularly effective in motivating behavioral change, and competition is one of the most natural and exciting forms of social interaction. Of course, competition must be used with the learners’ needs in mind. It is appropriate to make a low-pressure competitive game or sim to teach performance-based learners such as sales professionals. Competition is often less successful in building confidence in hesitant learners or fostering teamwork skills. But even in these circumstances competition can be used as a motivator, provided that the learning environment allows players to feel at ease and enjoy themselves. The Executive Challenge, a team-based leadership development simulation used at many Fortune 500 companies, allows learners to compete in teams, with each team member having an individual role within the team. Roles may change – for example, the CEO may get reassigned as a front line manager – but competition mostly enters the simulation as teams compete. Within each team, individuals have to communicate and collaborate to bring the team to success. Ensuring Success Simulations and games are powerful learning tools, but only when they go beyond generating enthusiasm and actually facilitate learning. The best practices for achieving this are to ensure that games and simulations allow learners to fail, provide useful feedback, use competition in the right way, and have a context and difficulty that is tailored for their audience and learning objectives. A simulation or game that does these things well will not only engage learners, it will educate them. Bjorn Billhardt is CEO and founder of Enspire Learning, an award-winning e-learning and simulation development company based in Austin, Texas. Allison Kolb has worked in the e-learning industry as a content developer, course writer, marketer and producer. Email the authors at billhardt@enspire.com 19 Training Industry Quarterly, Summer 2008 / A Training Industry, Inc. ezine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ http://www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2008

Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2008 At the Editor’s Desk Contents Ezine Email Winning Organizations Through People Before You Buy… Learning Technologies Games & Simulations: Playing to Learn Designing Learning Simulations: Strategies for Leveraging Failure Business Impact 101: The Value of Learning Strategic Alignment: Transforming the Business of Training Meet David DeFilippo Meet Krys Moskal Meet Vince Eugenio Dealing with Death: Learning’s Most Sensitive Lessons Closing Arguments

Training Industry Quarterly - Summer 2008

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