Karl Kapp - The Research Behind Games, Gamification and Immersive Learning Techniques

Games, gamification and game-based learning have entered into the vocabulary of trainers, eLearning developers and instructional designers around the globe in the past few years.

But, while the use of games for learning seems like a good match… there are a lot of questions that arise, such as - How should games be integrated into the curriculum? Can attitudes and behaviors change from playing a game? What elements of games can learning designers borrow from game designers?

The answer to these questions can be found in the research on game-based learning.

In this episode of Gamification Talk Radio, Karl and I discuss:

• How to apply game-based strategies to the presentation of learning content
• Three principles for adding gamification and game-ideas to learning curriculums
• Attributes of games that improve learning recall and application
• How gamification impacts learning design and development

About our Guest: Karl Kapp, Ed.D., is a researcher, analyst, speaker, professor and designer of instructional games and gamification. He is a full-professor of Instructional Technology at Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, PA. where he teaches subjects related to games, gamification and learning technologies. Karl is the Director of Bloomsburg’s Institute for Interactive Technologies which works with organizations to create interactive instruction including games and simulations. Karl has authored or co-authored six books including The Gamification of Learning and Instruction and its accompanying how-to-book The Gamification of Learning and Instruction Fieldbook. Connect with Karl: www.karlkapp.com and on Twitter @kkapp

About Your Host:  A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as the #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the Founder and CEO of the Sententia Gamification Consortium and the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You. Monica is hired for her skill as a gamification speaker and is considered the best in gamification design for corporate learning. Connect with Monica on Twitter @monicacornetti, Web: www.monicacornetti.com and www.SententiaGames.com, Email: monica@monicacornetti.com  

Children Learn Through Play… What Happened?

Children learn as naturally as they breathe. Every day they observe and explore the world around them. Everything is new, everything is interesting, and learning is FUN! They process new ideas and information, and even if they do not yet have a verbal language, they work to articulate the joy and excitement of their new discoveries.

Play is critical to the healthy growth and development of children. As children play, they learn through trial and error what works and what doesn’t.

Children use play to learn how to solve problems (Do these two pieces fit together? What does this do?) Through play, children enhance their memory skills as well as their attention span. They move to higher levels of thought as they continue to play in more stimulating environments.

Play teaches children how to cooperate, negotiate, take turns and play by the rules, all necessary skills for both children and adults. Take a few minutes to watch this child play. When was the last time you saw 1/10th of that kind of determination, engagement, and excitement in any of your adult learners?