If you’ve just recently come across information on LEEF —The Learning and Entertainment Evolution Forum— here’s a quick summary of the program coming up June 16-17 at Harrisburg University. It’s led by Andy Petroski & Charles Palmer, with help from industry advisors, as a professional development event extending from the University’s graduate program in [...]
By now, you have probably read the announcements about LEEF on June 16-17, and are well aware of the momentum that is growing for the adoption of games and simulations for learning. Now is a good time to register someone from your organization for LEEF, because: • Discounted registration ends Friday April 15. You can [...]
Andy Petroski is a co-coordinator of LEEF and Director and Assistant Professor of Learning Technologies at Harrisburg University. Most organizations evaluate a traditional Return-on-Investment (ROI) model when determining whether to adopt new technologies and techniques. The challenge with ROI is that it mainly addresses quantitative elements that can only be measured in dollars. As a result, [...]
Andy Petroski is a co-coordinator of LEEF and Director and Assistant Professor of Learning Technologies at Harrisburg University. Games are no longer just a tactical tool. They are becoming a business strategy, used to drive motivation, communication and innovation in the organization. The energy and engagement created by games and simulations presents opportunities for creative problem [...]
This week I am attending the Game Developer’s Conference in San Francisco. I’ve had an opportunity to attend quite a few of the presentations at the Serious Games Summit, and I’d like to share some of the highlights in this blog. Don Miller of Playpower.org gave a presentation about the Playpower project, which uses a [...]
One facet of the Instructional Design profession that I have always found exciting is the opportunity to work with new content areas and subject matter experts on a regular basis. From the fascinating-because-it’s-gross category (like fungal infections) to the delicious (like wine), I devour the content and walk away from each project having learned something [...]
It seems gamification is being considered for everything from customer loyalty programs to employee engagement and application development. But, what lessons do games really offer for user experience design in gamification initiatives? Which criticisms from opponents are valid? And what can designers interested in “gamifying” an application do to steer clear of the worst pitfalls? Watch [...]
I had the opportunity to attend and participate in the Global Game Jam. I had a wonderful time, and if you didn’t have the chance to join in this year, I highly recommend checking it out next year. I mention the Global Game Jam because it relates to the topic of this post, rapid prototyping. [...]
Once you have an idea for a game, you’re going to need funding and support to make the idea into a finished product. How do you gain this necessary backing? There are several ways to accomplish this goal. I’d like to discuss two key components of this process: the game pitch and rapid prototyping. Let’s [...]
One topic I will be discussing in the very near future is rapid protoyping for games and simulations. In the meantime, there’s an event coming up this weekend called Global Game Jam. Participants work in teams to design and rapidly prototype games. You don’t have to be a programmer, because every team needs someone to [...]
