What the Gamification of Feedback Means to Learning Design – PDOA (Public Displays of Achievement)

Gamification has spread from marketing to learning and development, and at PIXELearning we’re often asked to design leader boards, badges and public rewards into the feedback mechanism of our Serious Games.

I felt it might be a good time to take a moment to check out the pros and cons of gamifying feedback.

 

So, before I go any further

New Online, International Directory for Serious Games Industry Offers

LOS ANGELES – March 27, 2012 – The Serious Games Association today announced a new, international resource for developers, providers, analysts, educators and consultants, the Serious Games Directory.  All listings and access will be available free in 2012.

The Serious Games Directory will cover commercially available

o   Games and sims
o   Developers interested in contract work
o   Technology and tools

2000 students from 60 schools compete in Mosaic Enterprise Challenge

The Enterprise Challenge, run by Mosaic Network has just completed its fourth competition after seeing an increasing number of students take part from over 60 schools nationally.

A record number of 2,000 students entered this year’s competition to compete for a place in the final. To be in the final, students needed to have achieved the highest possible scores playing PIXELearning’s The Business Game, combined with an ethical business strategy.

Finals took place at Hogan Lovells where the top five teams were invited to come along and pitch their business idea to a room full of people including Mary Nightingale

Urgent Notification: The PIXELearning blog has been hacked! – Please ignore any posts from Mr. G

Dear friends and followers. It appears that somebody going by the name of ‘Mr. G’ has hacked our blog and written a post contesting the effectiveness of Serious Games. We at PIXELearning would like to make it clear that we do not share these views, quite the opposite. We will continue to make it our life’s work to prove Mr. G wrong and endeavour to make games that intrigue, engage and encourage mastery of new skills and knowledge.

Stay tuned to our blog for more updates on some of the creative instructional design solutions we’ve had the opportunity to evolve, and the lasting partnerships that we’ve made because our games really work.

My Vision of the Future of Learning, by Mr. G

IF you have bothered to read the tedious blatherings of the other post writers on this blog, you will have the impression that PIXELearning herald Serious Games as an effective instructional method. Well I’m here to challenge that perspective.

I would like to put forward a case for rote learning, for concentrated, isolated hours spent buried in thick, dusty text books – and none of this practising what we’ve learnt nonsense! If we make learning this easy anyone will be able to learn, and then how will we have a decent, stratified society? How will I be able to take my rightful place as your leader?

One of the many problems with you 21^st Century Earthlings is that you JUST DON’T KNOW WHEN TO STOP. You think you’re so clever, you go on making so called ‘scientific’ discoveries to make your lives easier but then what happens? You destroy your environment, you become obese, you depend on your silly inventions but you don’t think any of it through. SO why don’t you just accept your limitations – ignorance is bliss, is it not?

In summary, To anyone out there in charge of the learning and development budget, Don’t waste your money on these ridiculous games – whoever heard of playing GAMES while you’re at work?! Is that what you’re paying your staff for? VW247 They’re making a mockery of you. Don’t let them loose on any of this social networking rubbish – they’re not at work to chat.

Separate them (if you have solitary confinement cells all the better) – at best let them learn on their computers but don’t allow them any more interaction than a ‘next’ button or they’ll only waste more time. Don’t bother with any of this molly-coddling reinforcement or practice. If they’re too stupid to remember or put it into action, then they’re no good for the job – sack them.

Geeks vs Nerds; which one are you?

From: MastersInIt.org

Meet the team: Anna Bailey (Graphical Artist)

I have always been interested in art. It’s something I’ve always loved and had passion for. Eventually I came to realise that I could team this up with my interest in games. Throughout college I then focused more the creative side of gaming. This then confirmed what career I wanted to pursue and I enrolled at the University of Huddersfield to pursue my career by doing a course in computer games design. Throughout my time at university I have learnt so much, my knowledge of Photoshop has improved drastically and I have also had the opportunity to work with programmes such as 3Ds Max and After effects. These have all helped me to really improve my knowledge of the games industry and how it works. I have also attended expo’s in various places and intend to visit a lot more.

As part of the games design course we also have the opportunity to work within teams to produce a working game. At the end of the year our game Overtime won the ‘Best game award’. Since then I have worked on different modules within the course and produced some really interesting work.

The computer games design course has the option to do a placement year and through it I came across PIXELearning. Not only does it tackle training and learning through games but it does it in a really intelligent and innovative way. I immediately emailed them showing my interest in doing my placement year with them. To my delight they agreed to take me on as a graphical artist.

Although I have only been with PIXELearning for 6 months I have already learnt so much. I have had a chance to really apply my skills to games within such a great team. I have seen into the industry and my enthusiasm for the serious games industry has grown vastly. I work on many different areas from graphics to animations. I have also done some3D textures and drawn concepts’ for characters and environments. Nowhere else could I have such a diverse and interesting work load. I get to work on various projects and interact with many different clients.

This opportunity has fuelled my passion for the games industry and I’m really looking forward to the rest of my time at PIXELearning.

 

Top Trends from Learning Technologies 2012

Any trade show is always an eye opener, you can’t help it. You meet so many interesting people, see and hear so many different ideas and get extracted from your little bubble for a few precious moments. PIXELearning and Intellego recently held a stand at Learning Technologies 2012, PIXEL’s first trade show in a good couple of years, but as the show was drawing to a close we’re already making plans to be back next year!

With 2012 drawing a record breaking crowd for Learning Technologies, almost 7000 registered attendees visited interacted and engaged with 100’s of exhibitors,…

2011 to 2012 – What a difference a year can make

So our closing statement of 2011 is shaping up to be a wild ride was certainly true and what a year 2011 was. It started with major changes to PIXELearning, it saw new additions to the team and it end with the busiest run up to Christmas we have ever seen.

Before we dive right in to 2012 (or at least before we dive too deep) we thought we would provide a round up on what’s been going on in the world of PIXELearning.

All change

It was a rocky start to 2011 but soon all turned around and the busy year started from April with the Acquisition of PIXELearning

eLearning Innovation Seminar- The Presentations

As promised the presentations from, a very successful seminar if we do say so ourselves, are freely available.

The first presentation you see here is from Andy Hasoon, Director of Strategy for Intellego introduced the