Radical Online Resource- Gamify Your Training with Marie-Jo Leroux

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing a very dynamic speaker who discussed strategies related to gamification that really ignited a fire in me about taking my gamification strategies to a higher level. Her name is Marie Jo Leroux and I'm excited to share more about her and her process called The Effective Gamification Framework!

Marie Jo Leroux, is an experienced game designer who has a passion for gamification and the most effective ways to use it to teach. I met Jo several years ago when she was the Keynote speaker at a National Association of Simulation and Gaming Association (NASAGA) Conference. 

One of the main key distinctions that Jo made that left a lasting impression on me was inclusion of both Cognitive and Motivational mechanics. These are the two main categories of game mechanics that can be used to engage and motivate players in a gamified experience. 

Cognitive mechanics focus on challenging the player's mental abilities, such as problem-solving or decision-making, while motivational mechanics aim to tap into their emotions and drive intrinsic motivation. 

What I found especially interesting about Jo's approach is how she emphasizes the importance of balancing both types of mechanics in order to create a truly engaging and effective gamified experience. This holistic approach ensures that players are not only challenged mentally, but also emotionally invested in the game.

In addition to this distinction, Jo also challenges educators and Instructional Designers to develop truly active courses that have minimal passivity. May times, even the strategies we consider to be "active learning" include a lot of passive moments such as passively reading or passively viewing a video.

Jo also has a wonderfully engaging YouTube page with enticing topics such as Are ESCAPE ROOMS effective at teaching?, Effective gamified eLearning, step by step, How to create simulations in elearning - Storyline tutorial, and Using ChatGPT to gamify e-learning.

If you're looking for an even deeper dive into effective gamification, Jo has a comprehensive program on Effective Gamification that you can also check out.