I follow a whole lot of e-Learning blogs, and they typically cover topics like web 2.0, social media for learning, e-Learning technology, the state of the industry, etc. Once in a while, they do tackle interesting, chewy e-Learning design questions (but not as often as I could wish for).
Where I do consistently find conversations about interesting, chewy e-Learning design questions is on Gamasutra - a gaming industry blog. Few, if any, of those articles are actually about e-Learning (and, according to Patrick Dunn, they are on the other side from e-Learning, separated by a huge and uncrossable chasm.”).
Gamasutra does also cover topics like the industry, tools, etc., but they also have amazing things to say about e-Learning design. Here are some of the best examples:
- Funativity: Want to learn about how to motivate learners to engage with your e-Learning?
- Boss Design: Trial & Punishment: Want to learn about rigorous evaluation for e-Learning? Work on your boss fight.
- Rethinking Carrots: A New Method For Measuring What Players Find Most Rewarding and Motivating About Your Game: How do you handle motivation and rewards in your e-Learning?
- Behavioral Game Design: It’s all about the feedback.
- Gamer Archetypes and Lack of Authorial Control: Just tweeted this today — how much control do you allow your learners? Is their experience push or pull? What about Social Media in learning?
- Achievement Design 101: Are your learners able to achieve in your learning?
- Creating the Illusion of Accomplishment: Are your learners able to accomplish in your learning? (I blogged about this here)
- Persuasive Games: And you should read pretty much all of Ian Bogost’s columns on persuasive games. Really.
Frequently, Gamasutra does deal explicitly with games for learning, and it’s a beautiful thing:
- Learning by Design: Games as Learning Machines: by James Paul Gee, the Jedi Master of Games for Learning
- Learning to Play to Learn – Lessons in Educational Game Design: by Nick Fortugno & Eric Zimmerman
- Proof of Learning: Assessment in Serious Games by Sande Chen
(This more or less goes with my previous post about the Acagamic – another great site about e-Learning that isn’t about e-Learning. Go there too).
