When you have been in the L&D field as long as I have (over 4 decades!), you have seen a thing or two. I’ve lived through more hype and adoption curves (and hype and crash fads) than I care to name. Trends come and go and come back again with a new name. Regardless, these experiments are how we advance as a field. Each time technologies and techniques get recycled or reinvented, additional nuances and features are added.

Such is the evolution of games for learning. And there is no more prominent a voice in this arena than Karl Kapp. Through his teaching, his journal articles, his own research and experimentation, his conference presentations, and his cache of books on the subject, Karl is an admired thought leader regarding the use of games for learning. I have followed and valued Karl’s work from Gadgets, Games, and Gizmos for Learning (in 2007!) through to his latest contribution, Action-First Learning (April 2025).

In the early days, L&D professionals avoided the use of the word “games” even as they stealthily incorporated game features into learning design. Non-L&D people wrinkled their suspicious brows at the mention of gamification. “Games” were seen as too frivolous for corporate environments, and even tacking on the word “serious” (as in “Serious Games”) didn’t win many fans in organizational leadership teams.

But Karl Kapp has been a continuous advocate even in the face of such skepticism, and games of all kinds have indeed become a big part of the array of L&D techniques we have at our disposal. By patiently bringing receipts, Karl has helped many people buy into the concept and put their imaginations to work on great games for learning.

Karl’s work has detailed the dynamics of game elements (e.g. goals, rules, conflict, cooperation, reward structures, feedback, levels, storytelling, replay, and more), explained the findings of research on games for learning, connected how games can stimulate learning in different domains, and laid out the processes and decisions made to produce engaging, impactful games. My go-to recommendation for designers who want to explore games for learning has been Karl’s The Gamification of Learning and Instruction (2012) for its treatment of all of these details.

Action First

And Karl is back on the leader board again with his latest book, Action-First Learning.

Karl defines action-first learning as “a philosophical approach to designing meaningful instruction that highlights the need for learning experiences to require learners to take immediate or initial actions.” Such actions serve to “gain their attention, activate their senses, and encourage them to think critically.” The intention is that learners can then “carry that orientation toward action throughout an entire learning experience, culminating in active reflection.”

The action-first learning framework begins with some trigger (requirement to act) and then prompts a variety of learner actions that stimulate learning and allow learners to apply knowledge and skill – playing a game, making a decision, responding to questions, solving problems, receiving feedback, learning details through instruction, interacting with others, and becoming emotionally engaged – all leading to productive reflection.

Rather than give strict directions, the framework provides high level guidance on what might be included in a well-designed learning journey. The activities and design principles in the action-first framework are not new, but Karl is doubling down on active engagement from the get-go.

Karl bases this philosophy on what we know about how people learn – that humans need to be cognitively and emotionally engaged in doing, problem-solving, and critical thinking for maximum learning effectiveness. Rather than conceptualize an arc in which participants learn in a training program and apply back on the job – or an arc within a training program that starts with teaching activities and is followed by application or practice activities – Karl urges designers to reverse that order. Action first.

Getting attention and setting context with action primes learners for taking in all the elements of a good learning process. Initial actions are even more powerful when they also entail deep critical thinking, challenging problem-solving, or consequential decision-making. Even as designers move beyond opening activities, Karl advises that the action-first orientation should be carried through to ensure that the learners remain fully engaged.

The initial actions Karl highlights don’t necessarily need to be part of a game, but it’s no surprise that Karl sees the value of games in bringing the action-first approach to life. The bulk of the book explores nine specific game structures. These include card games, board games, escape rooms, comics, branching scenarios, interactive classroom experiences, augmented reality, using metaverse for learning, and AI-powered coaching.

In every chapter, readers find an explanation of the technique, an overview of use cases (what can be taught in the context of this type of game), and procedures and tips regarding the design and development of such games. Karl also offers an expansive case study of each kind of game in a specific project. These materials are quite helpful in visualizing what might be possible and giving people a starting place to test their game design skills.

In addition, and in keeping with the times, Karl gives readers an example AI prompt that might be useful in the context of designing and developing the game. (There are no doubt many other possible applications of AI.) I tested out some of these prompts on free Chat GPT and was surprised at the detail in the result. But from what I saw, I suspect there’s a lot more work to do on the prompt, or on editing, to get AI to produce something that is appropriate (and accurate) for use in a specific project. Still, these can perhaps stimulate designers’ imaginations about what can be done with AI if they are so inclined. (Full disclosure: I’m a skeptic and not so inclined. A subject for a different post.)

Action-First Learning is a valuable addition to your gamification bookshelf, especially if you want a reference for designing learning activities using specific game structures. It is publishing this month, April 15, 2025.

The evolution of games for learning

Learning games have come a long way. The tools to design and develop them are less expensive and more user-friendly. They range from simple card games to sophisticated simulations. They’ve proven their worth in promoting memory and retention, teaching key content points and skills, and providing practice ground. I’m not a fan of introducing games to simply grab attention or inject fun. But over the decades, many instructional designers have found ways to use games as real catalysts for learning. (Here’s one of my own examples, a card game about tactics for building learning culture.)

A deep understanding of game structures can be inspiration for active learning exercises and techniques, even if you don’t go so far as to design a game. Karl makes a case that play-to-learn or “action first” is yet another applicable game design practice that instructional designers can adopt.