Steps To Drive An Effective Gamified E-Learning Campaign In The Modern Workplace Environment

Today's new-age learners are surrounded by the latest technologies and games which add fun to the overall learning experience. The world of fantasy is interactive in a way that the real world is not. So, embedding gaming elements such as badges and points to the non-gaming context results in improved engagement, motivation and retention. These are the factors that have resulted in the evolution of the e-learning gamification approach in the workplace. 

When the workforce is asked to improve their skills, learn change management process or work harder, then organizations boost their engagement with campaigns. For instance, keeping employees updated on the new product launch. At that time, marketing and other teams can organize a campaign to familiarize the sales team with the new product. The teams can adopt a gamified learning approach, use simulations, engaging videos or more to captivate maximum attention and drive social interest. In such scenarios, gamification helps to accelerate engagement levels and workforce performance, thereby improving the overall learning uptake. There are a few steps which are followed during the gamified e-learning campaign, which are as follows:

1. Identify the business goals

Every e-learning campaign addresses a specific business goal which needs to be focused. For instance, running a change process, adopting a new process, introduction of new products, meeting the business target, improving workplace performance and more. 

2. Address the challenges

It is important to first identify the target audience and accordingly shape the challenges. Sometimes, it happens that organizations address the challenges which in real-life are only significant for top-level employees. So, to avoid this issue, audiences are divided into groups based on their diverse challenges.

3. Choose the appropriate gaming element

At this step, it is important to choose the relevant gaming elements that boost learner motivation and participation. Apart from scores and badges, other game mechanics such as avatars and narratives can also be used for a fun-filled and engaging learning experience.

4. Give continuous feedbacks

Gamified e-learning solutions also include real-time feedback systems to assess and depict individual performances. Learners can access leaderboards and benchmarks to monitor how well they are doing and what measures they should take to achieve the desired goals.

5. Reward & recognize

Throughout the campaign, it is important to recognize learners and celebrate their victories wins by rewarding certificates, points and badges. Participants are also appreciated for their active collaboration and improved learning efficiency.

When effectively implemented, a gamified e-learning campaign can improve the bottom line, while keeping the learners engaged and motivated. Discussed above are the five significant steps that help to build such campaigns for addressing learning and performance goals of modern organizations.

Trends Changing The Blended Learning Landscape In The Digital Era

With digitization, an increasing number of organizations are implementing blended learning programs for the new-age workforce. Blended learning is an instructional approach that leverages the latest technologies to provide a personalized learning experience, giving the workforce full control over their pace and path of learning. There is a shift in placing the learners at the mainstream of corporate training process, supported by effective blended learning approaches.

The technological advancement and refinements in employee-centered blended learning have the same objective: to prepare the modern workforce to gain success in an evolving and globalized world driven by information technology. Today, it is important to realize the potential of technology and incorporate it into classrooms as well as e-learning activities. Few trends that drive the success of blended learning at the workplace are discussed as follows:

● Learner-centric training experience

As organizations and trainers understand the need to provide employees with the desired skills and knowledge in today’s competitive world, the learner-centric approach is gaining significance. This approach deviates from traditional classroom instruction and focuses more on improving learners’ engagement and collaboration with peers as well as the organization. Instead of providing live instruction, trainers prefer delivering blended learning as per the customized needs of individuals, with the support of robust technology. The main aim behind the learner-centered approach is to create an environment where learners can actively participate and engage during the entire learning program.

● Drive higher-order thinking skills

It is crucial for the workforce to establish an in-depth understanding of overall training content and enhance their knowledge level. Blended learning aids learners in improving their higher-order thinking skills by allowing them to effectively apply, evaluate and remember what they learn. Consequently, it bridges the gap between learning and organizational goals, resulting in increased organizational productivity and employee efficiency.

● Benefits for both trainers and learners 

Blended learning allows experts to train the remote workforce, anytime and from anywhere without any hassle. It provides an opportunity to deliver training beyond the classrooms, with increased chances to share trainer-created content through online platforms. Blended learning also benefits the learners by allowing them to undergo training at their own pace, engage more and gain an experience which is personalized to their learning needs.

Today, organizations have realized that blended learning is not only cost-effective and time-saving, but also provides a more natural and effective way to learn at the workplace. Businesses that are at the forefronts of modern learning experiences want to have more efficient employees, be more agile to technological changes and be more successful in meeting their goals. As more people join the global workforce, blended learning serves the perfect combination of creating engaging e-courses and using robust technologies to impart engaging learning experiences. With digitization, organizations are moving beyond the traditional boundaries of conventional classrooms by augmenting the latest advances in workplace learning and development to drive optimum results.

Suggested Further Reading: https://www.onvia.com/sites/default/files/pdf/wp_blended_learning_innovations.pdf