games - The L&D Forum - DPG Community2024-03-28T21:45:31Zhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/learning-professionals/feed/tag/gamesBusiness simulation games for learninghttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/learning-professionals/business-simulation-games-for-learning2017-05-18T13:29:02.000Z2017-05-18T13:29:02.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/382092?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/382092?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-right"></a></p>
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<p>Business simulation games for learning is something that was talked about this morning in a webinar run by the Learning and Skills group led by Brightwave. Simulations in learning have been used for years in the traditional classroom environment. In recent years, their use has become more prominent in the digital learning space. It’s an important area to bear in mind when it comes to the learning mix.</p>
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<p><b>What options are available for experiential digital learning?</b></p>
<p>There are a range of options available to include experiential learning in digital. The use of video continues to grow and alongside this, more people are turning their hand to interactive videos. Branching game narratives are another way of submersing learners in digital learning. These allow learners to have an element of control and personalisation by selecting options which lead to different outcomes. Business simulation games for learning are part of the digital experiential learning mix.</p>
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<p><b>Why Simulations?</b></p>
<p>The quote from Sopocles is true. Giving people the opportunity to practice what they’ve learned is essential to embedding knowledge and skills. The closer this is to the real world the better. Simulations allow a story to be created with characters that learners can connect with and relate to. There is also a big gain in how simulations accelerate the learning experience, lead to a better transfer of skills and increase knowledge retention. According to a report in 2016 by Ambient Insights, a predictive analytics marketing research company, simulations are a growing field. They predict a growth in worldwide revenue from simulation-based learning by 17% to $11m by 2021. If we’re not already seeing the use of business simulation games in our organisations, there’s a need to keep our eye on them for the not too distant future.</p>
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<p><b>What is the difference between games and simulations?</b></p>
<p>The webinar included some great discussions about the difference between games and simulations. Some said that games created the impression of fun and being optional whilst on the other hand simulations created the impression of practice. There were some views that suggested simulations tend to always have a desired learning outcomes where this was not always the case for games. There was also a suggestion that in many cases they are identical with an agreement between many that the language being used to describe the activity was important. Think about times when you have delivered training yourself or seen someone else in action. There is a distinct difference in the reaction from groups when you say ‘let’s play a game’ to ‘let’s put our skills into practice. A quote from Elliott Masie, a producer, author and learning technology expert hit the point home well. He said, ‘You can have a game that’s not a simulation and a simulation that’s not a game, but when you get one that does both, it’s a real kick-ass situation’.</p>
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<p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4VVTErkNuQ" target="_blank"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/382107?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-right"></a>A simulation example</b></p>
<p>Simulations are important to us here at DPG and were particularly relevant when we created an online only version of our <a href="https://www.dpgplc.co.uk/courses-qualifications/human-resources/cipd-human-resource-management-certificatediploma-online-programme/">CIPD Level 5 Human Resources programme</a>. Delivering a programme purely online that has traditionally been delivered using a workshop approach and is focussed on people skills is a challenge. Whilst our programme has lots of personable support through a dedicated personal facilitator, specialist facilitators in virtual classrooms as well as a community of practice to bring people together, it was incredibly important that our digital content engaged those on our programmes. We created a business district simulation where a range of characters from a variety of organisations in different sectors regularly appear and challenge learners to put their knowledge and skills into practice. If you haven’t seen this yet, take a look by clicking the image to watch a short video on what we’ve done. It might give you some ideas for your own simulations.</p>
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<p><b>Tips for setting up simulations</b></p>
<p>The tips covered at the end of the webinar resonated with me when I consider the journey we’ve been through to develop our own business simulations here at DPG. There was talk of an agile process, building prototypes, engaging with a test audience, gathering feedback along the way and making adaptations in an iterative way. Other tips included:</p>
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<li>Don’t over complicate</li>
<li>Shorter is better than longer</li>
<li>Manage competitive elements so they don’t overwhelm the learning aims</li>
<li>Design for replay so that people can have several goes if they wish</li>
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<p>Over to you now. What experience have you got of business simulation games? I’m interested to hear about digital examples in addition to simulations you’ve experienced in the traditional classroom environment.</p>
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<p><b>Is this something you’re working on in your organisation or have seen in use before? I’d love to hear your thoughts on business simulation games for learning.</b></p>
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<p></p></div>Serious Results with Serious Fun – The Business Case for elearning Gameshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/learning-professionals/serious-results-with-serious-fun-the-business-case-for-elearning-2016-09-16T11:35:27.000Z2016-09-16T11:35:27.000ZLucy Boltonhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/LucyBolton<div><p>Yesterday I attended one of Sponge Uk’s great webinar sessions with the topic of games in elearning, so here is a quick summary of what I learnt from the session.</p>
<p>The spectrum as games in elearning is vast, from gamification all the way through to mini games and simulations, but all have the same aim, to make elearning more engaging. The more engaging the lesson, the more a user is likely to remember and absorb the information throughout the lesson.</p>
<p>Jason and Emma from Sponge UK explained that a game must be created with the audience in mind, so think about your audience, what’s the age demographic? Will they want strategic games, problem solving or action? Who is the audience and what will they interact best with?</p>
<p>There are four elements to games in elearning, engagement, autonomy, mastery and progression. Each element ensures that the user is immersed in the training and through being immersed is enjoying is learning. These elements can be achieved in a variety of ways depending of the type of game that is being used.</p>
<p>Ideas where discussed of what engaging a learner really is, and how the elements come together to create a great elearning experience. Starting with engaging, Jason spoke about creating a narrative which people can hook into and then add something simple such as  time constraint on making a decision to build on the autonomy, a user then feels like their decision is meaningful and has a consequence and can see the effect of their decisions, making mistakes in safe place. Progression can shows the linear progress that encourages users to carry on and get better and finally mastery comes from reaching the highest level or completing the lesson.</p>
<p>A poll taken in the webinar revealed that games can be used across almost all kinds of training, from fire safety to people management, some game element can enhance the learning, as long as it is relevant and relates to the business aim.</p>
<p>Games in elearning are a great way to give people the opportunity to make mistakes in a safe environment without risk, and an idea that came of the back of that is it is to make it fun to fail, which is something that I will aim to do while creating and designing future lessons.</p>
<p>At the end of the webinar almost 98% of participants said they would consider using games as part of learning strategies.</p>
</div>The Big #SpongeHangout – Bringing compliance training alivehttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/learning-professionals/the-big-spongehangout-bringing-compliance-training-alive2016-07-21T16:49:16.000Z2016-07-21T16:49:16.000ZAdy Howeshttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/AdyHowes<div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/378640?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/378640?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="222" class="align-left" height="252"></a></p>
<p>Compliance training. Just the words have some people falling asleep the minute you mention the words. For years now, organisations have shoveled bullet pointed content at employees, usually at induction and then annually repeating exactly the same content over and over for the lifetime of their employment. I remember my first sleepy experience of this very well.</p>
<p>So how do you go about creating something more engaging? And why bother? Stuart Harris from Southern NHS Foundation Trust was talking about this on today’s live session on the Big #SpongeHangout with Sponge UK. With over 40 pieces of compliance learning covering the industry of this particular organisation, engagement is key. He said:</p>
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<p>‘<strong>We were open to being ambitious by not just sticking to what was done before. We wanted something new and innovative and to look around at what else was out there. We wanted to not leave any stone un-turned’.</strong></p>
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<p>Stuart went on to say how him and his team visited Learning Technologies and discovered what they thought could be the answer. Gamification.</p>
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<p><strong>‘Hands up, we didn’t know what this meant. But being open minded we approached some people, looked at some suppliers case studies and that opened our imaginations to what was possible. We quickly realised it had a role to play and we had a thirst for it. Part of our procurement spec stated that we wanted to include gamification.’</strong></p>
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<p>Stuart described how working with their partner, virtual games were created inside their new elearning. In the infection control learning, there was a virtual game pitching learners against the clock to wash their hands. Some of those who had attended the training had reported back how they recalled the game when they were washing their hands an indicator that the learning had lasting impressions. In fire training, there was a game on evacuating the building where you gained time for closing fire doors behind you and collecting patients along the way. In some courses, there were games that once completed unlocked other sections. This approach gave the feeling of discovery according to Stuart.</p>
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<p>Whilst completing the training online wasn't mandatory and the team still offered other ways to complete the learning face to face, Stuart told how they had engaged people who were previously resistant in using online learning and more people were completing the new learning in this way. Other benefits of the approach were clear. They benchmarked what people thought of the ‘old’ elearning versus the new and found that feedback was much more positive. Learners were talking about the training in a positive light and recommending it to their peers. The approach brought about cost savings too and he estimates that the trust is saving in the region of 1.6m over five years.</p>
<p>Stuart shared two main tips for organisations looking to do similar:</p>
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<li><b>Project Management:</b> Stuart said adopting a project management discipline was important. <em>‘It was a much bigger than we had first imagined. We had a dedicated PM resource. That really helped us’</em></li>
<li><b>Learner involvement</b>: <em>‘One of the ways we got more confident [with the approach] is that we would pilot early. We wanted to get it right and wanted early indications that we were on the right track. We took a limited number of people and showed concepts, prototyping along the way’</em></li>
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<p>Gamification is a buzz word across L&D right now. It’s all too easy to introduce this concept as the latest fad. What this session did however highlight is that with some careful consideration, involving learners along the way, it is possible to use gamification to enhance the learner experience and create a more positive impression of online learning.</p>
<p>I’d be interested to hear from you. Are you using Gamification in your online learning? What are the results you’ve seen? Or is this a brand new area to you? What would you like to learn more about in this area?</p></div>game based learninghttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/learning-professionals/game-based-learning2016-04-26T18:35:38.000Z2016-04-26T18:35:38.000ZKelly Thurlowhttps://community.dpgplc.co.uk/members/KellyThurlow<div><p>Hi All,</p>
<p>Is Game based learning effective???</p>
<p>I am looking into effect games to help support learning, especially for those subjects were there is a lot to take in. Could anyone share some ideas of games to use.....</p>
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<p>Many Thanks</p>
<p>Kelly </p>
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