eLearning takeaways from Pokémon

Gotta Learn It All

Everyone loves Pokémon, right? Exploring the world, catching cute little creatures, learning about their abilities, training them to fight each other until they pass out and earning badges for it. If only we could structure eLearning to be more like Pokémon. Maybe we can...

Choose Your Learning Journey Theme

Just like Pokémon trainers embark on a journey to become the best, your e-learning content should have a clear theme or objective. Whether it’s mastering a new skill, acquiring knowledge in a specific subject area, or developing expertise in a particular field, ensure your learners know what they’re striving towards.

Create Learning Modules as “Regions”

Divide your e-learning content into modules or chapters, each representing a different “region” in the Pokémon world. For example, if your topic is “Introduction to Programming,” your modules could be structured as “The Basics of Programming,” “Object-Oriented Programming,” “Data Structures,” and so on.

Design Learning Objectives as “Gym Leaders”

Similar to how Pokémon trainers battle Gym Leaders to earn badges, design learning objectives for each module that serve as milestones for learners. These objectives should be challenging yet achievable, providing a sense of progression as learners move through the content.

Introduce Concepts as “Pokémon Encounters”

Present new concepts or topics as “encounters” with Pokémon. For example, when introducing a new programming concept like loops, provide learners with a brief overview (encounter), followed by interactive exercises or examples (battles) to reinforce their understanding.

Include Interactive Activities as “Training Battles”

Incorporate interactive activities, quizzes, and exercises throughout your e-learning content to reinforce learning and provide opportunities for learners to apply their knowledge. Think of these activities as “training battles” that test learners’ skills and knowledge.

Offer Rewards and Progress Tracking

Just as Pokémon trainers earn experience points and level up their Pokémon, provide learners with rewards and progress tracking mechanisms to incentivize engagement and completion. This could include badges for completing modules, leaderboard rankings, or virtual rewards.

Facilitate Collaboration as “Pokémon Trading”

Encourage collaboration and peer-to-peer learning by facilitating discussions, group projects, or collaborative assignments. Think of this as “Pokémon trading,” where learners can exchange ideas, insights, and feedback with one another.

Incorporate Feedback and Iteration

Allow learners to receive feedback on their progress and performance, and provide opportunities for them to iterate and improve. Just like Pokémon trainers learn from their battles and adapt their strategies, learners should have the chance to refine their understanding and skills over time.

Celebrate Achievements as “Victory Celebrations”

Acknowledge and celebrate learners’ achievements as they progress through the e-learning content. Whether it’s completing a module, mastering a difficult concept, or achieving a high score on an assessment, make sure to recognize and reward their efforts.

Encourage Continued Learning as “Elite Four Challenges”

Finally, encourage learners to continue their journey beyond the core content by offering advanced or supplementary materials. Think of these as “Elite Four challenges” that test learners’ mastery of the subject matter and provide opportunities for further growth and development.

The Pokémon Go app still has 80 million players, 10 years after it launched - by structuring your e-learning content like Pokémon, you can create an immersive and engaging learning experience that motivates learners to actively participate, progress, and achieve their goals.