Not "When Learning Games?" but "Which Learning Games?"
It's no secret that I believe games can be used as learning tools far more than they are. I speak about learning games, write about them, partner with Karl Kapp on teaching learning game design - and most recently, I just finished writing a book (also with Karl Kapp) on how to design them. In short - I have a lot of passion on this topic. My belief in their value is high.
Why? Because I think games are highly effective in:
- Helping people understand the "why" of things, which often is critical to getting them to buy into new ideas, processes, or procedures.
- Providing practice with feedback; designing learning solutions as games offers a great way to practice new skills and get feedback on them.
- Creating a common experience that can set the stage for learning or provide a springboard into another type of learning activity...even a lecture!
- Generating emotional reactions that hook us into an experience and often help embed memories of what we've learned.
If you want to know more check out this blog post I wrote on the topic. Better yet, attend the Core 4 Conference offered by ATD in September and attend my session on learning game design.