Harrisburg University Hosts Free Serious Games Forums

The central Pennsylvania chapter of the American Society of Training and Development, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, and JPL Productions are working together to produce two free serious games forums, to be held in April at Harrisburg University in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The "Let's Get Serious...Games" Forums will cover the design, development, and implementation of gaming in an educational context. The discussion panels will be viewable as a broadcast at Harrisburg University on April 2nd and 3rd, 2009. April 2nd's broadcast will include sessions such as "Developing Entrepreneurship with Serious Games," "Why Your Brain Loves Video Games," and "The Implications for e-Learning." The discussions planned for April 3rd include "Integrating Gaming Into Courseware," "Learning with Gaming 2.0?" and "So You Wanna Use a Game?" The sessions will be led by speakers such as Michelle Leavitt of NetLearning, RMC Project Management's Julie Driksen, and Sealworks Interactive Studios' Nick Floro. "The eLearning Guild Forums provide an opportunity to hear insight and see case studies from leading practitioners," said Harrisburg University Director of Learning Technologies Andy Petroski. "The forums’ online discussion supports collaboration among attendees as well." Petroski continues: "The April forums’ focus on games for learning is a timely topic. As organizations consider eLearning solutions to combat budget challenges during the current economic climate, they should consider eLearning solutions that provide value, not just cut costs. Many organizations are using games and simulations to engage learners, provide contextual learning experiences and promote better transfer of learned skills to the workplace – all resulting in a better overall return on investment." All session broadcasts are free and open for public viewing. Registration for both days begins at 10:30 AM, and opening sessions will begin at 11:30 AM.