Testimonials
“Companies are increasingly realizing that employee engagement is key to training – and Kevin and Michael have authored a book that helps talent development professions understand how to go about it.” Emotify: The Power of the Human Element in Game-Based Learning, Serious Games and Experiential Education is an easy-to-follow book where readers can learn valuable takeaways about the ways in which play can drive learning. The authors share research-grounded insights on how games and simulations can experientially enhance coursework for all learners.” "Kevin and Michael add wit, charm and a refreshing banter to deep insights on what makes game-based learning work. A great read." While teaching in higher education has evolved, there is far more that connects our practice to the past than to the future. Sutton and Allen provide us with a timely reminder of the burning need to change how we teach fundamentally, to challenge the conventions that hold us back and adopt new models and mindsets. This impressive work on games-based learning lays out the concepts, techniques and approaches that we can all, as passionate educators, adopt to transform education for the benefits of students and society.” What do you get when you combine the wisdom of an educator with that of a self-proclaimed advertiser man? A wealth of information that compliments any educator’s tool belt of resources. To be clear, this book is not meant to be a step-by-step guide for creating games. Instead, the authors provide the other information that is needed to assist educators with being able to frame and implement game-based learning. Readers will find it helpful to understand the theory that guides their practice, the rationale behind game-based learning (GBL), including recognizing the needs of the learners, and be provided with suggestions for reaching stakeholders. The supplementary exercises, quests, and links to additional resources provide the educator-developer, or those with just a need for an overview of game-based learning, with the information they need to understand their audience and how to reach them with GBL.” A must read for anyone that wants to innovate (in) the field of education and learning… A great book that helps you to construct your own gamified curriculum! An excellent road trip through learning and development, where a clear future unfolds …” In this compelling book Dr. Michael Sutton and Kevin Allen walk us though the moment when those at the forefront of education and training knew without doubt that a disruptive value proposition for learning had to be created and deployed. Game-based Learning is not new. Some people have been applying it in business and education for decades. Michael and Kevin belong to this group and, fortunately for the rest of us, they’ve published this book. It’s well-written, accessible and is a must read for anyone interested in how games can disrupt and improve education, learning and training.” This is a fun and engaging read, interesting history of serious games and game-based learning and fun challenges incorporating the concepts described within the reading process. Appreciated the weaving of solid academic research with a casual, conversational tone, which makes the content accessible and approachable. After reading this book, you’ll have a great sense of game-based learning.” "Many can tell you the importance of game-based learning, but few can show you how it can become a reality. Michael and Kevin have done just that.” "Kevin and Michael are not only proponents of this innovative tool, but are masters at showing how you can make it happen." |
Michael and Kevin provide a thorough and detailed look at game-based learning and explore the key models for why games make wonderful learning tools. The book is an essential guide for those curious about the potential of games and a useful guide for those who want to apply game-based learning in their organization.” Lectures. During one lecture at college I calculated how many hours of my life I had wasted passively listening to lectures or memorizing useless facts to just pass an exam. I wish books like this had been available to read then. The comprehensive history section puts game-based learning in context and sets the focus on active learning. The authors then invite us for a 360 view of the power we can harness through the magic of games both in education and the corporate L&D world.” At last a true guide on how to get beyond the technology and get game-based learning right.” Great journey into game based learning with two guides: the ad man and the professor. Two points of view and interesting, partly gamified form of the book that provides a valuable perspective of looking at GBL as a phenomenon, which has its origins in the ancient era and appears to be a natural learning need of today’s generations. An in-depth view of modern approaches and methods useful in GBL design.” I love inspiration and I urge the global learning and consultancy hemisphere to onboard much more in engaging ways of learning. We know it works (just read the Emotify: The Power of the Human Element in Game-Based Learning, Serious Games and Experiential Education). Actually, we do not do any studies to show that learning is not conveyed through PowerPoint slides and lectures anymore… Engaging learning is diverse learning and it has become an ethical question not to include other ways than lectures or PowerPoints. We have entered the era of lifestyle learning, in which we all need to learn rapidly to remain relevant. Embedding our learning activities into games engages learners to frequently practice and build capabilities as an ongoing habit. Humans are social creatures — we enjoy solving challenges with others, either collaboratively or competitively (or increasingly as a paradoxical mix of both). Gamification has appropriately received a great deal of support in recent years as a means of stimulating experiential learning. This works well--if the game design is well crafted and reflections well facilitated. "Emotify adds a much needed element to the debate, not merely the importance of game based learning, but a road map on how to do it successfully." “Sutton and Allen provide the foundational concepts and context, vocabulary and practical advice on how to launch, monitor and gauge the success of game-based learning initiatives” Rigorous, practical, accessible! In writing Emotify: The Power of the Human Element in Game-Based Learning, Serious Games and Experiential Education, Michael Sutton and Kevin Allen have done us a great service—a book on Game-Based learning that is full of rigor and research, based on deep real-world scars-on-our-backs experience and a very engaging and enjoyable to read through its narrative writing style, helpful diagrams, and quirky cartoons. A very compelling combination! "A breath of fresh air to the game-based learning discussion." |
"Kevin and Michael make it clear to see how the human factor makes the difference in game based learning."
Bjarte Eide
CEO M&C Saatchi Nordic
