Why having fun deserves to be taken seriously

Gaming is often blamed as a source of distraction, putting our children (and us) off doing something more productive or educational. But, according to numerous studies and experts in the emerging field of ‘edutainment’, what actually makes games enjoyable is the built-in learning process.

The theory is that when we are actively engaging with a game, our minds are grappling with its parameters – and that this is true of everything from Angry Birds, through World of Warcraft and FAA-approved flight simulators.

You don’t have to look far to see this principle in action. I was helping my son – then eight years old – with his homework one day. The weather was glorious and he was struggling to focus on his work, protesting that he wanted to go and play outside instead. And that was it: the gap between learning and play; the divide between what seems unengaging and laborious and what’s fun and engaging. That really started us on our journey to creating simulations that aid professional education, training and development.

Much to our surprise, IBM had the same thoughts. Beat Erb, IBM’s Technology Support Services BP Channels Sales Leader, was searching for a better way to train IBM Business Partners so that they actively understood the products and services their customers were using. He too saw the difference between his children happily playing games for hours and then doing all they could to avoid homework. I’m sure it’s a familiar story in homes across the world. But, if the science says that the fun in gaming is actually related to mechanisms for learning – exploration, experimentation, competition and achievement – surely it should be harnessed to create a more engaging way to educate?

There’s huge potential: 93.6 million people from Great Britain, Germany, France and Spain played video games in 2016, spending an average 7.3 hours a week, according to GameTrack (ISFE/Ipsos Connect). A well-designed simulation that harnesses the power of having fun to learn could result in a more confident, knowledgeable and motivated workforce. This is already being realised by industries where life or death decisions are made, such as aviation and medicine, allowing pilots and surgeons to model their decisions in a safe, simulated environment. The link between motivation and gaming is there, it’s now just a question of developing solutions that fit various industries – tackling the decision-fatigue felt by IT managers, for example. That’s really where Simulcation began.

There’s a world of difference between memorization and developing the skills and experience needed to best respond to situations under pressure. Education that feels stale or boring isn’t engaging or motivating students to learn. Simulated learning defies the idea that classroom learning is best. What we really need is interactive, immersive experiences that actively engage us in the learning process. For decades now, whether they know it or not, game designers have actually been creating highly motivating educational environments that their players enjoy. We know this first hand.

I couldn’t be more excited to show you how this all comes together. We’re revolutionizing professional education through simulation, starting with the IT industry. Contact us to find out more about our groundbreaking approach, or preregister to be among the first to experience Simulcation Datacenter.

- Arlette Pond, Simulcation CEO