The Enspire Learning Network presents a visual representation of the current financial crisis.
To learn more about the fundamentals of finance, click here:
After years of application in the military and medical worlds, online and computer-based simulations and games are finally making significant forays into other disciplines. America's Army, a battle simulation used for training in the US Army, is perhaps the most famous of these applications, and many doctors practice virtual surgical procedures several times before engaging in a real-life situation. These sorts of training programs obviously hold value for other fields of study, though, as Enspire's own Mindy Jackson points out. And slowly, that dream of applying this educational strategy across the board is coming true.
These games take many different forms, from Flash-based linear programs to fully developed virtual worlds. The Nobel Foundation, for one, has put together a large suite of games designed to explain a number of the accomplishments in physics, chemistry, literature, medicine, economics, and international peace for which they have awarded their esteemed prize. Another company, Tabula Digita, recently created a first-person, 3-D game called DimensionM designed to teach math topics to grade schoolers. Less intended for educational purposes, but still within the realm of e-learning, are upstarts eRepublik and GoCrossCampus. eRepublik is a virtual world in which individuals can work, train for the military, join political parties, etc., but in order to be the most successful, the player has to periodically answer questions challenging his or her knowledge of a particular subject area. With some guidance from subject matter experts and instructional designers, this simulated world could be a fruitful avenue for e-learning. GoCrossCampus, on the other hand, is much like a massive game of Risk, professing to “build critical thinking, leadership skills, and teamwork” among groups of people.
As the "Boomer" generation inches ever closer to its eventual retirement, businesses across America are becoming more worried that the loss of experience, knowledge, and leadership may be too much for them to handle. But is this fear overblown? Despite the enormous contributions of the Boomer generation workforce, younger generations do in fact provide a wealth of talent and leadership potential that remains to be tapped. In an upcoming webinar, Enspire CEO Bjorn Billhardt and others will suggest ways to prepare for this transition, including how to:
- Attract a younger workforce;
- Manage generational gaps within a business;
- Bring out the best in young employees; and
- Adjust organizational appropriately to the changing workforce environment.
The webinar, sponsored by Lore International Institute and entitled "Driving Change With the New Generation of Business Leaders," will be held on Tuesday, October 14 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. Registration is free. Click
here.
This week, members of the Enspire Learning team will be at the Innovations in Learning conference in San Jose presented by Brandon Hall Research. You won’t want to miss the interactive multimedia routine they will perform during Innovations Idol or "Casual Games, Serious Learning" presented by Enspire game developers Daniel Fu, Ben Katz, and Jack Schaedler. Stop by Enspire’s booth (#9) to check out our recent innovations in learning. For more information on the conference, please visit the conference website.
This year, the American Heart Association is hosting over 450 Heart Walks. These fundraising events raise money for heart disease and stroke-- the number 1 and number 3 killers in the US.
It's no secret that people live longer by eating well and exercising more. Heart Walks help to promote healthy lifestyles and raise money for all of the good work that AHA does. Enspire is proud to contribute the Heart Walk.
For more information on Heart Walks, please visit AHA's webite.
A blogger over at Blogging@Wharton just posted an interesting response to the "Games and Simulations" article written by two of Enspire's finest for the 2008 Training Industry Quarterly Electronic Magazine.
Co-writers Bjorn Billhardt and Allison Kolb address how games and simulations can be effective learning tools by allowing individuals to learn through failure, as long as they offer feedback and place information in the right kind of context.
Check out the full article here here, and the response at Blogging@Wharton.
How do you train the Gamer Generation? IQPC's "Training World 2.0: Corporate Training for the Gamer Generation" will draw both puzzled and experienced trainers to Baltimore’s Hyatt Regency next week to get some answers. Enspire's Shon Bayer will be doling out advice, as well as showing a demo of Finance Challenge, a multi-player game designed to build financial acumen. Catch his session on Tuesday, July 29 at 12:15 p.m. For more information on this event, please visit IQPC.
What's the best way to make friends in a foreign county? Get chased out of an illegal gaming event with them.
That's what renowned anthropologist Clifford Geertz discovered when, after trying unsuccessfully to integrate into a small Balinese village, he tagged along with his host to an illegal cockfight. After the authorities showed up, and Geertz fled the scene with his hosts, he gained credibility and access in ways he may never have otherwise done.
Long after the playground, playing remains a form of acculturation. For adults, it can signify acceptance and forge bonds between classmates, coworkers, neighbors -- even strangers from different countries. It’s no coincidence that Robert Putnam framed his theory of the collapse of American community – Bowling Alone – around playing a game together. When play between members of society breaks down, the society suffers too.
So next time you're in Italy, suggest a pickup game of bocce, or bring a chessboard, and you may make friends like you'd never expected.
Remember when gaming at work meant sneaking in a few hands of Solitaire while the boss wasn’t around? Things have changed around the workplace since then.
According to a report by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) that we found on Kotaku gaming blog, 70% of major employers use e-learning software and games for employee training, 75% of those employers plan to expand their usage in the next few years, and 78% of those who don’t currently offer these sorts of training are likely to offer them soon. These are some exciting numbers for the e-learning industry, and we’re excited by the prospect of more and more businesses embracing the model.
Why are so many businesses switching over to e-learning for employee training? The ESA reports that employers find the technology more efficient, consistent, accurate, adaptable, and cost-effective. But most importantly, it helps employees better retain information. The key to training games’ success is the level of engagement and interactivity they offer the learner. We certainly have an easier time learning when we’re having fun!
Enspire Learning will be showcasing our learning solutions at the ASTD International Conference and Expo in San Diego June 1-4. View our newest learning innovation, Fluent in Finance at the Expo stage Tuesday, June 3 at 1 p.m. Additionally, Enspire will have two booths at the conference. Booth #131 will feature Enspire’s off-the-shelf training products Executive Challenge and Fluent in Finance. Booth #618 will feature Enspire’s award-winning custom e-learning programs.
If you’d like more information about the conference please visit www.astd2008.org. We’re looking forward to seeing you there! Until then, you stay classy, San Diego.
