LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Five Ways Games Are Radically Improving Learning and Development

5 minUTE read

Purposeful games (or serious games), which are games designed for purposes beyond entertainment, are a revolutionary and impactful way of improving learning and development (L&D) across all sectors including education, military, healthcare, and corporate training.
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Here are five ways that purposeful games can radically improve the performance of L&D.

1. Freedom to Fail

Gaming in L&D offers a low-risk environment where learners can experiment and make mistakes without real-world consequences. This encourages exploration and innovation.

2. Safe Exploration of Dangerous or Impossible Scenarios

Games can model and play-out highly complex scenarios that require players to develop their strategic thinking; including planning, and resource management, fostering critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills.

3. Immediate Feedback and Adaptation

Games provide instant feedback on players' actions, helping them understand the impact of their decisions so they can quickly adapt their strategies.

4. Enhanced Engagement and Motivation

The entertaining nature of games increases learner engagement and motivation, making the learning process more enjoyable and effective.

5. Development of Complex Problem-Solving Skills

Games can model and play-out highly complex scenarios that require players to develop their strategic thinking; including planning, and resource management, fostering critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills.

Let's dive into some more detail on each of those.

Freedom to Fail

The concept of "Freedom to Fail" in L&D is a transformative approach. Traditionally, in education, failure is penalised - it’s bad to get things wrong - which deters learners from taking risks. However, purposeful games can change this dynamic by creating a low-risk environment where mistakes are not just tolerated but are encouraged and seen as essential to the learning process.

A surgeon in training uses FundamentalVR's simulator to explore complex spinal surgery.

Giving players “Freedom to Fail” encourages learners to experiment and explore different strategies without the fear of real-world consequences.
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Such an approach is valuable in nurturing a mindset that is open to innovation and creativity. Learners are more likely to engage deeply with learning material and think “outside the box” when they aren't preoccupied with the potential negative outcomes of their actions.

Ultimately, this freedom leads to more profound learning experiences and builds a culture of continuous improvement and curiosity.

Safe Exploration of Dangerous or Impossible Scenario

Games in learning and development (L&D) are uniquely capable of simulating environments that are either too dangerous, costly, or impractical to experience in real life.

Using immersive interactives in education, learners can explore environments that would otherwise be impossible to experience, such as the deep ocean, other planets, volcanoes or historical battles.  

Exploring the deep ocean at The Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Examples include the interactives at The Oxford University Museum of Natural History where visitors can explore the otherwise inaccessible deep ocean, as well as BBC Bitesize: Atomic Labs where students can safely experiment with dangerous science experiments.

In professional training, medical students can perform virtual surgeries, allowing them to explore critical decisions - including those with negative outcomes - and experience the consequences in a risk-free setting.

Similarly, emergency responders can train in simulated disaster environments, preparing them for real-world crises without the inherent risks. These simulations not only enhance technical skills but also improve decision-making abilities under pressure.

By providing a controlled, consequence-free environment, games enable a practical, immersive learning experience that is both effective and safe.

Immediate Feedback and Adaptation

One of the key advantages of games in learning and development is the provision of immediate feedback. This rapid response mechanism helps learners understand the repercussions of their actions and decisions in real-time.

For example, in a game-based learning scenario, if a student makes an incorrect decision, the game can immediately show the consequences, whether through losing points, receiving corrective information, or altering the game environment.

This instant feedback encourages learners to reflect on their choices and quickly adapt their strategies. It enhances learning by making it active, engaging, and iterative, where students can see the direct impact of their learning actions and immediately adjust their approach. This loop of “action - feedback - adaptation” accelerates the learning process and deepens understanding.

Enhanced Engagement and Motivation

Games elevate the learning process by making it more engaging and motivational, which is crucial for effective learning outcomes.

The interactive and fun elements of purposeful games captivate learners, leading to higher levels of engagement compared to traditional educational methods. This enhanced engagement is linked to increased motivation as learners are more inclined to interact with and progress through the game.

Think about how eager children are to get home from school and play games on their phone or games console. A well designed and implemented purposeful game can be an experience that learners look forward to engaging with during and outside of class.
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Implementing achievements and milestones builds the excitement of level progression and creates a positive engagement loop that not only retains attention but also encourages learners to achieve their educational goals.

Gamified learning management systems (LMS), such as Scoodle Play, is proven to increase engagement and improve learner organisation and performance.

An example of engaging learners through gamification is Scoodle Play, a learning management system (LMS) popular in European schools. This dynamic approach ensures that learning is not only fun but also impactful, as learners are motivated to immerse themselves and stay engaged with educational content for longer.

Development of Complex Problem-Solving Skills

Purposeful games are exceptionally effective in developing complex problem-solving skills by simulating scenarios that require strategies and resource management. In game environments, learners face challenges that not only require quick thinking but also long-term planning and strategic foresight.

For instance, managing limited resources, anticipating opponent moves, and developing tactics that evolve based on unfolding scenarios. This mirrors real-world challenges where decisions have far-reaching consequences.

Purposeful games like this train players to engage in critical thinking, adapt to new information, and apply newly learned concepts. They greatly enhance problem-solving capabilities.

This is a reflective learning process that develops the deeper cognitive skills that are crucial in many professional settings.

Wrapping Up

Purposeful games transform learning and development by harnessing the engaging power of gaming. These tools enhance education and training with interactive, motivating experiences that reflect the complexities of the real world. As technology advances, these educational games are set to become even more innovative, making learning not only effective but also genuinely enjoyable.