Think like game designers plea at eLN conference

The eLearning Network’s annual conference will hear how “thinking like game designers” can help learning professionals unlock the full potential of games in digital learning.

Kate Nicholls, Creative Director at award-winning elearning company, Sponge is hosting a session at the conference looking at the role of games in elearning.

Nicholls said:

“Designing effective learning games requires a different skillset to ‘traditional’ elearning. It can be daunting to start with but it’s worth the challenge. I think game play comes naturally to humans and it is just a question of working out how to make the most of this innate ability to reach a learning objective. As learning designers, we can gain a lot from borrowing techniques from the commercial gaming world. During my talk, I will be suggesting ways of thinking like game designers and exploring how to best use games and game elements in elearning.”

The session, The Role of Games in Digital Learning, will also cover the different types of games available, when to use games in elearning and why games are effective as a learning tool.

It takes place at 12.10-12.40pm at the ‘Beyond Click Next’ conference on Wednesday, November 11 at 15 Hatfields, London.

The event is the biggest event ever staged by eLearning Network (eLN) and open to members and non-members alike.

There are three streams of presentations covering strategy and tactics in digital learning, design and methods and tools and systems.

Keynote addresses will come from educational scientist, Pedro De Bruyckere and elearning expert, Clive Shepherd.