The goal is NOT to play games.

I like games. I play games. I think that games can be outstanding learning experiences. But my goal is not to convince educators and trainers to "play games" as a part of their teaching and training.

I respect those folks who begin believing that games can be good for learning, so they start adding game-play to their activities. They create Jeopardy-like lessons, puzzle games, quiz games; putting the content to be learned as the content of the games. This is fine, and I appreciate the openness to trying new things. But this is not what I'm after. This is still far from what is possible in enhancing learning.

Rather than "playing" games, I am more interested in understanding the experience that people have while playing a REALLY good game, and then finding ways to recreate that experience in the learning environment. And it may not include playing a game at all. In fact, I'm convinced that "playing" games may actually get in the way of creating that exciting "game" environment.

Confused? Stay with me here...

There has been a lot of recent research about the game experience. Its been the game industry doing that research rather than educators, but I don't mind that. They are serious about it too, because a good game is worth billions today! So they really want to understand what makes a good game...good.

For now, I'll just say that some of the things we know about good games is that they create flow...that experience of getting lost in time as you play. That comes from a mix of player control over the action, scaffolded learning, authentic and meaningful feedback to increase learning, authentic opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the learning, the ability to try & fail over and over until you finally try & succeed, multiple sensory inputs from video, audio and game controls...and more. These pieces help the player create an "experience" that pulls them in and keeps them coming back. In the process, they create multiple synaptic connections in the brain, creating experiences that are strong and long-lasting.

THAT is what I want in my learning activities. Not the "game", but the experience.

I've "done" instructional design for years, taught instructional design, and directed instructional design. We focused on objectives, audience profiles, needs analysis, assessment, all those good things. But I don't recall many projects in which we stopped and asked just what we wanted the learner to "experience" at some point in the activity. Not what will they "do", but what will they "be"?

Tranceformational Learning is my attempt to correct that mistake I've made for many years. It is a process for designing instruction that focuses on the internal experience of the learner, with the goal of creating that immersive experience that leads to flow...to increased synaptic connections...to increased learning.

That's what I mean when I talk about "games" and learning.