Hero Challenge is a gamified framework for the formulation of collaborative and competive solutions to social challenges. Its engaging game simulation strategy and framework of pre-defined elements facilitates and allows participants to quickly identify key stakeholders, choose and combine alternative approaches and leverage existing resources while collaborating and competing as individuals or teams developing solutions to real problems and learning the dynamics of social issues in different and practical scenarios.

After a successful and engagement live streaming session of TEDxChange 2013 hosted by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at Ecole Supérieure d'Infotronique d'Haïti (ESIH), the students were invited to participate in a gamified problem solving exercise of social issues in Haiti using our "Hero Challenge" approach.

It was a bright and shiny day in the Caribbean and Ayesha commented on the beautiful clouds on the way up to the mountains just outside Port-au-Prince as our bodies took a pounding -- or a rough shiatsu massage if you prefer -- as John and his Haiti Partners crew brought us to the Children Academy for our Civil Dialogue program of peer conversations among unlikely equals.

Presentación sobre emprendimiento social realizada en el Seminario Alianzas Estratégicas y Alternativas de Financiación para el Desarrollo organizado por la Unión Europea el 5 y 6 de diciembre del 2012 en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana.

Like so many others, I love Atlas Shrugged: The original idea of business people and owners going on strike as opposed to workers; the blatant cold call of "I'm not my brother's keeper"; and, of course, the harsh critique and portrayal of politicians, corrupt businessmen and labor union leaders.

The main problem with Atlas Shrugged is that the novel presents 4 extremes:

For a long time we’ve been hearing that we need to make education fun. Flood the classroom and the lessons with fun activities and students will come. Sounds like a logic strategy, but there are two big issues with this approach:

I know it’s a trick question and an open invitation for a long debate, but ask yourself “where does learning take place: in the classroom, in the field undertaking actions or in the brain?”. The answer to this question is key to understanding what it takes to achieve an engaging experience and motivate students in the learning process.

A few weeks ago, I logged on to Red Dead Redemption like I do every morning to get my share of Wild West action. I looked around and noticed this guy running in a straight line towards Chuparosa, a dusty settlement in the Perdido region of Nuevo Paraíso, México in my favorite open world game.

Now he was obviously a noobie. Everyone knows that if you run in a straight line in an open field where you can be shot, you will be shot, in real life and in video games too. And he did.