One of the things Agile Learning Labs is known for is our use of simulations and learning games. Learning games are effective because they engage across all four of the key learning styles:
Because they operate at so many different levels, learning games are highly effective at conveying complex concepts like those involved in agile development methodologies. In this workshop we will teach you how to create a game based on your own learning objective.
We will introduce and explain key game design elements including: strategy, chance, choice, collaboration, competition, interference, balance, secrecy, roles, and turns. And we will demonstrate how to use these game design elements by suggesting ways they could be used to design games around learning objectives suggested by participants.
We will introduce a simple process for creating games and simulations:
- Choose a learning objective or concept to explore.
- Identify important constraints such as the number of players, the time frame, and the expected skill level of the players.
- Choose a mechanism: board game, card game, building challenge, open ended simulation, etc.
- Choose a set of design elements to employ.
- Draft the rules by which players will play the game.
- Play the game, discuss, and iterate.
- Keep iterating, tweaking the rules until the game feels solid and fun.