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Why board games can be more effective than e-learning

by Julie Esson
Why board games can be more effective than e-learning
Board games are inherently social and provide great opportunities for players to talk, learn from others, sort through topics, and work as teams when the game is set up that way. Of course, there are many ways to achieve this outcome and knowing what you want the players to get out of the experience is key to the design and making process.
Posted in andragogy, assess, assessment, boardgames, communication, creativity, engagement, English language, foundationskills, games, intent, learn, learningopportunity, literacy, practise, serious, seriousgames, softskills, student, teachers, trainers

Differences between gamification, simulations, serious games and games

by Julie Esson
Differences between gamification, simulations, serious games and games
With so many different ways to use games and gamification, working out how and when to use the different kinds can lead to confusion and a lot of wasted time and effort. Fantastic post by Andrzej Marczewski that sumarises the games and gamification universe into easily digestible infographics
Posted in andragogy, assess, assessment, boardgames, communication, engagement, English language, fun, future, games, intent, learn, learningopportunity, practise, products, serious, seriousgames, softskills, student, teachers, trainers, why

What’s next after STEM?

by Julie Esson
What’s next after STEM?

Industry workforce planning reports are identifying the need for ‘soft skills’ especially around communication, negotiation, innovation and skills of being about to work together with empathy and insight into the needs of others.

The next wave after STEM is ‘creativity’ and all that comes with it… Innovation, repurposing, making, designing, caring for others … all the beautiful gifts that machines cannot do no matter how well they are programmed

Posted in boardgames, communication, creativity, employment, engagement, games, learningopportunity, softskills, STEM, teachers, trainers

Learning trends for 2019

by Julie Esson
Learning trends for 2019
I love watching the trends and feel ever-so-slightly smug when I realise I've been working on the things that are developing as a trend. I got into social media when it first started and now happily play in the games and gamification area. The article: 6 eLearning Trends: What Can We Expect Going Into 2019 And Beyond?...
Posted in andragogy, assess, assessment, board, boardgames, communication, Concentration, creativity, engagement, English language, foundationskills, fun, future, games, intent, Jeopardy, learn, learningopportunity, literacy, Monopoly, numeracy, opportunity, serious, seriousgames, teachers, trainers

Why I won't design video games

by Julie Esson
Why I won't design video games

Board games might look like they're old fashioned and simple, but the opportunity for engagement, deeper conversations, getting to know people, having a good laugh and discovering who is the most competitive, is too good an opportunity to miss.

Posted in assessment, boardgames, communication, engagement, English language, games, intent, learningopportunity, literacy, serious, student, teachers, trainers

Using serious games for reflection and evaluation

by Julie Esson
Using serious games for reflection and evaluation
... using serious games as a tool for reflection and particularly talks about the value of debriefing sessions after a game to make sure they process and think through what they have learnt... and more importantly, how to make it work in the real world.

Thinking elastically…survival skill of the future

by Julie Esson
Thinking elastically…survival skill of the future

As teachers and trainers, how do we contribute to expanding the way our students think? How do we provide learning opportunities for students to safely experiment with ‘elastic thinking’?

Posted in andragogy, assessment, boardgames, communication, create, creativity, employment, engagement, English language, foundationskills, future, games, intent, learn, learningopportunity, literacy, opportunity, practise, products, serious, seriousgames, student, teachers, trainers

Creating games for learning

by Julie Esson
Creating games for learning

There are a million different ways to go about designing games but games for serious purposes such as formative or summative assessment in courses adds another layer of challenge... how do you make the game fun, engaging AND actually assess what you want to assess?

Software such as PowerPoint can be used to create...
Posted in andragogy, assess, assessment, board, boardgames, Concentration, create, creativity, employment, engagement, foundationskills, fun, games, intent, Jeopardy, learningopportunity, Monopoly, opportunity, products, serious, seriousgames, student, teachers, trainers, why

Foundation skills training and skilling needs in Australia

by Julie Esson
Foundation skills training and skilling needs in Australia

A new report out this week from The Australian Industry Group: SURVEY REPORT Workforce Development Needs Skilling: A National Imperative https://cdn.aigroup.com.au/Reports/2018/Survey_Report_WFDNeeds_Skilling_Sept2018.pdf tells is an interesting story of where technology, literacy and training are causing a convergence of both need for skilling and opportunity to achieve this.

#FoundationSkills  #Reading #Writing #OralCommunication #Navigatetheworldofwork #Interactwithothers #Gettheworkdone

#Seriousgames #training #Vocational #teamwork #assessment #Andragogy  

#communication

Posted in assess, assessment, boardgames, communication, create, creativity, employment, engagement, English language, fun, future, games, intent, learn, learningopportunity, literacy, numeracy, opportunity, practise, products, serious, student, teachers, trainers, why

Social skills development for adults

by Julie Esson
Social skills development for adults
How do you politely give adults the opportunity to develop their social and diplomacy skills? As self-determining humans, how do you even tell someone they need to improve in these skills? And why would they want to? What is the incentive?
Posted in assess, assessment, board, boardgames, communication, Concentration, creativity, employment, engagement, English language, fun, future, games, intent, Jeopardy, learn, learningopportunity, literacy, Monopoly, opportunity, practise, products, serious, student, teachers, trainers

Preparing for the creative economy

by Julie Esson
Preparing for the creative economy

Interesting speech yesterday by Russel Howcroft at the National Press Club - 15 Aug 2018. (https://www.npc.org.au/speakers/russel-howcroft/ ) 'The Creative Economy Deficit'. 

So how do we nurture the gamut of creativity in our students, so that when they get into the workforce, they can be part of, influence and leverage off this new economy?

Posted in assessment, communication, create, creativity, employment, engagement, English language, future, intent, learn, learningopportunity, literacy, opportunity, practise, serious, STEM, teachers, trainers

Changing the way we teach and train adults

by Julie Esson
Changing the way we teach and train adults

'Researchers who have looked specifically at how vocational education can prepare people for digital disruption emphasise the importance of acquiring broad technical skills that can be adapted and applied in novel contexts, complemented by what have become known as twenty-first century capabilities' (Baker of Dorking, 2016; Committee for Economic Development of Australia, 2015; Figel, 2008; Gardner, 2006).

Using training games is one way of providing adult learning with the opportunity to develop and practise these skills.

Posted in assess, assessment, board, boardgames, communication, Concentration, engagement, English language, fun, games, intent, Jeopardy, learn, learningopportunity, literacy, Monopoly, numeracy, practise, products, serious, student, teachers, trainers, why