Instructional Design & Delivery practices gamification by playing Dungeons & Dragons in the first EVER “ID&D” series video podcast

If the notion of creating a video game is daunting, it probably should be. Making a good game requires not only a great idea, but also a host of planning, graphic design, computer programming, sound engineering, and animation skills, not to mention a fundamental understanding of what makes for good, engaging game play. And no, AI can’t do it all for you in 30 seconds or less…yet. Fortunately, as a 21st century educator and de facto instructional designer, you only need to master one of these areas to create effective instruction which incorporates some of the most powerful elements of game design — game mechanics.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here To the castle beyond the Goblin City To take back the child that you have stolen, For my will is as strong as yours, And my kingdom is as great. You have no power over me. – Sarah Labyrinth (1986)

As we continue to explore and harness the power of technology in the realm of higher education, it becomes increasingly apparent that artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense potential in transforming the way we design and develop our courses. This shift towards AI-driven course design and development has the potential to create a more personalized and effective learning experience for students.

ID&D is a professional development initiative for our staff to teach the benefits of gamification for online learning and to help everyone understand the process of gamifying instructional materials. Over the years we’ve developed several simulations and role-playing scenarios for courses we have created. We’ve worked with faculty to create everything from a simulation of a zombie apocalypse to crisis management for a boot manufacturer.