Gamification and games for trainingIn this second post, Professor Paloma Recuero, professor of the Official University Master's Degree in eLearning and Educational Technology at Bureau Veritas University Center , talks to us about games for training.
So, what are training games?
Serious games are simply games. But they are games designed with a goal that is not simply to entertain . They use game scenarios and techniques to train users or promote a product or service in an engaging and entertaining way. And they are serious because they are used in such serious environments as Defense, Education, scientific exploration, Health, emergency management, engineering, etc.
Learning through games is not new. Educational games on bank data paper were already being used in the 1960s. What has changed a lot is the technology applied to this field. Motion recognition, 3D games, the sophistication of the graphic design of the scenarios... All of this has revolutionised game-based learning.
In a simulated environment, the learner can experiment without taking real risks, make mistakes, learn from their mistakes, and get rewards for their successes. When the learner enjoys the learning experience, the effectiveness in retaining the learned concepts is much higher .
Some serious games are:
Educational games: These games allow children to learn different subjects in school. While playing, children practice and reinforce certain concepts. As a result, they learn and retain knowledge better.
Other games draw our attention to certain issues – for example, environmental issues – and aim to change our behaviour through play.
Others serve to solve problems by playing.
Conclusions
In short, gamification, games, and educational games ( serious games ) are not the same thing. What differentiates gamification from serious games is the context in which the game elements are applied. In gamification, a broader concept, it is a non-recreational setting , such as a classroom in the real world.
Educational games differ from actual games in that they apply the system of games and their mechanisms to a serious topic . The more attractive and entertaining an educational activity using games is, the greater the chances of achieving the desired results.
Finally, we leave you with a very interesting video on this topic, from Designing Digitally, Inc., which uses gamification to make going to work fun .