Ari Bancale is a lifelong learner and gamer. He started playing with jigsaw puzzles at the age of 5. When he got bored with the basic puzzle, he started solving them upside down and then front side back. To this day, he is known for changing the game rules to make it more challenging, but more importantly, more fun. He combined his expertise in innovation, learning and gaming into workshop modules collectively known as The Learning Game. One of the main components of The Learning Game is The Terran Journey: A Gamer's Guide to The Game called Real Life. It is a self-help system framed as a role-playing game. You can also see it as an RPG that can be used to improve your life, achieve success or happiness in your day to day life. In The Game, you play a character. And, that character is YOU.
For 37 years, he did not know what he wanted to do or what he was supposed to do with his life. He did everything mostly for the sheer enjoyment or the perceptual randomness of it all. After receiving his masters degree and 10 years of unemployment, he found a puzzle piece in the big jigsaw puzzle of life, the universe and everything. He freely shares this "not-so-secret" to anyone who accepts it.
The not-so-secret: We are all here to be happy. We don't need to be successful to be happy. But, we can easily achieve success when we give ourselves permission to be happy. The good news is, "We can be happy now. There's an easy, practical and scientific way to happiness."
He aims to be the premiere authority on Gamification or what he calls Fun Engagement in the Philippines. He has started transforming the learning environment of students in St. Dominic Institute (Fairview) by adding game dynamics in his classes. Using the latest research results in game design and positive psychology, he is currently implementing an engagement strategy for the entire school. He has started enjoining other educators by giving talks and workshops to high schools & colleges.
As the founder of the Philippine Educators Association for Real Learning (PEARL), he forms partnerships with learning centers, schools, civic organizations and businesses in the education industry to disseminate this collection of learning tools to the whole country and the world.
The Game Master's edge in the industry comes from the following:
1. More than 10,000 hours spent in REAL Learning. Graduated with Honors in high school. He spent 7 years having fun finishing his first Bachelor's degree. He was part of the 4th batch of Technology Managers in the country. In the first batch of Knowledge Management students. Received the Gold Medal award in his 2nd Bachelor's Degree for being in the top 1% of his batch. He has expired licenses in nursing and emergency medical services. He continues to learn and is currently enrolled in the University of the Philippines' Open University & registered in the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) of the University of Manitoba.
2. More than 10,000 hours spent in playing games. From Atari & Apple II in the 1980's to Nintendo & the Sims in the 90s. From MMO's in the last decade to ARG's in the coming decade. From board games to casual games. From party games to urban races. He has played and organized a whole lot of fun experiences for his family, friends, strangers, colleagues, bosses and students.
3. The right combination of skills and awareness. Not all games are fun and sustainable. Not all strategies produce positive results. The value of gamification as a strategy will come from the quality of results coming from the level of engagement by all players that are involved.
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