Using Games to Teach? –
Five Important Considerations.

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Games (aka “gamification”) are a valuable way to review a certain topic. But where things are still a bit muddled is how far games can go in actually delivering crucial content. Below are some key insights that take the interactive power of a game to another level of training.

1. What are you after?

Make a list of the key teaching points you want to cover and embed them within the game. By using the power of game-based competition – your learners will have a heightened sense of awareness and retention will increase (yes – this is fact).

2. Think Outside the Box

Questions do not specifically have to cover a topic, they can be used simply as a stepping stone to what you want to teach or review. Consider even leaving the game completely to focus more deeply on the subject at hand and then come back.

3. Fun is Secondary

Remember, your key objective is to teach a topic, you are using “fun” to help achieve your primary objective, which is educational.

4. Slow It Down

Your objective is different than a TV game show. Theirs is to entertain, yours is to educate. On a TV game show, in a 30 minute period, they may play 3-4 rounds. Don’t simply read questions and award points, use the excitement of competition to emphasize and explain things. It’s not about who wins and loses but who is learning.

5. Keep It Simple

Games do not always have to be long and complicated. A short game of 4-6 questions, can be a great way to review the key points of a talk or use as a warm up for a presentation. Once you start introducing a bunch of complicated rules – you’ve lost them.

The take away in all of this is to remember that once a game is introduced in any sort of environment - there are two factors simultaneously in play... The drive to succeed coupled with real learning.

Note: This tip is provided by Paul Keller of C3 Softworks.   He can be reached at paul@c3softworks.com.     

Why do we evaluate and measure?

Before you begin the QA process in your organization, you should look at why you are doing QA evaluations and measuring performance.  Here are some key points to review to make sure QA is measuring the right behaviors and procedures:

Discover service gaps that impact agent effectiveness and that create customer pain/potential attrition.

Determine if current policies and procedures are supporting strategic initiatives.

Identify service failures that impact customers and correct them.

Encourage supervisors and analysts to use the quality form as a development tool.

These items should be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure your QA program stays on the right track.

Have a tip to share?  We would love to hear from you!  Send your quality assurance or training tips to vicki.herrell@qatc.org.  If we publish your idea, we’ll send you a QATC water bottle or t-shirt – your choice!