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Interact More:
We’ve recently launched many new tools to help you gather more tips, tricks, peer feedback, examples, etc. around using games and game shows in your training—in the classroom and online.
Now you can:
Join Game Show Gurus—our group on Linked In.
Follow us on Twitter.
Become a fan on Facebook.
And, of course, read our “I’ll Take Learning for 500” Blog.
Along with more resources, you’ll also find insider previews, pictures, news and more!
A Special Holiday Message from LearningWare
Happy holidays to all our customers, friends, family and trainers everywhere. This past year has been one of tremendous growth and excitement for LearningWare as we launched two new products, gave presentations in Orlando, DC, Minneapolis, San Diego, Chicago--to name a few, gained new partnerships, added fresh talent to our team, and made a lot of changes big and small to the look and feel of our website, newsletter, Linked In group, Facebook page and more.
Whew.
It’s also been a great year for training and development.
As many companies have cut back in various departments, it is more critical than ever to make sure that employees are learning and retaining information. Now that the recession of last year is lifting, somewhat, we're seeing a renewed enthusiasm for the training departments and ongoing interest in making training more engaging, effective and fun.
It's with that goal in mind--making training more engaging, effective and fun--that we've been able to meet so many new customers this year, continue to meet the needs of current clients and renew old friendships. Thank you to each and every one of you for having the dedication to your learners to use game shows while educating. Thank you for your input and feedback--our customers have been tremendously valuable in determining our development paths. Thank you for your ongoing support and your business.
Most of all, thank you for being a part of our LearningWare family.
We've got a lot of exciting things coming up in the new year that are going to continue to revolutionize games and game shows in training--both in the classroom and online--so stay tuned.
Happy Holidays!
Your friends at LearningWare.
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The following is an interview with Dan Hannan, a long-time independent safety trainer.
Tell me a little bit about your background.
I’ve been in the health and safety profession for 20 years, and training for most of those 20 years.
Why game shows?
Curiosity at first. . .
What caused or inspired you to bring game shows into the training space?
Well, I was looking for an alternative to some of the more conventional activities.
Tell me a little bit about your trainees and training group?
They’re the front-line employees—craft or trade workers, from iron workers, to brick layers, to electricians to heavy equipment operators. They’re mostly male and are anywhere from their 30s to their 50s.
What was the game show experience like in your training classroom?
I deliver it at the end of a day of about 8-10 hours of course material. I reserve the last hour of the training session for gaming activity.
How does your audience react when you use game shows, and what impact do the game shows have?
They have a pretty good time. You know, the content is important, so sometimes you have to start with humor and get into more of the serious stuff as the game progresses. They game shows are welcomed because it’s something different. These are guys who work with their hands and body, and then you’re asking them to sit in a classroom for 8-10 hours, and it drives them nuts. If they can laugh and have fun, it isn’t as painful.
What advice would you give to other trainers either using game shows, or considering using game shows in training?
Prepare your content well and make sure it meets the audience’s needs. It’s got to be relevant. After that, just go for it. And a lot really depends on the host selling it. Try to create that fun atmosphere. Also—experiment—see what works for you and what doesn’t with the game activity.
What is the experience like for you as a game show host?
I have a lot of fun with it. You know, it’s about return on investment. As a trainer and educator, you see what works and what doesn’t work. And this works.
Getting into Gameshow Pro, specifically, what games did you use, and what are some examples of how they were used?
I mostly use the Final Answer game—that way I don’t have to categorize the content, it can be sort of random or jumbled. I use the life lines, and there’s a strategy element to that. The group talks about whether to use those life lines now or later.
What is your favorite thing about Gameshow Pro?
The filter for the questions. You have a library full of questions, say 150, and you can search by key world or subject to get the questions that you’re looking for to create a game.
Anything else you'd like to share?
The game shows really have impact. They support the training and learning... Hands-on learning activities that are engaging and fun like that can really support your outcomes.
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