Responsive E-Learning

Transforming Legacy E-Learning Modules to Responsive E-Learning Courses

Quizzes to gauge E-Learning Retention and Recall

Scenario based Knowledge tests for E-Learning

Post E-Learning Program Assessment

Quick Assessments within e-learning courses

E-Learning Pre-program assessment designing

Gamified E-Learning: Design it to make you learners “WANT” it!

When you roll out a gamified e-learning module, you may have noticed that there is usually the initial euphoria that eventually plateaus, tapers down or occasionally shoots up!

Ever wondered how can you increase the chances of your next gamified e-learning module to be very successful and the graph shooting up?

While there are various critical facets that make a gamified e-learning module successful, one very important aspect which sometimes gets missed out at the planning and design stage is the learners’ “want” to engage with it.

Now that you want to make your learners “want” it, how can you actually do it?

To start with, think illogically!

While most of corporate training and e-learning modules are designed and built around logical thinking, Human beings work wonders when they act with their free will – naturally; which is seldom logical!

A quick and easy way to get people to shift to this mode is to induce an element of “scarcity” in the gamified elearning module design.

The moment a coveted resource become scarce, the illogical or instinctive behavior tends to kick in and the learner automatically gets engaged!

The trick being the scarce resource in the game should be something the leaner “wants” very badly!

For example, in a recent gamified e-learning project that we developed for a leading corporate client, we used the “mountaineering expedition” theme to develop a gamified e-learning module where the supply of oxygen was used as a scarce resource (which the leaner would want to have in good supply till completion). Linking it with an important learning element increased the potential for engagement.

 While using a theme like this, you can also explore providing the option to share oxygen among team-members via a group task can induce collaborative learning.

Sound interesting? Try it and you will love it!

Like to know more about elearning gamification? email me at hello@xlprotraining.com and I shall be glad to be of help!

WIIFM: Planning the “right” rewards for your Gamified E-Learning Modules

When we design gamified e-learning modules for our clients, two of the most common requirements (read: reasons for gamification) that we come across are

1.     Enhance learner engagement and

2.     Maximize learning (retention, recall and hopefully application!)

While gamification by itself is quite exciting (if done right) and has the potential to address these needs, adding tangible rewards to the gamified learning module can sometimes work wonders in enhancing motivation levels and boosting the esteem needs of the learners.

The first step in planning the rewards for such an intervention is to think from the learner’s perspective and ask yourself the golden question: WIIFM? or  “What’s In It For Me?”

With a little brainstorming you can list out a lot of “things” you can give away as rewards, but “How” you roll them out is equally important as “what” you choose to give away as rewards- if you wish to achieve the desired results from your gamified e-learning module.

To help you make the right choice, here are a few types of reward mechanisms that you can incorporate in  your next gamified e-learning module:

1.    Fixed Rewards

A fixed reward can be announced for achieving a milestone, completing a section or the module. The fixed reward mechanism can be used as a mode to boost competition (like in sports) or increase speed of completion of a module by linking it to a leaderboard.

2.    Sudden Surprise Rewards

These rewards are not announced initially and a learner can suddenly achieve a reward “unexpectedly”.  An element of probability can also be used for planning these rewards. Such rewards can give a gush of motivation to the achiever and keep others motivated to not drop out our slowdown.

3.    Mystery Box

This is a variant of the “Fixed Rewards” model where the milestones are fixed and announced but the rewards are not! Different learners can get different rewards for achieving the same milestone.

4.    Peer to Peer Rewards

These rewards can be designed to be given by one learner to another for “doing” something. These can act as wonderful motivators for building collaboration and peer recognition.

Which one is “the one” for you?

Like to know more about e-learning gamification? email me at hello@xlprotraining.com and I shall be glad to be of help!

Gamified E-Learning: Repeat the module; Relive a new experience!

Let me begin by asking you the golden question:

Why do you want to gamify you e-learning modules?

One of the prime reasons gamification is getting popular with e-learning at organizations is that the learners find it quite exciting compared to the usual e-learning modules which leads to higher engagement and probably higher retention, recall and application (whew!)

Now, let’s consider a situation wherein a gamified e-learning module needs to be repeated every year to the same audience (e.g. Compliance courses like AML or Workplace Safety).  How can you make it interesting and engaging while the learners and content remain the same and your chances of getting additional budgets to upgrade it annually are almost nil?

The answer lies in how you design its lifecycle.

While the content remains same across iterations, the “game experience” needs to be designed with a focus on random events that change the user experience with every instance.

So, If a player goes through it once and repeats it again immediately, the theme should be exciting, experience different and the learning content-same!

Hence by designing it appropriately to this context, the gamified e-learning solution will have a longer life compared to an improperly designed solution, which may end up giving the same results and experience repeatedly- leading to boredom and resistance to learning.

To visualize this with an example, let’s revisit our good friend Jack from my preceding blog post

Click the URL below if you missed reading it

http://xlprotraining.blogspot.in/2017/01/gamified-e-learning-what-next.html

In this example, the theme jack chooses needs to connect best with the learning context i.e. “values” of the organization and the gameplay needs to be designed in a manner to reset to a random order every time a player begins. Lets explore few random themes to help Jack design his gamified learning solution.

1.     If the theme is based on  “treasure hunt”, the randomness can be brought in by giving the options to choose a team from a set of “avatars” who bring specific skills.

2.     On the contrary if the theme is based on an action packed event- like a Formula one car race, the learner can roll a dice to get a spot on the starting line-up (he will not always get the pole position!).

3.     Further more, if the theme is based on a city where the learner meets various people and takes actions,  he can be given the option to click the places and people he wishes to visit as per his choice every time.

If you noticed,

In the first example the choice is based on predetermined knowledge and helps in taking a strategic approach.

The second example is based on pure probability

The third example has controlled randomness associated with it.

While  it is clear that the element of lifecyle is important while designing a gamified e-learning solution, how does one choose a theme “appropriately”?

That – is a topic for a new series of posts altogether and I shall share my thoughts in the forthcoming posts soon.

Happy Reading!

Progress bars in Gamified Learning : Think beyond the “BAR”!

While the progress bar has been an integral part of various facets of our digital life ranging from file download status to Linked In profile completion to buying an air ticket online, it takes a completely different dimension when it comes to games and specifically e-learning gamification.

In a gamified learning intervention, progress bars have the potential to influence  Learner (read: player) Motivation & Feedback, both of  which have a strong role to play in defining the quality of a gamified e-learning intervention.

Hence, a thoughtfully planned and well crafted progress bar can give a completely different dimension to the “learner experience” of your gamified e-learning module.

Here are a couple of simple but highly effective ways to make a progress bar work wonders for your next e-learning  gamification intervention:

1.    Quantum shift from Display to CTA (Call to Action)

The progress bar shows the current status of the learner during his/her journey through the gamified e-learning module. Based on the design of the intervention, you can use it to “nudge” the learner to

a.     Play faster

b.     Increase inquisitiveness

c.      Enhance competition and even

d.     Enhance collaboration

2.    Bar-No Bar!

When it comes to a gamified e-learning module, why should the bar- look like a bar?

Design the progress bar into images or charts which are relevant to the theme and context of your gamified e-learning module which will not only make it more engaging for the learner but also induce some fun and excitement.

Like to know more elearning gamification? email me at hello@xlprotraining.com and I shall be glad to be of help!