Interactive training produces effective learning. There is more to interactive training than games and group projects. We have identified (and field-tested) more than 100 different interactive training techniques. Here are brief descriptions of three of them. (More to follow in the future issues of the GameLetter.)
4-D Activity is an approach to e-learning that uses four metaphorical doors: library, playground, café, and assessment center. This approach combines the effective organization of online content (in the library) with the motivational impact of web-based games (in the playground), the power of collaborative learning (in the café), and authentic performance tests (in the assessment center).
Action Learning involves a combination of action and reflection by a team to solve complex, strategic problems in a real-world organizational setting. Team members apply existing skills and knowledge and create new skills, knowledge, and insights through continuously reflecting on and questioning the problem definition, the collaborative behavior, and the ensuing results.
Action Maze is an interactive case study that may use printed or online text materials to present a series of critical situations. After reading the first situation, the player chooses a decision about the best way to proceed. Depending on the choice, the player is taken to the next part of the maze and presented with a new situation along with new choices.