These 8 Game-Inspired Examples Prove E-Learning Can Be Really Fun

Time and attention are precious commodities in our modern world, and course developers are tasked with consistently enticing learners to spend these resources interacting with educational content. Luckily there are tons of ways to create more intriguing e-learning. One approach is to glean design inspiration from games.

Courses that take the form of a game—a slide that looks like a video-game console instead of a standard static square or rectangle, for example—can make learners more excited to engage with content. Other developers use game mechanics to make courses more immersive and fun. Elements like narratives, levels, scores, and time constraints all have the potential to capture learner interest.

The possibilities really are endless, but don’t take our word for it. Check out these eight game-inspired examples by the ever-inventive members of the E-Learning Heroes community.

Let the games begin:

• This simple card game example by Richard Mulcahy proves there’s a reason why e-learning classics like flashcard memory games are popular—they work!
• See if you can find the hidden key in this side-scrolling virtual escape room game by Chris Hodgson.
• Get learners to lean forward and interact with content by using a fun TV game show format like Jonathan Hill does in this Wheel of Fortune–inspired example about caravan insurance coverage.
• Take a virtual trip to Vegas and try your luck with this digital blackjack game by Darren Heath.
• Add some flair to your knowledge checks like Montse Anderson does in this fun trivia game example. 
• Introducing an element like scoring to your course is one way to help motivate learners. Teo Karageorgakis shows us how in this creative phonics course.
• This tic-tac-toe game by Samuel Apata is the perfect solution for students or employees who need a quick brain break.
• Empower learners by letting them choose their own difficulty level like Przemyslaw Hubisz does in this clever game that tests your memory.

The fun doesn’t have to end here! Try your hand at creating your own game-inspired project. Then head on over to the Building Better Courses forum to share your work with other e-learning pros. Bonus: you can find loads of course design tips and tricks there too.