About the Authors

Karl M. Kapp, EdD, is an international speaker, scholar, writer, and expert on the convergence of learning, technology, and business with a focus on game-thinking, games, and gamification for learning. He serves as a professor of instructional technology at Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, where he teaches several graduate courses and serves as the director of the university’s Institute for Interactive Technologies. The institute works with businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations to help them create interactive and meaningful instruction.

Karl is an award-winning professor and author or co-author of eight books including the bestselling The Gamification of Learning and Instruction and Play to Learn. He is currently a senior researcher on a grant sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, which involves the intelligent use of microlearning. He also served as co-principle investigator on two National Science Foundation grants.

Karl is founder of the consulting and game development firm The Wisdom Learning Group, where he consults internationally with Fortune 100 companies, government entities, and not-for-profits. On a sabbatical from Bloomsburg University, Karl completed a five-week tour of six different countries, where he studied the impact of games and play across cultures. He is now applying those insights to his current work.

Karl has received several industry awards, including the ATD Distinguished Contribution to Talent Development award, which honors those who have had a sustained impact on the talent development field. He was also named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Education in 2017 and received the eLearning Guild’s honor of becoming a Guild Master in 2018. Karl has been a TEDx speaker and author of eight LinkedIn Learning courses including “Learning How to Increase Learner Engagement.” He believes that play, creativity, and game-thinking leads to innovation, productivity, and profitability. Follow Karl on Twitter @kkapp.

Robyn A. Defelice, PhD, has served as a strategist and consultant in the learning and performance arena for more than 19 years. She also directs training initiatives for Revolve Solutions LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business. She specializes in organizational learning management and convergence of decentralized training functions, reshaping learning organizations and operational frameworks for efficient, cost-effective sustainment of learning solutions. Her process focuses on total solution management and designing an infrastructure capable of maintaining current learning success while piloting and adopting new learning initiatives.

Robyn’s a self-proclaimed geek for industry data that provides insight into the how, what, and why of learning and development. She is an advocate for learning and development teams and helping them understand their own challenges and capabilities for success.

As an adjunct professor with LaSalle University, Robyn teaches the art, science, and business of instructional design and the management of its learning and development projects. She also enjoys volunteering and mentoring emerging TD professionals from Bloomsburg University’s instructional technology program, of which she is a proud alum.

Robyn’s portfolio includes a range of industries and sectors, including major health and insurance systems and pharmaceutical sales, research, and manufacturing. She has also assisted multiple startups, higher education departments, and state and government agencies and programs.