Looking for TTRPG partners, stories, and research

[Adam Watson]

Hello playful professors!  I discovered this Google Group and your website from Dr. Sharon Peck and her presentation at Serious Play Conference a few weeks ago (if you're reading this, hi Sharon!).  I was also fortunate to be asked to speak on a panel at Serious Play.  I gave a summary of my experience in my latest blog, and gave Professors at Play a plug!  Thank you for letting me join.

An intro to me (I'll try desperately to be brief!): I've been in K-12 public school education for 21 years, starting off as a high school English teacher.  Currently I'm a Digital Learning Consultant for an educational cooperative that serves 14 districts and 150,000 students.  I believe strongly in game-based learning, and in particular, the power of TTRPGs in education.  In 2022, I launched the website Kentucky Educators for Role Playing Games to curate resources and celebrate educator stories, and that work led to a book being published by McFarland by the end of the year.  (More of my educational bio here.)

And now, onto my ask.  As I work to lead professional development, curate more resources for KyEdRPG, and write on the topic, I'm always on the lookout for examples of TTRPGs in classroom.  While the nature of my job and focus is mainly K-12, I recognize there's a lot to be learned from higher ed too.  If you have your own story about using TTRPGs, or know of a colleague, please reach out!  I would REALLY love to know if/how collegiate schools of education are using TTRPGs to help our future teachers role play to prepare for better success. There are some "usual suspects" I've discovered along the way, such as Dr. Carnes and Reacting to the Past, but even with RTTP, if you have strong feelings or powerful anecdotes of usage, I'd love to hear them.  Additionally, I'd love to see more research on the impact of TTRPGs on learning, particularly some kind of quantitive data.  Much of what I find shows qualitative improvements in SEL, and/or focus on use of TTRPGs in therapy (which I also think is important!), but I'd love to find more examples like this recent college study from California/Mexico (Analog Game Studies, October 2024).

Again, thankful to be a part of this Group and look forward to learning with and from you!

---Adam Watson

kyedrpg.com

[David McHugh]

Have you tried Camilla Zamboni and Matthew Farber's new book: Roll for Learning: 51 Mico Tabletop Role-Playing Games to Use in the Classroom?  Free at this link (and they sell a printed version): https://works.hcommons.org/records/crhvk-jwe98#description-heading.  Camilla had a good presentation on it at the Play Make Learn conference in August.  

KyEdRPG sounds great.  Given your state-level work, I also recommend connecting with Chris Baker (Games & Learning point person for Wisconsin education, also a librarian): for example, https://dpi.wi.gov/wilibrariesforeveryone/get-game-dpi-washington-state-library-awarded-grant-games-based-library.  

Best,

David

___________

David McHugh
Teaching Faculty III
Information School

UW-Madison
GEE! Awards Co-Chair

Play Make Learn Co-Founder

[Raymond Kimball]

Thanks for the opportunity to join and respond! My colleague Brian Klunk recently informed me about this group and thread. I have a few suggestions:

• You mentioned Reacting, but you may not be aware that Reacting has recently put a lot of emphasis into creating and standardizing what they call Microgames and Short Games. A Reacting Microgame is playable with prep, play, and debrief in one 60-75 minute class session. A Reacting Short Game requires only 2-4 class sessions (or two class weeks, which may be a more helpful framing for some) for prep, play, and debrief. Full disclosure: I'm the Microgames Coordinator for the Reacting Consortium, which means I oversee the editorial process for them, but I receive no compensation for that role.
• Another great source of long and short educational TTRPG's is the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Education Simulations.  As you would expect from CFR, these are heavily focused on political and social crises, with students role-playing U.S. and world leaders.
• In the research vein, Playing to Learn with Reacting to the Past is a great collection of studies with a heavy quantitative bet. We The Gamers is another great meta-collection, although it covers much more than TTRPGs. Apologies if either or both of these were already mentioned.

Hope these are helpful!

Ray

Ray Kimball, EdD

he/him/his

Founder and CEO, 42 Educational Games Coaching and Design

A Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

r...@42ed.games

Mobile: 845-205-0288

www.42ed.games

Federal UEID: YG5PQUVBTRW1

CAGE: 8UJ04

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[Adam Watson]

David, thanks for the book recommendation!  I actually got Roll for Learning last spring, and wrote about it in my August column for CAR-PGa.  I'm a fan and follower of Zamboni and Farber.  In fact, Camilla was kind enough to share about my column on LinkedIn. :)

Ray, appreciate the resources.  I wasn't as aware of the RTTP micro and short games, and the CFR Simulations were new to me!  And glad to find a RTTP friend in the group!  :)

Other in the group....Please share more resources, and/or reach out for partnership.   Thanks in advance! 

[Carolyn Noe]

Adam, I run a group called Super Heroines, Etc. in northern Kentucky/Cincinnati. We do a lot of programs related to gaming and inclusion in gaming and other fandoms. I'd be happy to connect!

Carolyn Noe
carol...@gmail.com

No one achieves anything alone. 

- Leslie Knope

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