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From Duck Organs to Genius Hour: What Inquiry-Based Education Actually Looks Like
I was seven years old when I got my first pair. Just kidding, but Ben, hit me up if you ever read this. I was seven years old when my...
Justin Matheson
Sep 29, 202511 min read


The Cognitive Powerhouse Hidden in Every Game Inventory
Here's something that bothers me about L&D training. Thousands are spent on resource management workshops, right? We bring in consultants...
Justin Matheson
Sep 22, 20258 min read


When Surgeons Play Games: What Medical Research Tells Us About Skill Transfer
A study published in JAMA Surgery has validated something I’ve suspected for a long time. The skills developed through video games...
Justin Matheson
Sep 15, 20254 min read


Mindfulness Training: The Missing Piece in Most L&D Programs
Have you ever watched a perfectly capable team unravel during a high-pressure project because nobody could stay focused long enough to...
Justin Matheson
Sep 8, 20259 min read


Portal 2: The Surprising Team Building Game L&D Professionals Need
Portal 2 develops precise team communication skills through cooperative puzzle-solving that mirrors real workplace challenges—perfect for corporate soft skills workshops.
Justin Matheson
Sep 1, 20255 min read
Beyond the Hype: A Practitioner's Guide to Selecting COTS Games for Learning
"Just make it interactive and it'll be more engaging!" Sound familiar? If you're in L&D, you've heard this before. The assumption that...
Justin Matheson
Aug 25, 20254 min read


Literacy in the Age of AI: Why Reading Skills Are Your Team's Superpower
Here's a sobering reality: the average American consumes 34 gigabytes of information every single day according to UC San Diego's Global...
Justin Matheson
Aug 18, 20254 min read


Rocket League: The Surprising Team Building Game L&D Professionals Need
Have you ever watched a colleague completely lose their cool during a "simple" project meeting? That meltdown probably had nothing to do...
Justin Matheson
Aug 11, 20255 min read


Esports in Schools: The Missing Link for Explosive Learning Impact
The esports industry has grown from $957 million in 2019 to approximately $1.6 billion in 2024 —a 70% increase in just five years. But...
Justin Matheson
Aug 4, 20256 min read


The Anxious Generation and Game-Based Learning: How Video Games Support Haidt's Vision for Healthy Development
What if the solution to digital childhood isn't less technology, but more intentional use of existing technology? Jonathan Haidt's The...
Justin Matheson
Jul 28, 20256 min read


Building Resilience Through Play: Why Your Next Setback Might Be Your Best Teacher
The Game-Resilience Connection What if the most important workplace skill could be learned by repeatedly dying in a video game? Sounds...
Justin Matheson
Jul 21, 20254 min read


Minecraft: Creative Mode
Your team lead just dropped a bombshell project requirement in the Monday meeting. "We need to redesign the entire client onboarding...
Justin Matheson
Jul 14, 20256 min read


Beyond the Rulebook: How Game Dynamics Transform Learning Experiences
When Good Mechanics Fall Flat: The Missing Ingredient You've got the perfect game mechanics in place—clear objectives, balanced scoring,...
Justin Matheson
Jul 7, 20257 min read


Game Mechanics: The Hidden Architecture of Engagement
You're frantically chopping onions in Overcooked , your teammate is burning the soup, the kitchen (which is a hot air balloon) is...
Justin Matheson
Jun 30, 20255 min read
Article Review - Commercial Video Games as Preparation for Future Learning
Here's a stat that'll make you rethink your next Call of Duty session: Stanford researchers found that students who played commercial...
Justin Matheson
Jun 23, 20254 min read


Gaming Literacy for Educators: Your Bridge to Student Engagement
The Reality Check You Need You're standing in front of your classroom, and a student mentions they spent the weekend "grinding the new...
Justin Matheson
Jun 16, 20255 min read


When the Headset Becomes a Lifeline: How Games Build Real Communication Skills
Four players in Apex Legends are pinned down behind a rocky outcrop. Enemy squads converge from three directions. The circle is closing....
Justin Matheson
Jun 9, 20255 min read


When Kitchen Chaos Creates Communication Champions: The Overcooked Series for Game-Based Learning
You're a chef. A sushi chef. Your kitchen is a pirate ship that flies. All your countertops move if it's too windy. Your teammate is a...
Justin Matheson
Jun 2, 20255 min read
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