Serious gaming @ work : Learning job-related competencies using serious gaming
bookPart
In our rapidly changing society, formal training alone cannot meet the need for development of working individuals. For this reason, serious games increasingly are gaining interest as a potentially valuable, efficient, and effective alternative for conventional training at work. Serious gaming for application in labor organizations can capture many characteristics and processes of the job. It can be used to train many relevant competencies of workers in a realistic, attractive and challenging manner. Serious gaming fits with recent theories of learning and instruction that promote a form of learning through experience, by doing, such as discovery learning (i.e., Gerven, 2003), action learning (i.e. Smith & O’Neil, 2003), and experiential learning (i.e. Jiusto & DiBiasio, 2006). Such theories advocate an active, central role for the learner and use authentic (realistic, practical, job-related) learning environments that require educators to adopt more supportive rather than directive roles (Johnston & McCormick, 1996; Salter, 2003). Although game-based learning builds on the “learning through experience” tradition, in itself it is a relatively new learning technology. In this chapter, our discussion on the value of serious games for the workplace will borrow from three intersecting knowledge domains: Learning, Modeling & Simulation (M&S), and Play. Figure 7.1 shows that serious gaming can be positioned at the heart of these domains. From each domain, we will present those issues that are most relevant for serious gaming. On the basis of this presentation, we will show the possibilities and limitations of serious gaming for professional learning and training objectives and how gaming can play a serious role in training and development at the workplace.
Topics
TNO Identifier
461849
Publisher
Psychology Press LTD / Taylor & Francis Group
Article nr.
Chapter 7
Source title
The psychology of digital media @ work
Editor(s)
Bakker, A.B.
Derks, D.
Derks, D.
Place of publication
London
Pages
123 – 144