Jane McGonigal is a renowned game designer and accomplished author, holding a Ph.D. in Performance Studies. With a Ph.D. in Performance Studies, she currently holds the Director of Game Research and Development position at the non-profit organization Institute for the Future. She is a leading advocate for gamification, applying game design principles and mechanics to non-game contexts, such as education and workplace settings. One of her notable projects is “SuperBetter,” designed to help individuals build resilience, recover from challenges, and achieve personal goals.
McGonigal is also renowned for her captivating TED talks, with “Gaming can make a better world” being an interesting watch. In this talk, she poses intriguing questions about the transformative power of games: “What about games makes it impossible to feel that we can’t achieve everything? How can we take those feelings from games and apply them to real-world work?” (TED, 2010). Jane has many inspiring achievements, and her most influential book, “Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World,” explores the positive impact of games on individuals and society. It delves into game engagement psychology and how games can be applied to real-world challenges.
I chose Jane because her focus on using games for education is vital in today’s digital age. With both simple mobile games and complex virtual worlds, her advocacy for gaming as a learning tool is highly relevant. It is vital for the new generation of learners, referred to as “iPad kids,” who can significantly benefit from the educational potential of modern games.
You can explore more about Jane on her website: You Found Me
References
McGonigal, Jane. Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. Google Books, Penguin, 20 Jan. 2011, books.google.ca/books?id=yiOtN_kDJZgC&lpg=PT10&ots=fkniQP6XTt&dq=jane%20mcgonigal&lr&pg=PT30#v=onepage&q=jane%20mcgonigal&f=false. Accessed 18 Sept. 2023.
—. “You Found Me.” You Found Me., you found me., 2018, janemcgonigal.com/.
“Social-Emotional Learning, Mental Health & Resilience Training.” Superbetter.com, SuperBetter, LLC, superbetter.com/. Accessed 16 Sept. 2023.
TED. “Gaming Can Make a Better World | Jane McGonigal.” www.youtube.com, Youtube, 17 Mar. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE1DuBesGYM&ab_channel=TED. Accessed 1 Nov. 2022.