Thanks to Derek for this pointer to a 23 minute Google video about games in education. There seems to be a lot more resistance to gaming in corporate learning than in formal education, although there does seem to be the beginning of a change of heart.

The pedagogy of play has long been appreciated in early years education – teachers have been teaching through games and songs since time out of mind. With older kids, though, there has been a tendency to move away from any learning activity that could be considered fun. Perhaps there is the fear that this would devalue the learning experience by equating it with entertainment. There seems to be a growing number of secondary teachers who are beginning to use games as a tool to teach a wide range of subjects from economics to history. Consequently, there is a growing number of providers who are developing simulations to fit this purpose.

By extension, some providers have ventured into the world of corporate learning, but it is a tough sell, and I think the reason is similar to that encountered in secondary and higher education. Not all Training Managers are happy to spend their tight budgets on something that could be lumped together with entertainment rather than learning. There are those who are forward thinking enough to see past their own assumptions and knee jerk reactions to harness the power (and pedagogy) of play.

I for one am looking forward to the day one of my clients joins these ranks…