The Learning Game

Citation

Mann, S. (2011), "The Learning Game", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp. 422-422. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437731111134706

Learning and development play a vital part of organisational life, with training and continuous professional development still a focus, even in today's difficult climate. The Learning Game is a lovely new tool that uses as its starting point five factors that the authors believe play a role in creating an optimal learning experience:

1. 1.

   learning motivation;

2. 2.

   approaches to learning (e.g. how we prefer to learn);

3. 3.

   learning skills (both personal and group learning);

4. 4.

   learning conditions (e.g. conditions need to support learning such as structured material); and

5. 5.

   learning obstacles (such as insecurity).

For example, a learning motivation card might read “apply my capacities as well as I possibly can”, while an approaches to learning card might say “I learn from mistakes and successes”. Many of these factors relate both to the personal learner and their environment so the game takes this into account.

The game consists of 162 cards (with some blank cards for any additions) and 60 coloured counters. The game can be played either on an individual or group basis and there are several variations on using the material. One individual method is to take the cards for each factor and select the approaches described on the cards that most apply to the learner or that the learner most wants to focus on. A group method might be for individuals in the team to select cards that appeal to them most/or that are issues for them, etc., using the coloured counters. The game can be used to focus on one or all of the five learning factors and is used to generate discussion and challenge thinking about items on the cards

The Learning Game is a valuable aid for individuals who want to gain insight into how their learning process works, for facilitators responsible for the learning of others and for groups. It should be regarded as a tool for discussion and self‐analysis, rather than a “game” as such (which implies rather more fun than this “game” might elicit) but is certainly an interesting and innovative way to challenge thinking about learning issues.