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Why Games Don't Teach
Why Games Don't Teach

Ruth Clark claims that "games don't teach," an obviously false statement. She has some legitimate points about matching the game design to the learning outcomes, but her claim that no research supports using games for anything other than "drill and practice" type activities is clearly incorrect. She makes this claim without addressing any work by Squire, Aldrich, etc., so it appears she didn't do a literature review prior to writing.

She cites one study with two games that were less effective at helping learners remember, and she believes that discounts the dozens of other studies on the topic. First, maybe those games were poorly designed. Second, if you're just measuring "transfer and retention" rather than application, I wouldn't be surprised that a game didn't do as well. Games are often better at moving from recall to application--but of course, she didn't measure application.

The goal of the research was to compare learning efficiency and effectiveness from a narrative game to a slide presentation of the content. Students who played the Crystal Island game learned less and rated the lesson more difficult than students who viewed a slide presentation without any game narrative or hands on activities. Results were similar with the Cache 17 game. The authors conclude that their findings “show that the two well-designed narrative discovery games…were less effective than corresponding slideshows in promoting learning outcomes based on transfer and retention of the games’ academic content” (p. 246).
Often the features of a game are at counter-purposes to the learning objectives. For example, many games incorporate an onscreen clock requiring the learner to achieve the goal in seconds or minutes. For learning outcomes that are based on understanding and critical thinking, games with time goals that reinforce fast responses are a poor match.
Despite the uncontested popularity of commercial games and a lot of hype in the training community, the reality is that there is scarce credible evidence on how and when to best use games to improve instructional outcomes and motivation. At this stage, I recommend games to implement drill and practice exercises for tasks that require immediate and accurate responses.
·astd.org·
Why Games Don't Teach
Reset? - Games In Learning | EPPIC - Pursuing Performance
Reset? - Games In Learning | EPPIC - Pursuing Performance
Guy Wallace makes some ad hominem attacks against me for my criticism of Ruth Clark's claim that "games don't teach" (although he doesn't mention me by name or link to me, it's pretty clear that he is talking about my post). Once you get past the part where he says that Clark has made so many contributions to the field that it's not fair to attack her, especially if you're someone like me who isn't a "star," there are some valid points. He's correct that "popularity is not evidence" and that games can be more expensive than other solutions that might be just as effective.
·eppic.biz·
Reset? - Games In Learning | EPPIC - Pursuing Performance
Games Teach! | Kapp Notes
Games Teach! | Kapp Notes
Karl Kapp responds to Ruth Clark's claim that "games don't teach" and Richard Clark's claim that no research supports gaming with a review of the research and what it actually does and doesn't tell us.
Instructional games seem to foster higher-order thinking such as planning and reasoning more than factual or verbal knowledge.
Specifically, learning from simulation games was maximized when trainees actively rather than passively learned work-related competencies during game play, trainees could choose to play as many times as desired, and simulation games were embedded in an instructional program rather than serving as stand-alone instruction.
Challenge, interactivity and continual feedback can be applied to a classroom exercises, a paper and pencil activity or used online. The design is universal while the delivery vehicle can change. It is not technology that makes a game a game—it’s the design, the inclusion of a challenge and interactivity that make a game a game.
·karlkapp.com·
Games Teach! | Kapp Notes
Will at Work Learning: Case Question -- Concept Mapping, Question Answering, Multiple Sessions
Will at Work Learning: Case Question -- Concept Mapping, Question Answering, Multiple Sessions
Research on the effectiveness of concept mapping, answering retrieval questions, and reading in multiple sessions. I like the presentation of this in a scenario where you are asked to predict the results of research rather than simply summarizing the study.
·willatworklearning.com·
Will at Work Learning: Case Question -- Concept Mapping, Question Answering, Multiple Sessions
Optimal Video Length for Student Engagement | edX
Optimal Video Length for Student Engagement | edX
In edX courses, about 6 minutes is the maximum length students will watch. In traditional online graduate courses for credit, the length could be longer, but this is a good reminder to keep things short.
The optimal video length is 6 minutes or shorter -- students watched most of the way through these short videos. In fact, the average engagement time of any video maxes out at 6 minutes, regardless of its length. And engagement times decrease as videos lengthen: For instance, on average students spent around 3 minutes on videos that are longer than 12 minutes, which means that they engaged with less than a quarter of the content.
·blog.edx.org·
Optimal Video Length for Student Engagement | edX
eLearning Guild Research: Gender Issues in Pay, or What You Don't Know Does Hurt You by Patti Shank : Learning Solutions Magazine
eLearning Guild Research: Gender Issues in Pay, or What You Don't Know Does Hurt You by Patti Shank : Learning Solutions Magazine
Patti Shank on the gender gap in e-learning pay (almost 10% lower on average). Educate yourself and do a better job negotiating your own salary, at least as one way to improve the issue.
·learningsolutionsmag.com·
eLearning Guild Research: Gender Issues in Pay, or What You Don't Know Does Hurt You by Patti Shank : Learning Solutions Magazine
The Top 20 Most Popular LMS Software Solutions powered by Capterra
The Top 20 Most Popular LMS Software Solutions powered by Capterra
Capterra's analysis of top LMSs by customers, users, and social media popularity. Many people only review 2-3 LMSs before making a decision. This list gives people some additional choices to review while still being a manageable list. The explanation of their research is linked below the infographic.
·capterra.com·
The Top 20 Most Popular LMS Software Solutions powered by Capterra
Secrets of Star Training Consultants | Training Magazine
Secrets of Star Training Consultants | Training Magazine
Preliminary findings from Saul Carliner and John Murray's research and interviews with "star consultants" in the field of learning
<p>Participants also indicated the types of assignment they feel are inappropriate for them. Most of the assignments refused could be characterized as “conventional.” Several participants specifically mentioned that they distance themselves from training about products and software to focus on more strategic projects.</p> <p>One participant avoids “order-taker projects.” </p>
·trainingmag.com·
Secrets of Star Training Consultants | Training Magazine
Accelerating Expertise with Scenario-Based e-Learning - The Watercooler Newsletter : The Watercooler Newsletter
Accelerating Expertise with Scenario-Based e-Learning - The Watercooler Newsletter : The Watercooler Newsletter
Ruth Clark on how scenario-based elearning accelerates expertise and when to use it
What is Scenario-Based e-Learning?
<em>A. The learner assumes the role of an actor responding to a job realistic situation.</em>&nbsp;
<em>B. The learning environment is preplanned</em>.&nbsp;
<em>C. Learning is inductive rather than instructive.</em>&nbsp;
<em>D. The instruction is guided</em>.&nbsp;
<em>E. Scenario lessons incorporate instructional resources.</em>&nbsp;
<em>F. The goal is to accelerate workplace expertise.</em>&nbsp;
As you consider incorporating scenario-based e-Learning into your instructional mix, consider whether the acceleration of expertise will give you a return on investment.&nbsp; For example, interviews with subject matter experts indicated that automotive technicians must complete about 100 work orders to reach a reasonable competency level in any given troubleshooting domain.&nbsp; Comparing delivery alternatives, OJT would require around 200+ hours, instructor-led training would require around 100 hours, and scenario-based e-Learning simulations require approximately 33–66 hours.
Finally, many learners find scenario-based e-Learning more motivating than traditional instructional formats.&nbsp; Solving a work-related problem makes the instruction immediately relevant.
·watercoolernewsletter.com·
Accelerating Expertise with Scenario-Based e-Learning - The Watercooler Newsletter : The Watercooler Newsletter
What Do You Know: About Brain Science and Adult Learning
What Do You Know: About Brain Science and Adult Learning
When people claim they are designing learning based on "neuroscience" or "brain science," be skeptical. Sometimes it's real cognitive psychology research mislabeled as neuroscience. Sometimes it's fake research.
Cognitive science has to do with the mind and mental processes, such as thinking, learning, and problem solving at the human (or other organism) level.<em> </em>Neuroscience has to do with the biology of the nervous system, including how the brain works, at the anatomical level such as neurons.
Bottom line: When you hear claims about <em>neuro</em> or <em>brain</em> related to training, you should ask: Is it cognitive science or is it made up?
·td.org·
What Do You Know: About Brain Science and Adult Learning
Understanding Attention and eLearning: A Primer on the Science of Eye-Tracking - ArcheMedX
Understanding Attention and eLearning: A Primer on the Science of Eye-Tracking - ArcheMedX
I asked in Julie Dirksen's Facebook group if there was any eye tracking research specific to elearning. I've read research related to general web reading and usability, but I wondered if there are any differences in attention when people are reading to deliberately and consciously learn. Brian McGowan helpfully pulled together this list of resources as a starting point for research.
·archemedx.com·
Understanding Attention and eLearning: A Primer on the Science of Eye-Tracking - ArcheMedX
Learning Technology Mystery Series Presents “The Case of the Disengaged Learner” with Cara North - The Training, Learning, and Development Community
Learning Technology Mystery Series Presents “The Case of the Disengaged Learner” with Cara North - The Training, Learning, and Development Community
Cara North's recorded presentation on engagement in learning. Engagement can be cognitive, behavioral, or emotional. Additional resources at go.osu.edu/disengaged
·tldc.us·
Learning Technology Mystery Series Presents “The Case of the Disengaged Learner” with Cara North - The Training, Learning, and Development Community
Brain Science: Enable Your Brain to Remember Almost Everything | Learning Solutions Magazine
Brain Science: Enable Your Brain to Remember Almost Everything | Learning Solutions Magazine
Use memory boosters to reduce how much people forget after training.
So how often should information be boostered? We recommend that you send boosters out in three phases. You can keep this in mind by remembering 2+2+2. Send out boosters after two days, two weeks, and two months.
This first set of boosters should be “recognition boosters.” The strategy here is just to get people to try to recognize the right answer from a list of options.
The second phase of boosters should be sent about two weeks after the training and at this time you should send out “generative boosters.” In a generative booster, the learner does not just recognize the right answer from a list. Instead, they have to think about the topic and then create an answer out of their head.
The third phase of boosters should be sent about two months after the training, and at this time you should send out “integrative boosters.” An integrative booster again prompts the learner to retrieve the information, but this question specifically asks them to provide concrete examples of how they have made use of this information in their job.
·learningsolutionsmag.com·
Brain Science: Enable Your Brain to Remember Almost Everything | Learning Solutions Magazine