Engaging Learning: Designing e-Learning Simulation Games (Pfeiffer Essential Resources for Training and HR Professionals) [Hardcover]

Clark N. Quinn (Author), Marcia L. Conner (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 19, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0787975222 | ISBN-13: 978-0787975227 | Edition: 1

Learning is at its best when it is goal-oriented, contextual, interesting, challenging, and interactive. These same winning characteristics also define the best computer games, which suggests that the most effective learning experiences are also engaging. Learning can and should be hard fun! The challenge is to get in touch with what it takes to design learning experiences that will excite your audience. Engaging Learning offers a much-needed guide for training professionals who want to create learning programs that are both effective and engaging. Clark N. Quinn Learning, a system designer, presents a unique framework for systematically aligning the key elements of learning and engagement with a proven design process for e-learning games. This nuts-and-bolts guide, which is both research-based and grounded in experience, offers the tools needed to transform learning experiences from humdrum to fun.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Quinn presents an enhanced instructional design model that is grounded in the concepts of cognitive apprenticeship, situated learning, constructivism, and the Zone of Proximal Development. (The Journal of Continuing Higher Ed, 06/08)

Review

"I believe you will find that the book you are holding is equally useful for the curious learner as for the e-learning developer interested in creating something truly special. It explains beautifully and gently not only how to craft more meaningful learning experiences, but also why it is vital to do so. I look forward to seeing what you create as a result of what you learn here. You have the opportunity to truly change the world."
--From the Foreword by Marcia L. Conner

"I have often said that simulations may work in practice, but they certainly don’t work in theory. Clark Quinn has proved me wrong. He has uncovered and presented the academic underpinnings to tell us why simulations work as well as they do, both at the highest level and in the nitty-gritty of design."
--Clark Aldrich, author, Simulations and the Future of Learning and Learning by Doing

"Many so-called e-learning simulation games are neither good games nor good learning experiences.  Engaging Learning bridges the chasm between the engaging world of great games and the essential elements of effective learning experiences in clarifying ways to create truly powerful e-learning."
--Michael W. Allen, CEO, Allen Interactions Inc., and author, Michael Allen’s Guide to e-Learning

"Games are great motivators—sometimes you can’t tear players away from their session. How would it be if we could harness that motivation for the cause of education? In this book, Clark Quinn leads us through the necessary stages of development. He provides precisely what you need to know: systematic, logical coverage of how to create simulations and games that engage the learner and create the compelling learning experience we all dream about."
--Donald Norman, professor, Northwestern University and author, Things That Make Us Smart

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Pfeiffer; 1 edition (May 19, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787975222
• ISBN-13: 978-0787975227
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 1 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Engaging what?, February 14, 2007

By 

John Strommen "jstro" (U of W) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Engaging Learning: Designing e-Learning Simulation Games (Pfeiffer Essential Resources for Training and HR Professionals) (Hardcover)

I have yet to finish this book; however, for the portions I have already read, I am not impressed. To begin, his expanded usage of the English language is unnecessary for the simplicity of his context. He also frequently uses run on sentences that can be as long as 64 words! Also, "his" concepts are more or less variances others theory's. Not that he doesn't give credit where it is due, but where are his original thoughts? The first half of the book is lofty, very wordy and lacking clear definitions. Perhaps this may be a test to see if I can Engage in learning.

As an FYI, I had to read this as it was an assigned reading for one of my Web Development college courses.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Didn't find anything that was useful or particularly interesting, March 19, 2007

By 

Dan Thatcher (Apple Valley, MN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Engaging Learning: Designing e-Learning Simulation Games (Pfeiffer Essential Resources for Training and HR Professionals) (Hardcover)

I had high hopes for this book what with Dr. Allen's apparent endorsement and Jay Cross writing a positive review of it. I found the book dry and boring. I started each chapter with the hope that it would reveal something useful that could be readily applied, but each chapter ended flat. I found a great deal of wisdom in Dr Allen's books. I was hoping that this book might give me somewhat of a different perspective that would expand upon (and even disagree with) the instructional design perspective in Dr Allen's books. Instead it caused me to want to go back and re-read Dr Allen's books to see if my present experience level would cause me to find new meaning. (Micheal Allen's Guide to E-Learning and Creating Successful e-learning)

I give this book 2 stars because Clark Quinn does include some examples. I think that this book would have been far more worthwhile if it was written around these examples. I would have liked to see him explain an idea and then really delve into how he applied that idea in the examples he shows in the book. Instead the examples seem somewhat removed from what the author is primarily saying in each chapter.

1.0 out of 5 stars Useless as a textbook, August 3, 2011

By 

Kat G - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Engaging Learning: Designing e-Learning Simulation Games (Pfeiffer Essential Resources for Training and HR Professionals) (Kindle Edition)

This is quite possibly the worst "textbook" I have ever had to use. For a product called "engaging learning", it failed to engage me at all. I agree with other reviewers that the language structure is unnecessarily formal; it's like he is constructing an elaborate bedtime story with grand physical gestures rather than trying to teach something academic. I was not impressed with the linguistic runaround and smoke-and-mirrors outline format.

Professors should take note: don't require this text as supplemental class material. It's a waste of your students' time and money.