Presentation from the Brandon Hall Conference in San Jose. "The Use of Games to Recruit, Motivate and Train Young Workers"

1. The Use of Games to Recruit,
Motivate and Train Young Workers
Brandon Hall Conference 2008
This is a scaled down version of
the actual presentation
September 24, 2008
Dru Ryan
Manager of Technology Training and Learning Resources,
Center for Professional and Organizational Development
dru.ryan@montgomerycollege.edu
Please take the following survey:http://tinyurl.com/bh-games

2. Overview
• Workshop Goals
• To introduce the concept of social networking and games in the
workplace. Allow participants to interact with various corporate
games.
• Objectives
• Have an appreciation of learning and gaming
• Introduce the differing learning styles of digital native/millenials
• Discuss Web 2.0 and its impact in the workplace
• Expectations
• Be yourself
http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/departments/cpod/tutorials.htm#

3. Agenda
1. Introductions
2. Games Defined
3. Introducing Gen Y
4. Presentation by Ben Katz of Enspire
5. Web 2.0 and Social Networks
6. Wrap Up

4. Generational Variance in the Classroom
• The Veteran Generation -- 1920 -1933 (WWII Veterans, larger
cohort)
• The Silent Generation -- 1933 - 1946 (depression Babies, smaller
cohort)
• Baby Boom -- 1946 - 1964 (birth rate above 3.5 to 4 million a
year)
• Generation X -- 1964 - 1980 (birth rate below 3.5 million a year)
• Generation Y -- 1980 - 2000 (birth rate above 3.5 to 4 million a
year)
• Generation Z -- 2000+ (birth rate consistently above 4
million/year)
Adopted from Generation Learning Styles by Julie Coates

5. Digital Natives
• Born between 1976‐2000.
• Almost 100 million young adults between 3‐24 years
• old.
• Largest generation (36% of total population).
• 31% are minorities; more diverse than the adult
population.
• Have grown up in digital era surrounded by video
games, DVD, computers, cell phones, iPods, etc.
• Prefer multitasking, receiving information quickly, using many
forms of media, working together, and want learning to be
immediately relevant and applicable

6. Skills Gamers Have
• They are natural multi-taskers
• Are unafraid of making mistakes [constructivist
philosophy] … scenario based learning
• Enjoy collaboration: Web 2.0
• Are capable of non-linear Thinking
• Goal oriented, appreciate inquiry based learning,
especially via projects
• Ability to transfer lessons learned in virtual worlds to
the real world (spatial orientation, best practices,
mistake management)
• Tend to mix personal and professional
Recruiting Gen Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oELQdkZvrM

7. Video Games have been a defining part
of the Video Game Generation
• They are everywhere
– For those born before 1980s, video games are a fad
– For others, video games are far more pervasive
• Established
– People in their 20s and 30’s have never known a
time without digital games
• Emotional
– Many memories formed playing video games
• Expected
– Early career professionals believe 90% of their
colleagues play video games more than casually.
[Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever]

8. Retaining Workers
• Expect constant feedback and communication
• Allow/encourage for Web 2.0 distracting activities in
the day
• Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Digg
• Encourage group discussion collaboration . . .
Especially if a top down strategy is not in place
• Allow for fun in the workplace . . . Even if it is solitary,
online experience
• Allow for learning experiences that are appropriate to
them . . . GAMING!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK2UQGsTZyk&feature=related

9. Lessons Games Teach: The Individuals Role
• You’re the Star
– You are the center of attention
• You’re the Boss
– The world is responsive to you . . You can choose things about
reality or switch to different experiences
• You’re the Customer and always right
– The game is designed for your satisfaction and entertainment,
opponents are tough but not too tough
• You’re an expert
– You have the experience of getting really good
• You’re a tough guy
– You can experience all sorts of crashes, suffering and death . . .
And it doesn’t hurt
[Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever]

10. Lessons Games Teach: How the World Works
• There’s always an answer
– You might be frustrated for a while, but you know the answer is out
there
• Everything is Possible
– You see yourself doing amazing things . . . Defeating hundreds of
people or beat the best sports team ever
• The world is a logical, human-friendly place
– Games are fair, events may be random but not inexplicable
• Trial and error is the almost always the best plan
– You can always start again
• Things are (unrealistically) simple
– You can experience all sorts of crashes, suffering and death . . .
And it doesn’t hurt
[Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever]
Industrial Training
http://www.etceteraedutainment.com/cs_alcoa.php

11. Lessons Games Teach: How People Relate
• It’s all about Competition
– You’re always competing . . . Even when collaborating
• We are all alone
– The game experience is basically solitary . .. Even in groups
• Young people rule
– Young people dominate gaming . . . Paying your dues takes a
short time and there is no attention paid to elders
[Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever]
Orientation Game:
http://www.mclph.umn.edu/watersedge

12. Lessons Games Teach: What you should Do
• Rebel
– Edginess and attitude are dominant elements of the culture
• Be a hero
– You always get the star’s role . . That is the only way to get
satisfaction
• Bond with people who share your game experience
– National and cultural backgrounds take aback seat to common
experience
• Make your own way in the world
– Leaders are irrelevant and often evil; ignore them
• Tune out and have fun
– The whole experience of gaming is escapist . . . When a game is
boring, you leave
[Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever]

13. Benefits of Gaming
• Authentic Learning
• Makes training personally meaningful and relevant to the trainee by
showing how the trainee will use the training in the real world
• Games greatly accelerate the sequence of acitivities being simulated and
provides an immediate reward to those who make a correct decision
• Students who fail are informed of mistakes in real time and can correct the
error
• Espouse constructivism: “.. An educational philosophy founded on the
premise that by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own
understanding of the world we live in” Iverson, “Interactive Learning
Strategies for Digital Delivery”
• Games allow the player to gain experience and create their own model for
what can be applied to life . . . Not just memorize facts.
Anthrax Scare: http://www.thepodgame.com/pod/

14. Benefits of Gaming [2]
• Encourages systems thinking
• Games are logically created and skills, strategies and ideas come together
to create success. Carefully manipulating levels, friends and foes, and
tendencies all lead to success
• Allows for a sandbox
• Games allow participants to play and make mistakes
http://www.seriousgames.org/index2.html
[poke around and try a few games]

15. Summary
• Recruitment
• Employ Web 2.0 tools (Facebook esp) to reach younger workers.
• Create a top down social networking strategy to connect potential
candidates with the company (blogs, LinkedIn)
• Retention and motivation
• Allow for gaming and social networking tools in the workplace
• Recognize the differences between Gen Y and other workers
– Rewards, collaboration, opportunities to share knowledge
• Provide training opportunities which include sandboxes, scenario based
learning and explicit feedback
• Engagement
• Allow opportunities to share knowledge: blogs, wikis, YouTube, Slideshare
• Embrace Web 2.0 . . Be willing to learn

16. The Use of Games to Recruit,
Motivate and Train Young Workers
Brandon Hall Conference 2008
September 24, 2008
Dru Ryan
Manager of Technology Training and Learning Resources,
Center for Professional and Organizational Development
dru.ryan@montgomerycollege.edu
I will send out slides tonight!