In a thought-provoking and insightful webinar hosted by ELB Learning, two visionary leaders in the field of education and gaming shared their insights on the future of learning. Nolan Bushnell, the legendary founder of Atari and a pioneer in the gaming industry, and Dr. Leah Hanes, an expert in educational games, delved into the evolution of video games and their immense potential to transform the educational landscape.

Bushnell, who has been at the forefront of the gaming industry since the 1970s, shared his extensive experience and valuable insights on how games can be harnessed to engage and educate learners. He emphasized the crucial role of creating games that immerse students in a state of "flow," where they become fully absorbed in the learning experience. This concept is at the core of Exodexa, an innovative company founded by Bushnell and Dr. Hanes, which aims to develop games that cover the entire high school syllabus.

During the webinar, Bushnell shared fascinating anecdotes from his time at Atari, including his interactions with Steve Jobs, who worked for him in the early days of the company. He also discussed the importance of fostering a creative and inclusive work environment, where employees feel valued and empowered to contribute their ideas freely and without fear of judgment.

One of the main challenges hindering the integration of games into education is the resistance from the traditional school system. Bushnell pointed out that schools often prioritize process over outcomes, making it difficult to introduce innovative learning methods. However, he firmly believes that by providing strong evidence of efficacy, educational games will gradually gain acceptance. This acceptance, he predicts, will begin with homeschooling, parochial schools, and private schools, before eventually making its way into the public school system.

Dr. Hanes brought her extensive expertise in education to the forefront of the discussion, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul in our approach to learning. She emphasized the importance of engaging students as active participants in their own education, rather than expecting them to passively absorb information while sitting still. 

Both Bushnell and Dr. Hanes also explored the potential impact of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) on the future of education. Bushnell expressed his enthusiasm for the possibilities offered by AI tools like ChatGPT, which can provide students with instant access to a vast repository of knowledge and serve as a personalized tutor. He also stressed the importance of nurturing robust and resilient learners who can overcome challenges and failures, much like they would in a game.

The webinar also addressed the question of how to move beyond surface-level gamification and create truly engaging educational experiences. Bushnell emphasized the significance of context, arguing that exceptional games, like captivating movies, transport players from being mere observers to active participants. Dr. Hanes added that the key lies in creating games that learners are intrinsically motivated to play, with educational content that is both valuable and meaningful to their learning journey.

As the discussion drew to a close, Bushnell and Dr. Hanes encouraged attendees to read their groundbreaking book, "Shaping the Future of Education: The ExoDexa Manifesto." This book serves as a manifesto for change in education, outlining their vision for a future where video games are pivotal in transforming the learning landscape. They urged readers to share the book with others and join them in their mission to revolutionize education through the power of video games.

The webinar provided a captivating glimpse into the minds of two visionary innovators who are passionate about reshaping education. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, and cutting-edge technologies like AI and AR become increasingly prevalent, it is evident that video games will play a crucial role in defining the future of learning. With the insights and expertise of luminaries like Nolan Bushnell and Dr. Leah Hanes leading the charge, we can look forward to a future where education is not only effective but also engaging, immersive, and truly transformative.

How ELB Learning can help you motivate learners with games and a gamification platform.

Add your content to popular game templates using The Training Arcade® game builder. Then, add those games to Arcades™—the gamification platform—to motivate learners and maximize your training.

In addition to being easy to edit and fun to play, our games provide all the analytic data you need:

• Leaderboards - Visualize the top performers and see who’s on top. Or share the data internally with admins only.
• Learner Data - Track each learner’s completion time, score, number of attempts, and rank.
• Question-level Data - Evaluate which questions are most effective and improve those that aren’t.