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How to Play the Training Game
October 20, 2008
By Margery Weinstein
There's no question games and simulations will be more fun for your learners than listening to you ramble for an hour, but will they be just as effective, or maybe even more effective, than your old-fashioned lecture? They can, in fact, be a much better option, provided you pick the right one for your learners, and know how to deliver it. Before you gear up the avatars, here are some points to consider:
• Your youngest workers probably will feel comfortable with, if not love, your high-tech game or simulation, but your Baby Boomers and Traditionalists may feel differently. Mix offline and online games and simulations to achieve widespread results.
• Like all good training programs, an effective game or simulation bridges the gap between a learning session and on-the-job performance. Employees shouldn't have to think too hard to figure out how the game or simulation applies to their daily work.
• An asynchronous, immersive game or simulation that places workers inside the program as an avatar, or has them at least practicing with an avatar anytime they like, is a good option for employees in need of frequent practice, such as sales reps.
• Wondering where the training games and simulation market is going? Look to their entertainment-oriented counterparts. Technology originally developed for recreational use, such as the Unreal Engine, already is expanding corporate learning options. A small tweaking of programming code sometimes is all it takes to make a popular online game perfect for corporate learners.
• Games with cooperative formats, in which learners team up to achieve a common objective, are in high demand. To capitalize on collaboration, tie the game to a social network to expand interaction between learners.
• No matter how well it's designed, no game or simulation will meet your learning goals if it's not delivered properly. Your facilitators might need coaching to make it a win for your learners.
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