Recently funded and aiming for sustainable retention? Intro chat (no sales pitch): professorgame.com/chat

What if your research team worked like a raid party? Raul Mora shares how bringing gamer language and MMORPG structures into academia boosted clarity, motivation, and long-term commitment. This conversation explores community design, role-based engagement, and why listening to gamers is the most underrated retention strategy in education.

Raúl is a professor at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín, Colombia, now also teaching remotely from Trondheim, Norway. He's been in education for over 30 years, including time as a school and English teacher and as a college professor. His research explores second language literacy practices in the city, digital spaces, and schools.

Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

Guest Links and Info

• Webs:
  • Guest: elpatronhimself.net
  • Research Lab: lslp.org
• LinkedIn: Raúl Mora
• Instagram: @lslplegion
• TikTok: @lslplegion
• Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/elpatronhimself.bsky.social
• Book: Understanding Second Language Users as Gamers

Links to episode mentions:

• Proposed guest: Antero Garcia
• Recommended book: What Video Games Have to Teach Us by James P. Gee
• Favorite game: Mortal Kombat

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