Unlock: Project Management wins Bronze at Learning Technologies Awards

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Unlock: Project Management, an online gamified project management training course, has won a major award at the learning technologies awards 2017. The Learning Technologies Awards showcase some of the most recognisable, memorable, and life-changing e-learning worldwide. They are internationally recognised and open to organisations of all sizes across the private, public and third sectors with this year’s event attracting participants from 30 countries.

Unlock: Project Management won bronze in the ‘Best Learning Game’ category which recognises the role of games as a learning artefact in supporting specific learning aims and demonstration of pedagogically innovative ways to engage users thus improving the overall learning experience.   The game is a collaboration between Totem Learning Ltd and Dr Ronald Dyer, Director of Studies for the MSc Programme & Project Management, and presents the learner with a humanitarian rescue challenge through the pedagogical lens of game-based learning. It engages students to seek information, understand requirements, organise resources, assess risks, manage a budget, prioritise and keep stakeholders happy while keeping its core focus of pedagogy/pedagogical innovation in focus. 

Dr Ronald Dyer commented on the game, “Its scenario-based approach posed problems along the way requiring the student (project manager) to react within the constraints of time, budgets and other resources to effect relevant decisions. This approach provided the requisite meta-cognitive and scaffolding requisite for “good pedagogical innovation practice” while at the same time ticking affective boxes such as engagement, motivation and fun.”

The judges congratulated the Totem team on the end result which they thought was impressive and applauded the approach and the collaborative UoL/Totem team is delighted with this success.  They are now already planning the next phase of games based learning.