tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25675075158303828782024-03-28T07:35:53.839+00:00games-based-learning and g-Learning blogThe blog looks at gamification, g-Learning and games based learning theory and practice. It provides insight (via games-ED and pixelfountain) on games based learning use in education and g-Learning (including learning simulations) use in adult learning / training such as application in curriculum delivery, training, awareness raising, organisational development, communications and engagement.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034587990752747467noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-85049918846822492992015-06-04T09:19:00.000+01:002015-06-04T09:19:18.999+01:00Behavioural Leadership - Organisation Development via Games Based Learning
We have written on this blog for a while. Sorry about that folks. The main reason has been the work that we have been doing on a new venture - Behavioural Leadership.
Behavioural Leadership utilises the latest research into people-centred management using Transactional Analysis and Behavioural Economics. Our Behavioural Leadership approach uses experiential learning and Transactional Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034587990752747467noreply@blogger.com84tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-67150410478763068622014-08-11T10:11:00.000+01:002014-08-11T10:17:45.886+01:00eLearning Manifesto - 20 Supporting Principles
The Key to Success?
"We believe that learning technology offers the possibility for creating uniquely valuable learning experiences.
We also believe, with a sense of sadness and profound frustration, that most elearning fails to live up to its promise.
We further believe that current trends evoke a future of only negligible improvement in elearning design—unless something radical is done toAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034587990752747467noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-35275323832326783442014-07-30T20:47:00.000+01:002014-07-30T20:50:34.753+01:00How Google Glass Could be Used in Education - An InfographicHello again after my short break from blogging! I am afraid I was very busy sitting my final year university exams (and am pleased to say I achieved a first class honours) and then I travelled to Brazil for the World Cup. I thought I'd share this fantastic infographic with you as my first post back, enjoy and as always please share your thoughts in the comments section. SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-3637273719188597642014-04-22T12:58:00.000+01:002014-04-22T12:58:12.590+01:00Games for Health
Carrot not stick.
Almost a year ago, I wrote an article called ‘Games Based Healing’ which featured games that help people learn about illnesses, how to self-heal and more through games. This article featured games to help those with dementia, autism, cystic fibrosis, depression, stroke, dyslexia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Since then, I have come across a few more articlesSianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-45087903191603975232014-04-01T20:10:00.001+01:002014-04-01T20:10:45.886+01:00Is Games Based Learning the Solution to Student Engagement?I recently came across an article from Edutopia entitled, ‘Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement’. The article is a teacher’s summary of 220 students’ responses when asked what engages them. Interestingly, they could mostly be answered, if only in part, by games based learning. Below is her list, with my comments about how GBL could help.
Working with their peers – the SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-32370499873387554902014-03-13T19:51:00.001+00:002014-03-13T19:51:13.122+00:00The Future of Games in Education InfographicThis week, I just wanted to showcase a fantastic infographic from GameSalad full of stats about why games are fantastic learning tools right now and why they will continue to be in the future. I think it speaks for itself.
For the larger, original, please click here.
Please follow @paulladley on Twitter, games-ED on Pinterest and like games-ED’s Facebook and&SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-13822655281215828612014-03-06T15:12:00.000+00:002014-03-06T15:17:45.248+00:00Games Based Learning – A Danish Experience
Recently, I was lucky to be invited to Aarhus in Denmark by the British Embassy Copenhagen / UKTI (UK Trade & Investment) to exhibit and network at the Knowledge is Great Conference. The conference was an opportunity for British and Danish companies along with educators and civil servants to discuss the future of games based learning.
So what did I take away from Denmark regarding games Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034587990752747467noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-27125057741754608352014-02-27T14:59:00.002+00:002014-02-27T17:48:44.291+00:00Collaborative Gaming: The Ultimate Case StudyOne of the most common ways in which games can be used in an educational environment is for collaborative gaming. An entire class focusing on one game is far easier to manage or control than many small groups or everyone at a different computer and it also promotes skills such as teamwork or communication. We have looked at some of the benefits or difficulties involved with this Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com103tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-35815313723882491002014-02-25T18:54:00.000+00:002014-03-03T21:03:14.691+00:00Education Revolution: 5 Pieces of InspirationAnarchy! I hope it is evident from our previous articles that we think the current education system is outdated and flawed. It has its merits, but it is also has huge problems and is leaving many children ill-equipped and disenfranchised. I have selected five pieces of inspiration, four videos and an article, towards an education revolution. This is something I am SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-32308507343425520482014-02-19T13:11:00.000+00:002014-02-19T13:11:47.447+00:00Group Constructor: Practical Games Based Learning ResourceWe often talk about the merits of games based learning (e.g. ‘Developing Communication Skills via Games Based Learning’, tips for use (e.g. ‘Getting Started with Games in the Classroom’, case studies of serious games in action (e.g. ‘Proof of the Pudding Part 2’ and so on. But, if you plan to use games based learning, there are some foundations that need to be in place. If you want toSianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-42000434919444827912014-02-11T16:09:00.000+00:002014-02-11T16:09:13.117+00:00Inspiring Apprentices with Games Based Learning
In January of this year, pixelfountain was asked to hold a games based workshop as an induction for around 40 apprentices of Cheshire West and Chester Council (North West England). We decided to blog about the day to give you all an insight into what we do. We also gathered some feedback from the apprentices themselves and Janice Houghton, Employee Development Officer, who asked us SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-29830719913473829282014-02-04T13:23:00.000+00:002014-02-04T13:23:09.514+00:005 Questions to Ask When Considering Games Based LearningGames can be a powerful tool to teach a myriad of things, from curriculum matter to soft, 21st century skills such as problem-solving and collaboration. However, they are not always appropriate. These questions may help you decide whether games are right for you:
Will using a game bring anything to the table? – Don’t use games for the sake of it. If the game adds nothing, or if other methods SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-15717808772945266062014-01-30T14:01:00.000+00:002014-01-30T14:01:24.811+00:00Academic Camp to Teach Teens Game DesignThis news story has caught my eye this week. This innovative, 21st century teaching is inspirational and it will be extremely interesting to find out how it goes. I wish more of this happened in the UK (see my case study on Code Club, to see what there is to offer in the UK).
Teenage students in Idaho will have the opportunity to participate in an online camp in game design/SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-81544482725607256282014-01-24T14:48:00.000+00:002014-01-24T14:48:51.094+00:00Games Based Learning With Zoo TycoonThe latest chapter of Zoo Tycoon, developed by Frontier Developments and published by Microsoft Studios, has recently become available for Xbox One and Xbox 360. The game puts you in charge of a zoo. You build it up, care for animals, hire and fire staff, keep guests happy, release endangered animals into the wild and more.
It is a fantastic entertainment game, but it also has educational SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-79105828104579410812014-01-20T15:57:00.000+00:002014-01-20T15:57:25.329+00:00Games Based Learning and 21st Century SkillsThere are many characterisations of the skills that are most important in the 21st century. However, The University of Melbourne’s Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills (ATC21S) team defines them as:
Ways of thinking. Creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and learning
Ways of working. Communication and collaboration
Tools for working. Information and SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-36672988192512160392014-01-17T11:37:00.000+00:002014-01-17T11:37:52.920+00:00Why Organisational Gamification was Inevitable and Not a FadI believe that there are several factors which made Gamification of organisations inevitable. It is often
criticised for being a fad. I think that there are some aspects of it which could be. For example, the dreaded ‘badges and leader boards’ definition of Gamification is unbelievably limiting and that aspect might be short-lived. However, there are elements of SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-37746680319374396492014-01-10T19:03:00.000+00:002014-01-10T19:03:25.160+00:00Building a 21st Century Education System with Games Based LearningI am extremely happy to announce that I have been selected to be a Hot Topics Contributor for Microsoft Partners in Learning. I am now a contributor to their Games Based Learning Hot Topics page and have just uploaded my first post.
The post discusses the current education system and why it is lacking. I offer suggestions for improvement and explain why improvements are important.SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-39503129277089015902013-12-30T14:55:00.000+00:002013-12-30T14:55:54.620+00:0015 Games Based Learning Articles and NewsThis post is a collection of interesting articles about Games Based Learning. Some of them are pedagogical, some are more practical; there should be a good mix.
Image courtesy of Kevin Jarrett on Flickr.
Video Games Becoming Required Coursework in Schools
Building Social Skills and Literacy Through Gaming
MIT Unleashes New Online Game for Math and Science
The SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-30815992841030633412013-12-21T23:33:00.000+00:002013-12-21T23:33:03.640+00:0012 Apps to Gamify All Aspects of Your Life
Image courtesy of cote on Flickr.
This is a list of apps which gamify different aspects of people’s lives. The ways they do this are interesting and varied. From encouraging children to help out around the house by it allowing them to win rewards and
level up their RPG character, to motivating you to go to the gym with the ultimatum of giving your money to other gym-goers. SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-82521224414041910632013-12-08T20:02:00.000+00:002013-12-08T20:02:25.649+00:00Our Blog Content by CategoryWe have written quite a lot of content on this blog so far. We thought we'd give you an easy way to browse our posts by category, so you can easily find the topics that interest you most.
Design & Development
What Can g-Learning Designers Learn from Commercial Games?
Women and Game Design
Research into the Brain: Implications for Game Design
g-Learning: Is this the term that SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-43795661214806447242013-11-29T12:18:00.000+00:002013-12-03T10:29:53.958+00:00What Can g-Learning Designers Learn from Commercial Games?First of all, if you don’t know what g-Learning is, have a look at our post “g-Learning: Is this the learning term we have been looking for?”. Then have a look at the infographic courtesy of topwebdesignschools.org and our insight below.
Source: TopCollegesOnline.org
So, what can we learn from the above infographic? Does it contain any useful information for g-Learning designers? SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-56399822108341325992013-11-21T12:10:00.000+00:002013-11-21T12:13:15.514+00:00ICT in Practice - Games Based Learning: Theory and Practice
I recently wrote an article in ICT in Practice magazine - Games Based Learning: Theory and Practice.
I won't spoil the read too much suffice to say that it covers ground that we have blogged about here, but it is well worth a read as it works as a nice summary. The article introduces games based learning, discusses our design and development approach, the underpinning learning theory (Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034587990752747467noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-91813298731841023912013-11-17T21:52:00.000+00:002013-11-17T21:52:11.513+00:00Women and Game DesignThis week, we thought we'd share an infographic with you. One of our fans from webdesigndegreecenter.org alerted us to it. Hopefully it will be inspirational for some of our readers (and particularly young women, like myself). If you would like to learn more about easy ways to get into
programming, click here or click here for more about designing a learning simulation.
SourceSianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-58852482258943648992013-11-07T14:49:00.000+00:002013-11-07T14:49:05.385+00:00Research into the Brain: Implications for Game Design
Image courtesy of Frenkieb on Flickr
There has been quite a bit of research into the effects of games on the brain. For example, a study looking at the effects of playing Mario 64 by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development had very interesting findings. The research found that those who played at least 30 minutes of Mario 64 every day for two months SianLadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09740919240419851987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567507515830382878.post-50244239505755722172013-10-29T14:38:00.000+00:002013-10-29T18:43:54.824+00:00g-Learning: Is this the learning term that we have been looking for?
In a previous blog (A Games Based Learning Manifesto: 10 Thoughts for Discussion), we stated “Use the “G” word sparingly”. Using games in the title is great if we want to sell to the innovators and early adopters, which as developers we probably are doing. But - and it is big but, I won’t lie - is that innovators and early adopters often need to get buy-in from others who don’t quite get it.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034587990752747467noreply@blogger.com3