In the decade-ish since the second coming of social media, global democracy has been severely impaired by the spread of fake news. I believe that using gamification techniques could substantially retard this phenomenon and reset the balance. N.B. I’m using “fake news” to refer to things which are actually fake, not things that are true…
At this year’s Games for Change, Jesse Schell of Schell Games showed off his company’s newest idea for making chemistry more approachable for middle and high school students — Happy Atoms, a mixed reality, lego-like experience that asks people to explore atom formation through play. G.Co was fortunate enough to speak with Jesse last week…
Highlights From This Year’s Games For Change Last week, Games For Change had their 13th annual festival at the New School’s Parsons School of Design. New to the festival this year were three featured tracks participants could focus on: the Games for Learning Summit; health and neuroscience; and civics and social change. Gamification.Co was lucky enough to attend,…
Yellowstone National Park is one of the most popular of the nation’s 409 national parks, drawing visitors from across the country and around the world. But not everyone who visits Yellowstone understands the wildlife that make these parks home. Recently, two well-meaning tourists driving through Yellowstone came upon a baby bison standing in the middle of the road. Fearing that the calf was cold and at risk of dying from exposure, they packed the bison into their SUV and drove it to a ranger station seeking help, according to Time. That was a mistake.
If you are interested in how serious games can solve problems around the world, you will want to check out a festival designed to highlight the impact games can have across many different industries. Every year the Games for Change Festival showcases cutting edge games that target areas of concern in healthcare, environmental impact, research, human rights, economics, education and many other major issues.
If you could apply a game-based approach to nonprofit fundraising online, would you? Online fundraising is a continuous challenge for nonprofits, competing with each other for donations through e-mail or on websites. Serious games in online fundraising events provide motivating ways to raise money for causes and connect with others.
Health care experts warn that child obesity rates are rising to alarming levels. With the increase in obesity-related medical conditions, such as diabetes, it’s no wonder that parents and health professionals alike are looking for ways to keep children healthy. A good diet is one part of the equation. But an equally important part of child health is physical activity. Gamification startup HopeLab developed a technological way to keep kids on the move while tracking this activity at the same time. The company’s gamification software is called Zamzee.
While automobiles have been part of the American landscape for a century, mobile phones only started becoming commonplace about 15 years ago. Today, the pairing of the two products forms a dangerous combination leading to distracted driving, and in far too many cases, car accidents. TextNinja, a gamification startup is trying to overcome the problems caused by the collision of these technologies with a new technological solution: a mobile app that helps keeps drivers’ focus where it belongs – the road.
With much of the West Coast mired in a years-long drought, it’s hard to get away from the stream of messaging about water conservation. But much of that messaging doesn’t get through. Many people still use (and unfortunately waste) water in the same way that they did when water was abundant. A gamification startup called Oasys has a developed a device that aims to help homeowners understand just how much water they use.
Few environments present training challenges more difficult than those encountered in disaster management. The elements of any particular disaster – including location, severity, duration, the extent of damage to infrastructure, and existence of any continuing threat – are unique. Even so, and regardless of the exact nature of the event, one thing is certain: public agencies and first responders need immediate access to accurate data regarding conditions in precise locations. That not only allows the correct first responders to be deployed to the places where they can have the most impact, but it also reduces the confusion inherent the same conditions being reported by different people in different media.
These days, most people will do what they can to lessen their individual impact on the environment. We shut off the tap while brushing our teeth. We try to remember to bring those reusable grocery bags along, when we head to the supermarket. The problem is, other than these, very few, popular green habits, most people are at a loss when it comes to living a more Earth-conscious lifestyle. So, now what? How do we get people to not only invest their valuable time learning new green habits, but also expend the energy necessary to implement these new habits into their daily life? The answer is simple. We use gamification.
Last time, we featured author, inventor and co-founder of SuperBetter, Jane McGonigal to discuss about her upcoming new book, “SuperBetter: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Stronger, Happier, Braver and More Resilient”. Supported by a decade’s worth of scientific research, Jane reveals how adopting a “gameful” mindset can help cultivate new powers of recovery and resilience in everyday life.
Watch the full interview below to learn about:
Watch the video or listen on the audio podcast below and be sure to catch our next episode of the Gamification Revolution.
“Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” ~Mark Twain: The Innocents Abroad This statement published by Mark Twain in 1869 becomes truer as the years go on. With access to the internet becoming a household necessity, people are beginning…
Human beings are innovative creatures capable of inventing unique solutions to our problems. This was on display when the utility company “National Grid” used gamification to encourage their customers to save electricity. Cio.com explains, In Rhode Island, National Grid is piloting a program in which customers earn points based on the amount of energy saved….
Video Games, or now more correctly titled “Interactive Experiences” have, in the last few years, grown into far more than just toys. Advancements in technology, and the understanding of the psychological impact that play has on the human brain have exponentially grown since their debut in the 1970s. Play is not reserved to children alone….
