Company overviewKevin Corti, Founder, PIXELearning.

Games-basedlearning

What it is, why it is interesting and how to implement it

Company background

• Established in 2002, Coventry University Technology Park

• Business education & business and management skills development

• £500k investment in GBL technology platforms

• Clients - Coca-Cola, Scottish Enterprise, AWM, Edexcel, Skillsmart Retail and Coventry University

• A growing reputation in UK & overseas

Plato

This isn’t new!

“You can learn more about a man in an

hour of play than in a year of conversation”

Plato (2006)

“You can learn more about a PERSON in an

hour of play than in a year of conversation”

This isn’t new!

How often does this happen?

“Please…just another hour…I really want to finish this course”

We know games are ‘compelling’

Games engage beyond the bedroom!

Does eLearning engage?

“Umm…no thanks!”

Does eLearning engage?

Modern day PC power

Modern day PC power

There is a lot more to Games-based Learning than simply trying to make learning fun….

The ‘F’ word

….although thatwouldn’t be a

bad start!

Games-based learning…

Provide safe, realistic and meaningful environments…

…..in which learners actually apply information to develop knowledge and skills.

Why we use GBL?

Ask yourself;

“Would you let your new management trainees run your organisation?”

Ask yourself;

“Would you let your new management trainees run your VIRTUAL organisation?”

http://www.virtual-u.org

Virtual U statistics (Jan 05)

•105,000 downloads •52,000 registered downloads •Over 800 institutions •Over 90 Countries

User Polling

•5% administrative staff (chair to president) •15% professors •24% grad students •29% undergrads

Training & Education Metric

As of 3/1/05 people who have responded to our installation survey over 25% are using Virtual U as part of a formal training, or classroom exercise at their institution.

What you do (or don’t do) has an obvious and meaningful effect in the game.

The game changes. Each time you try it…it is different.

Information / choices / behaviours / approaches / tactics / strategies …..meaningful outcomes

Repeatability

Experience

GBL gives learners virtual experience which they can use for real in workplace

GBL is heavily experiential

Memorable

Characters

Stories

Drama

Humour

NarrativeChallenges

Objectives

Structure

Feedback

Performance data

•Games are pre-defined problems•Solving the problems = satisfaction•GBL problems are authentic & relevant

GBL – fun problem spaces

Game over!You won

Game over!You won

All the data you need

•Games capture staggering amounts of data when they are played.

•GBL applications provide this for assessment purposes.

•History data, learners inputs, decision logging

Assessment data

Assessment data

This isn’t about using Pong or Millionaire to try to help learners memorise facts.

“That’s (NOT) edutainment”

“Chocolate-coated broccoli still tastes like

broccoli”

GBL is..

…..a serious business application for solving problems and unlocking opportunities for organisations of all shapes and sizes.

But first – getting to know your audience!

A serious business application

The first step is admitting it! - Gamers Anonymous

“My name is Kevin and I am…a gamer”.

That word…. ‘Game’

Lonely hearts

Spotty, white, teenage male with poor social skills seeks fellow XBOX enthusiast to share long nights in front of the bedroom TV.

‘Trevor’, aged 15 from Guilford

That word…. ‘Game’

Straw pole:

[a] Never played a PC/console/mobile game for pleasure[b] Have but only a handful of times[c] Do so once every couple of months[d] Do so regularly (about every month)

How much of a ‘gamer’ are you?

The reality:

• 18 to 35 – core market for Sony & Microsoft• 41% female• 42% aged 25 to 49• 35% income of $50k to $100k• 16% income > $100k

The gamer demographic

Key message!

• Learners are changing• Opportunity NOT threat • T&D needs to evolve to take advantage.

The ‘natives’ are digital

M.I.T.Carnegie Mellon

The MOVES Institute

University of Southern California

Penn State University

EA Games & NESTA

BECTaUniversity of Warwick

Coventry University

JISC

GBL is a ‘hot topic’

Birmingham University

A.W.M.D.T.I.

LearningLab

NOKIA

Microsoft

Intel

University of Central England

Birmingham GBL event

www.seriousgames.org.uk

www.applyseriousgames.com

Why we use GBL

So why should YOUbe interested?

Performance improvementAwareness of roleCompetency testingAssessment/ROIRecruitmentCustomer educationPromotional toolInductionMotivational toolsAspirational toolsBest practise

Why we use GBL

Games are increasingly social (e.g.XBOX live & MMORPG’s)

It’s not all “Single-player!”

Multiplayer GBL = Social

learning environments

Are hyperlinks

Interactive????

Click here

Are hyperlinks really an example

Interactive????

Click here

Are hyperlinks really an example of interactivity?

Interactive????

Click here

Recall, memorise, identify & list information

= Shallow learning

The weakness of eLearning

Develop understanding, comprehension, appreciation

= Deep learning

The strength of GBL

Realistic environments & systems

Characteristics of games

Clearly defined rules

Clearly defined objectives

Truly interactive

Clear outcomes & feedback

Adapt (flow state)

Foster high cognitive activity

….are enjoyable

Examples of GBL in action

Business education & management training

Examples of GBL in action

Corporate & Social responsibility

Examples of GBL in action

Retail careers advisory / staff training

Examples of GBL in action

ITQ – portfolio creation

Examples of GBL in action

Leisure centre – staff training

Examples of GBL in action

Sales force training

Examples of GBL in action

Hospitality & catering - training

Examples of GBL in action

Telesales – staff product knowledge training

It is all in the blend!

Enhancement not replacement

• Games DON’T do content (the theory)

• Games DO enable learners put the theory into practise.

Partnerships are key – EPIC, Fuel, John Matchetts, Edexcel & Coventry University

The future….

Tools (middleware & authoring platforms) for non-technical learning professionals.

Allow YOU to create, manage and deploy GBL quickly and easily.

Kevin Corti,Managing Director

kevin.corti@pixelearning.com

Contact info

PIXELearning Ltdwww.pixelearning.comT: +44 (0) 24 7623 6971

Richard Smith,Sales Director

Richard.smith@pixelearning.com