The use of educational games during face-to-face training is experiencing growing success! The need to regain proximity and interactivity with the professional environment has a lot to do with it. But this success can also be explained by a more diversified offering and increasing quality. Overview with Arnaud Barrès, game designer.
On the one hand, the exponential development of digital in work and communication tools, further accentuated by teleworking. At the same time, serious games or digital educational games have also widely developed in adult training, but mainly in “solo” and distance learning.
On the other hand, in recent years we have seen a revival of educational games, particularly board games, during face-to-face training. A dynamic which has been further strengthened following the health crisis.
But what are the reasons for this success? And how do educational games contribute to the success of training?
The advantages of educational games
Educational games have 4 common characteristics which are all assets to facilitate learning during face-to-face training.
The 4 characteristics of face-to-face educational games
- They allow you to simulate.
- They provoke thought.
- They are based on interactions and cooperation.
- They arouse emotions.
In particular, they facilitate the involvement of participants in the learning process and promote memorization.
Other determining factors: conviviality and pleasure. Indeed, in addition to learning, participants leave their training happy to have had a good time with colleagues!
So many characteristics that distinguish them from digital games. On the contrary, they offer an individual and solitary experience, fueled by predefined and often falsely interactive content.
The different forms of face-to-face play
Face-to-face educational games generally take the form of board games (like “Monopoly”) or card games. Their supports can be the subject of very advanced prior design, like what is practiced in the world of board games. They can also be presented in more utilitarian forms, such as tools to accompany creativity sequences or workshops. From simple Post-It notes to illustrated cards, or even quizzes, role-playing games, construction games... the range of educational games that can be used in person is vast!
Educational games: quality clearly improving!
As for “general public” games, the quantity and quality have progressed remarkably over the last 20 years, both in terms of the inventiveness of game mechanics as well as illustrations and design. This great creativity and the dynamism of the publishers allow players to have a constantly renewed offer. There are in fact around 500 new products every year! Among the biggest successes of recent years are: 7 Wonders, Azul, King Domino and Les Colons de Catane.
Initially lagging behind in terms of inventive game rules or design, educational games have since caught up. Thus, among certain publishers of “serious games”, the quality is close to that of “general public” games. This is why the educational games used in training currently have careful designs. Their game mechanics are also innovative and entirely designed to serve the educational content.
Themes adapted to company training challenges
The themes that can be addressed by educational games are almost endless: CSR, crisis management, social relations… Indeed, there is always a way to “stage” the subject of training in a well-thought-out and well-oiled game mechanic. This is the job of game designers.
However, certain themes are essential today. They are in fact part of the training challenges for a majority of companies or public organizations. This is the case, for example, of the cybersecurity and Agility.
Cybersecurity
In this area, let us cite the game Cyber Wargame, sold more than 2,000 copies. Dozens of companies and higher education establishments rely on this game to host awareness events and training around cybersecurity. It also makes it possible to open training to all employees, and not just specialists.
This card game pits two teams face to face: the cyberattackers against the cyberdefenders. The former seek to compromise the organization's assets by exploiting security vulnerabilities using targeted cyberattacks. The latter seek to secure these riches with their cyber defenses. For example, an insecure WiFi connection needs to be quickly protected by a virtual private network or risks being hacked. The combination of competition and collaboration inspires participant involvement. And all the more so since they have the right to their revenge! Reverse roles during a 2th part will allow them to discover both sides of the subject.
The expected result?
1/ Help players better understand the objectives and methods of cyberattackers.
2/ Make them realize the role they can play on a daily basis to make their organizations more secure.
Agility
MAIF financed the creation of a tailor-made educational game to raise awareness and train its 2,000 support function employees in Agile postures.
In this Ag'île game (already a play on words in the title!), players find themselves on a desert island, in charge of a summer camp that was stranded by accident. They will have to learn to think as a team and collaborate to put in place a survival system that meets the basic needs of children. For example: feeding and sheltering them.
First, you must prioritize a series of actions. But, on what criteria? Depending on their ability to achieve them, on the one hand, and the expected benefits, on the other hand. The participants must then collectively manage the implementation of these actions and deal with the vagaries of successes and failures according to the rolls of the dice.
Then, there is the “campfire” ritual, which symbolizes the “customer demo” in Agile vocabulary. At this stage, they are confronted with the children's opinions, predetermined by the game. They thus receive "feedback" on the quality of the "services" offered.
Finally, a team meeting, the “retro” in Agile vocabulary, is held to discuss ways to operate more efficiently.
Thanks to illustrations and scenarios that readily adopt a humorous tone, players are placed in a smiling atmosphere. Throughout the game, they are also under constant tension to achieve their results. This transposition of reality allows players to use methods and tools that make them understand through experience how valuable they can be in managing a “real” project.
A range of educational games in ORSYS training courses
ORSYS training courses integrate different types of educational games.
Thus, the Cyber Wargame game supports cybersecurity training which is organized intra-company.
Likewise, ORSYS offers a new Agility training based on the Ag'île game.
Training Spelling through play aims to review the fundamentals of grammar and spelling. It is based on Spelling Moguls, a casino-themed game.
In the company of Arsène Lupin, the training Improve your written communication in French through games invites the participant to solve a series of small puzzles…
Furthermore, escape game type games aim to develop collective intelligence and stress management. They can be found in several ORSYS training courses:
- Develop collaboration within your team, unleash collective intelligence
- Stress management for better collaboration
- Knowing how to convince and make people want to collaborate
It is also gamified (quizzes, role playing, etc.), training Ludopedagogy, designing and delivering training through games is aimed at trainers and educational engineers. The objective? Teach them to design game mechanics to better engage participants in their training.
Make training fun, even more engaging and effective… Educational games win hands down. Thanks to their innovative game mechanics and design, so-called educational board games even take their revenge in training! Booming, they will increasingly find their place on trainers’ tables.
