Put on engaging training workshops with gamification.
Do you remember those days in school when you would get to play fun games?
Perhaps it was trivia, a form of Jeopardy, probability games, or Pictionary.
Whatever it was, you probably didn’t even realize at the time that you were highly benefitting from these activities.
Learning information in a fun and competitive way can make you retain information without even realizing you’re doing it.
And if you aren’t specifically learning from a game, you are most definitely building stronger relationships with your colleagues.
This is called gamification; when game mechanics are integrated into environments that traditionally don’t involve games.
Examples of where this is used in schools, in the workplace, and – of course – in training sessions.
Incorporating gamification into your training workshops is an excellent way to break up your session, increase engagement, and inspire collaboration.
With online learning more prevalent than ever, you may think that throws a wrench in gamification for your training workshops.
But it’s actually totally doable with third-party platforms, Zoom apps, and a little creativity.
Below are our top tools for gamification via Zoom for your virtual instructor-led training.
Below are our top tools for gamification via Zoom for your virtual instructor-led training.
Heads Up!
The original version of Heads Up! is a timed game that involves a player holding a smartphone over their head and guessing the phrase showing on it while the other players give hints.
The Zoom version of Heads Up! is the same concept, the word flashes on the Zoom screen for all participants except the one guessing. Heads Up! is a fun way to practice communication and listening skills with your participants, especially if your trainees are on a team together.
The benefit of using Heads Up! as a game for your Zoom calls is that there is an app designed to integrate right into Zoom. This also saves you from any hassles with screen sharing and ensures all your participants can see the same thing.
Kahoot!
Kahoot! Is the perfect way to check your participant’s understanding in a fun and competitive way.
If you haven’t heard of Kahoot! it is a highly used quiz platform. Its versatility and user-friendliness make it a great last-minute option for gamification in your training, simply create an account and fill out your questions and answers. Your participants don’t even have to make an account to play, they simply type Kahoot! into their browser and type in the game PIN you provide them.
By letting everyone use their computer or smartphone to play the same game, you save the hassle of screen sharing.
It is also never a bad idea to have some fun trivia quizzes on the backburner for ice breakers or simply to fill up extra time if needed.
Jeopardy
Jeopardy is an iconic trivia game that is easily transferable to any topic you might be training on. In the game, players select a square from a grid of answers. Players must give the corresponding question to the given answer.
Your jeopardy game can be made with a simple screen-shared slide deck made in PowerPoint or Google Slides. Or if you want an even easier way, JeopardyLabs.com is a great solution.
Jeopardy Labs has 2 million+ users and allows you to easily make your own custom Jeopardy game, or use archived templates for free. There’s also an option to get a lifetime membership for a flat rate of $20, but that’s just if you want all the bells and whistles.
Zoom Jeopardy will get your trainees excited and bring out a fun and competitive energy to your workshops. Games like Jeopardy in your Zoom workshops will contribute to better subject comprehension and help you stand out as a corporate trainer.
Scavenger Hunt
There are lots of apps and third-party programs you can use to implement gamification of training. But if you (or your team) aren’t the most tech-savvy, there are many ideas for games you can do on Zoom without using these.
For example, why not try a Zoom scavenger hunt? This could be work-related or simply for fun and used as a team-building exercise. You could have them search for things around their household/home office, or for information regarding the company using their device.
Whoever is the first to come back with the most items on the list wins. You could add some more excitement by implementing a time limit to gather items. The Zoom scavenger hunt requires minimal preparation and makes for a fun and engaging activity that gets your trainees moving. Just make sure you motivate your participants with the prize of bragging rights.
Bingo
Who doesn’t love bingo? Bingo is a versatile game that you can customize to be relevant to your training. You can email bingo cards to your participants ahead of time that they can print out or simply upload to a photo editor so they can mark on it.
Make custom bingo cards that are relevant to your training topics with programs like MyFreeBingoCards.com. This can help people remember key terms from the course. Alternatively, if you are looking for more of a fun icebreaker with a bingo game, there are countless humorous “Zoom Meeting” Bingo cards that are a fun and unique way to keep people focused in your training session.
Not to mention cards like this one by Bingo Baker are super relatable and almost beg for engagement:
Conclusion
Corporate training doesn’t have to be dry. Incorporating gamification can help with remembering key points for your training, or can simply allow for moments to break the ice and work on some team building. We hope these ideas spark some inspiration for your next virtual instructor-led training session! Get started on your online learning content today with our eLearning Library!
Posted by Katelyn Roy on