IBM introduced a new video game designed to help develop a combination of business and information technology (IT) skills. The game, Innov8, is available at no charge. IBM describes it as:
“INNOV8 is an interactive, 3-D business simulator designed to teach the fundamentals of business process management and bridge the gap in understanding between business leaders and IT teams in an organization. This type of serious gaming - simulations which have the look and feel of a game but correspond to non-game events or processes such as business operations - has emerged as a successful method to train students and employees and accelerate the development of new skills.”
In the mid-80s I led a team that developed an interactive tool for IBM instructors to make it easier for them to add multi-media and business simulation in their classes. My firm also developed a number of complex computer business simulations for learning efforts. I was responsible for a number of them, including an “adventure game” to be used in the sales school of a major telecom provider. It is nice to see this trend continue with the more powerful tools we have today. I think some of the original elearning was a step backward from existing computer simulation learning programs. Studies and surveys have shown that the most effective source of learning is done on the job, simulation is the closest thing to this. I have found it to be the most effective learning format, rather in a classroom or in a computer based simulation.
Thanks to Tomoaki Sawada for bringing this to my attention through Facebook. His messages are one of the many benefits I have received from the social networking tool. Here is a You Tube video on INNOV8 that I got from Tomoaki today.
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