Elearning! Magazine: Building Smarter Companies via Learning & Workplace Technologies.
Issue link: http://elmezine.epubxp.com/i/201066
Editor'sNote Games and the Learning Process S CORPORATE AMERICA TAKING A TIP FROM THE U.S. MILITARY... erious games are fnally catching on in the corporate world, which has begun to take their cue from the U.S. military, the frst users of war-type scenario-based games as a teaching tool. Why are they catching on? Because labor is the single biggest expense for most organizations — so leveraging gamifed apps to increase staff productivity correlates to bottom-line impact. And it's already been proven in the business world that small changes in employee productivity can result in big, positive changes to profts. Gartner, an I.T. research and advisory company, notes that forward-thinking business leaders have begun to use game-type programs and apps to incentivize staff to accomplish specifc learning/training goals. Gartner also predicts that 50 percent of companies will embrace what's now being termed "gamifcation" by 2015. "Well-designed games require full engagement while simultaneously providing an opportunity to apply learned skills," observes Dr. Karl Kapp, who is interviewed on page 13 of this issue. With today's mobility — including the ever-increasing use of smartphones and tablets — employees have the anytime and anywhere access and tools with which to employ serious games on-demand or at milestones that align with learning processes. Gamifcation technologists, like Game On! Learning, suggest that companies consider Gartner's four principles of game design: (1) timely feedback cycles, (2) clear goals and rules of play, (3) a compelling narrative, and (4) tasks that are challenging but achievable. Discover a series of actionable articles on gamifcation in this issue, all penned by experts. Business drivers of gamifcation become apparent when you read the article "Engaging the Next Generation of Learners." Thomas Kalinske, vice chairman of LeapFrog, shares research and insights starting on page 30. Welcome to the October/November issue of Elearning! magazine, and thanks for reading! —Jerry Roche, editorial director Elearning! October / November 2013 7