LMS and Games

When developing Learning Management Systems, ePortfolio systems and other educational learning environments we need to stop thinking of them as software projects. What we need to do it take a page from the game development world. Learning systems should:

• Provide a sense of "place"
• Provide enough challenge to be engaging but not frustrating
• Offer a flexible, user defined space
• Allow social collaboration
• Give connection and access to other learners
• Reward for success but a low penalty for failure
• Feedback that immediately defines success and failure
• Encourage experimentation
• Sequential experience (a storyline)
• Quick access to supporting resources
• An engaging experience
• Distribution to a wide variety of devices

This is a quick, off the top of my head list. I have been thinking about LMS' quite a bit over the last few weeks, and continue to experiment with Sakai. I think the problem with these course software systems is that they feel like other office software. And especially for distance ed, and other online experiences that is not good enough. We can create good software, but not necessarily good experiences. And good experiences are what game design is all about.