Synapsys Blog - More on Learning Games

More on Learning Games

From our Updater Newsletter:

In our last version of the Updater, we discussed how learning games are emerging as a promising platform for motivating learners, particularly younger learners who have grown up in a rich, multimedia world. In this issue, we will discuss some of the issues and challenges associated with creating learning games.

The typical response to a suggestion about creating a learning game is, "Oh, but games are so time-consuming and expensive to create!" After all, we all know that most video game projects cost millions of dollars (in the U.S., the video game industry makes more money than the movie industry!) and take years to complete. Large projects require animators, programmers, sound effects specialists, musicians, background artists and many other skills. But when we think about what a game really is, we find that there are other ways we can challenge and engage learners, without necessarily going to a lot of expense.

Some organisations have opted for very simple approaches, integrating training content with simple flashcard-type games, using Solitaire or a trivia format. The truth is that learners enjoy these games, particularly learners who grew up with card and trivia games. Admittedly, this sort of simple implementation may not hold the same allure for your typical 3D shooter player, but it's a start.

But money and time are really not the biggest challenges associated with creating learning games. In his book, Simulations and the Future of Learning, Clark Aldrich explains that one of the biggest issues with converting existing training content to a learning game is that most training is linear whereas games are, by definition, open-ended. The whole idea behind a game is that the player can control the way the game unfolds, as well as the outcome. So creating a learning game often means starting from scratch, developing the learning content with the games platform in mind.

As the title of his book suggests, Aldrich primarily writes about simulations, a category of the video game industry that is quickly emerging as an intriguing approach to e-learning. In fact, the best-selling game of all time is the Sims, a simulation game where the player gets to raise a sim family, from feeding them and getting them jobs to furnishing their house. It doesn?t take much imagination to think how such a game might be leveraged to teach all sorts of subjects, from sociology to architecture.

Blockbuster games aside, simulations can also be built on a shoestring. For instance, it is not too difficult to build web-based simulations that employ a branching scheme, whereby the learner is presented with a set of options, picks an option, sees the outcome of her decision and has the opportunity to try different approaches until she finds the right one. This is actually quite a powerful learning device, as it places the learning in a real-life context and provides opportunities for both success and failure. Teamed with audio, video and/or animations, these simple simulations can be very engaging learning experiences.

As we mention above, the team at Synapsys is working on a couple of these simulation projects. We?ll keep you up-to-date on our progress in a future Updater.