Regular Registration $297
ALL Registration Levels Include: Recorded Sessions, Live Sessions, Live Networking, Indefinite Access to Recordings
30+ Presenters for 23+ Sessions!
Susan Banks, Lars Konzack, Michael Merriam, David Postolski, Nehemiah Markos, Michael Low, Randy O'Connor, Antonios Triantafyllakis, Silviana Falcon, Janna Kellinger, Jennifer Edwards, Scott Nicholson, Elena Rabkina, Owen Cooper, Aaron Leong, Raymond Kimball, Ryan Schaaf, Mikolaj Sobocinski, Tyler Pelletier, Afra Çalık, Andrew Lau, Jason Zagami, Josefine Schwarzer, Jed Feiman, Naomi Pariseault, Jim Egan, Richard Durham, Chris Backe, Silviana Falcon, Kerry Wong, Ercan Altug Yilmaz, Rebecca Freeman, and Peter Naldony (listed in no particular order)
Presenters for the Games-Based Learning Virtual Conference 2024
The Home for Games-Based Learning
The Games-Based Learning Virtual Conference is the premiere professional event for designers, educators, entrepreneurs, and instructors, for games, games-based learning, gamification, serious games, and simulations.
Dates and Times:
A Note on Conference Recordings...
All conference content (except for live networking sessions) will be recorded and transcribed. All registered conference attendees will have access to the recordings and transcriptions of all conference activities indefinitely!
Recorded Sessions
Live Sessions
Live Networking
Using EscapeIF, Branching Narratives, and Reflection to Connect Learners to the Real World
EscapeIF (http://escapeif.com) is an open-source game system created by Scott Nicholson in partnership with the mEducation Alliance for low-resource classrooms. EscapeIF games are branching narrative scripts that a teacher reads, and students vote on choices and take on challenges that connect learning outcomes to real-world settings. The games are based on concepts of interactive fiction and escape rooms, and are designed to require nothing more than a blackboard and found objects. EscapeIF games are in the Creative Commons, so teachers can download the documents, edit them as needed for their content needs and cultural settings, and share their new versions with others through the repository hosted by the mEducation Alliance. During this session, Dr. Scott Nicholson will talk about the core concepts of EscapeIF, demonstrate the concepts of choices and challenges of the EscapeIF system, and connect attendees to the open-source game scripts, systems, and design tools.
Keywords:
storytelling games, interactive fiction, escape rooms, low-resource classrooms, mathematics, roleplaying games, game design
Scott Nicholson
he/him/his
Professor, Game Design and Development
Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Dr. Scott Nicholson is Professor and Director of the Game Design and Development program at Wilfrid Laurier University in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He is a board game designer, and was the creator of the first board game video series on YouTube, Board Games with Scott. His current focus is on escape rooms, immersive experiences and live-action games designed around real-world learning outcomes, and was the lead author of the book Unlocking the Potential of Puzzle-Based Learning: Designing Escape Rooms and Games for the Classroom. Most recently, he worked with the mEducation Alliance to develop EscapeIF, a system to allow teachers in low-resource classrooms to use storytelling games requiring only a script, a blackboard, and found objects.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/snicholson
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottrnicholson/
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/professor.scott.nicholson/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwQUal1YYLzbc4wYAhHWOew
(Website): http://scottnicholson.com
(Other): http://escapeif.com
Matching game selection with pedagogy, content and student interest
An adaption of the TPACK model aligning technology, pedagogy and content knowledge to optimise learning experiences, the presented GPACKS model focuses on the use of games as educational technologies and seeks to guide educators in selecting games for learning that align with the content to be taught and the pedagogical techniques in use. The model is expanded further to incorporate student gaming preferences and gamer-type taxonomies.
Session Keywords:
gamified learning, game selection, learning optimisation, gamer taxonomies
Jason Zagami
they/them/theirs
Senior Lecturer
Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
Dr Jason Zagami is a senior lecturer in the School of Education and Professional Studies of Griffith University on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, where he teaches and conducts research on innovations in: Educational technologies with a focus on the identification of emerging trends, educational gaming, student co-creation of secondary worlds, AI applications in teaching, and neural/cognitive activity measurement; and Computer Science Education (K12) with a focus on curriculum implementation approaches involving higher-order thinking skill development and concept development.
Jason has been the recipient of an Outstanding National Achievement by a Teacher and Computer Educator of the Year awards, an Apple Distinguished Educator, a Google Certified Innovator, president of the Australian Council for Computers in Education (ACCE), editor of the Australian Educational Computing (AEC) journal, and president of the Australian College of Educators (Gold Coast region).
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/jzagami
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonzagami/
(Research Gate): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jason-Zagami
(Website): https://jason.zagami.info/
Let’s play Blacks & Whites: 50th Anniversary Edition
During the pandemic two comedy writers resurrected an out-of-print tabletop game from the 1970s about racial inequity in real estate and American society, called “Blacks & Whites.” Find out how we approached acquiring the rights from a 91-year-old retired university professor, updated the game dynamics/content for the 21st century (removing references to Nixon/Watergate and addressing gentrification, 2020s police brutality, the pandemic, etc.), refreshed the game's dated artwork, secured a partnership with a large national organization (the National Urban League's Housing Division) to donate a portion of proceeds, distributed the effort (Kickstarter and beyond), and found some publicity. We will even play the 50th Anniversary Edition in this immersive workshop.
Session Keywords:
tabletop games, anti-racism, serious games, gamified learning, experiential learning, social justice
Jed Feiman
he/him/his
Comedian
Never Sad, New York, NY, USA
Jed Feiman is a writer and comedian based in New York City, currently a staff writer on a sketch comedy series produced by Snapchat. Jed is one half of the comedy duo Never Sad (with Nehemiah Markos). Together, they are frequent contributors to The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts, and their festival credits include the New York Comedy Festival, Brooklyn Comedy Festival, and Montreal Sketchfest. Jed is a born and bred New Yorker and a Georgetown University graduate. During the pandemic, Jed and Nehemiah revived the 1970s tabletop game, “Blacks & Whites,” for its 50th anniversary.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/neversad
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/NeverSadOnline/
(Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/neversad/
(YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/neversadonline
(TikTok): https://www.tiktok.com/@nevrsad
(Website): https://www.neversadonline.com/
Nehemiah Markos
he/him/his
Comedian
Never Sad, New York, NY, USA
Nehemiah Markos is a writer and comedian based in New York City, currently a staff writer on a sketch comedy series produced by Snapchat. Nehemiah is one half of the comedy duo Never Sad (with Jed Feiman). Together, they are frequent contributors to The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts, and their festival credits include the New York Comedy Festival, Brooklyn Comedy Festival, and Montreal Sketchfest. Nehemiah is a first-generation Ethiopian-American who grew up in Northern Virginia and a Georgetown University graduate. During the pandemic, Nehemiah and Jed revived the 1970s tabletop game, “Blacks & Whites,” for its 50th anniversary.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/neversad
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/NeverSadOnline/
(Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/neversad/
(YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/neversadonline
(TikTok): https://www.tiktok.com/@nevrsad
(Website): https://www.neversadonline.com/
The Best Practices and Soft Skills to Creating Successful Experiences
This presentation will describe the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Game Designers, with a distinct focus on presenting them in order of importance and understanding how they are interconnected. While people who design game come from all walks of life and aim for many levels of ambition or purpose with their games, these habits are central to the core experiences of designing, iterating, and participating in your broader communities. Whether you are designing your first game or your hundredth, incorporating these habits into your workflow will validate the work you're doing while encouraging you to adopt new habits.
Session Keywords:
habits, game design, soft skills, game designing, professional game design
Chris Backe
he/him/his
Game Designer, Publisher, Game Developer, Entrepreneur
Chris Backe (rhymes with hockey) runs the one-man show at Entro Games. Born near Chicago, IL, USA, he's been designing games since 2016. Chris went full-time in the board game industry in 2021, and currently has 19 games signed with publishers (with more coming soon) and 3 published games. He runs Virtual Playtesting, Tabletop Publishers, and is a co-founder of No Box Games. Chris is based in Birmingham, England.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/entrogaming
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbacke/
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/chris.backe
(Website): https://entrogames.com
(Other): https://noboxgames.com
Design challenges and lessons learned from the Coercion game
Coercion, in a security studies context, refers to ‘the use of threats to influence somebody’s conduct’. In 2023, Owen Cooper and Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Groves developed a learning game for students taking the new Australian National University postgraduate course ‘Coercion and National Security’. Our aim was for students to experience and explore coercion theory by developing, applying and responding to coercive strategies and tactics in competition with other student teams. But issues of fairness, player engagement, player choice, complexity, online delivery and resourcing presented substantial game design challenges. In this presentation we will describe the game’s design brief and basis in coercion theory, how we approached conceptual and practical challenges, the games' evolution and play testing, the pilot game, planned revisions for 2024 and some overall lessons learned.
Session Keywords:
gamified learning, serious games, experiential learning, learning games, theory, coercion
Owen Cooper
he/him/his
Senior Advisor
Futures Hub, Australian National University
Owen has been a Senior Advisor in the Futures Hub since 2020, where he helps Australian government departments and officials think about and plan for the future, through scenario planning, games and simulations, training programs, advice and research. Prior to joining the Australian National University, Owen spent 14 years in analysis and leadership roles at the Australian Department of Defence. He deployed to Timor-Leste in support of peacekeeping operations in 2010. Owen's areas of expertise include public sector foresight and innovation, intelligence tradecraft, critical thinking and creative facilitation.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/owen-cooper-436b94162/
(Website): https://nsc.crawford.anu.edu.au/policy-engagement/futures-hub
A Comparative, Experimental Study
This session will review a quantitative study exploring the potential of Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) as an instructional strategy in K-12 environments, comparing it to business-as-usual (BAU) approaches. By examining learner behaviors (engagement, focus, and time-on-task), we aimed to determine DGBL's effectiveness. The study uniquely applied Csikszentmihalyi's Theory of Flow to analyze DGBL's impact on these behaviors, offering insights not well-established in current literature. The findings contributed to understanding DGBL's potential and may influence educators to consider it as a valuable pedagogical tool. The study also addressed barriers to DGBL adoption, providing insights into educators' perspectives and concerns. Ultimately, this research informed educational stakeholders about the engaging qualities of DGBL, potentially reshaping perceptions and encouraging wider adoption in K-12 classrooms.
Session Keywords:
digital game-based learning, experimental study, flow, learning behaviors, time-on-task, engagement, focus, K-12
Ryan Schaaf
he/him/his
Associate Professor of Educational Technology
Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Ryan L. Schaaf, Associate Professor of Educational Technology at Notre Dame of Maryland University and faculty in Johns Hopkins University's International Teaching & Global Leadership program, stands as the inaugural 2023 Outstanding Higher Education Award recipient by the Maryland Society for Educational Technology. Ryan has authored seven books, including Making School a Game Worth Playing, Game On, and A Brief History of the Future of Education. His text, Reinventing Learning for the Always-On Generation, received an IPPY Award for its contributions as a resource for educators. As a dedicated educator and award-winning author, he loves engaging with his colleagues in order to serve the learners of the digital generation.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/RyanLSchaaf
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanlschaaf/)
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/ProfRyanLSchaaf
(Website): https://www.ryanschaaf.com/
TOY Gamification Decards Model and cards help people to create long term successfully gamification scenarios.
TOY Gamification Decards models offer world-known 10 theories combining to one model to create successfully not only the design part, but also measurement and sustainability of gamification design. In every step we will think about all the details. 1-) Business Targets; 2-) Targeted Behaviors; 3-) Player Persona; 4-) The Player Journey; 5-) 8 Core Drive of Player; 6-) Game Elements; 7-) Rewards; 8-) Technology 9-) Triggers and Communication; and 10-) Measurement and Evaluation.
Session Keywords:
gamified learning, gamification, serious games, simulations, experiential learning
Dr.Afra Çalık
she/her/hers
Academician & Game Designer
Faculty of Nursing, Suleyman Demirel University
I have been working as a research assistant in the nursing department in Turkey for 6 years. In my doctoral thesis, I developed a serious game for nursing students. I’ve been dealing with serious gaming for 5 years. I have been managing the process of the GAMFED gamification volunteer community in Turkey for 3 years. I am both a nurse educator and a game developer.
Ercan Altug YILMAZ
he/him/his
Gamification Master of Turkiye & Gamfed Turkiye & Academician
Gamfed Turkiye,Turkiye & Bahcesehir University, Istanbul,Turkiye
YILMAZ, a Mathematics Engineer, has worked in digital education channel management at Netron, Bilge Adam, Turkcell, and Yum Brands and has implemented many award-winning game-based and gamified projects with over 10 years of experience. He is currently providing training, seminars, and consultancy on digital education systems, digital game design and gamification, virtual reality, and augmented reality. It is the Turkish representative of GamFed International Gamification Federation, which includes the world's distinguished gamification experts. He teaches digital game design and gamification at Bahcesehir University. TOY Gamification Framework, an open-source mixed gamification model consisting of 10 steps, was developed in 2023 by Ercan Altuğ Yılmaz, the first Turk to represent our country in global gamification conferences such as Gamification World Congress GWC, Gamicon USA, Gamification Europe, Gamification Hackathon.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/ercanaltug
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ercanaltug/
(YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@GamFedTurkey
(Website): https://linktr.ee/ercanaltug
(Other): https://gamificationdecards.com/
Confronting Misogyny from Medieval Historical Perspectives in Gamified Classrooms
The Reacting to the Past pedagogy immerses students in competitive role-plays for games-based learning that teaches skills like public speaking, persuasive writing, and source analysis. Women, however, are not central to many premodern games. Christine de Pizan and the Querelle des Femmes centers women as topics and roles. The author Christine de Pizan, and her Profeminine allies debate Humanists over misogyny in the Salic Law and the Romance of the Rose. Set in 1413, conflict swirls between the Armagnac and Burgundian factions, who debate assassinations, war with England, regency during the king’s illness, and Queen Isabeau’s power. Reacting helps students grasp the historical relevance of Christine’s writing and medieval power imbalances. The presence of powerful noblewomen, who capably manage estates, complicates simplistic notions of medieval gender dynamics. Reacting inspires curiosity about the medieval past, empathy for its people, and nuanced understanding of its complications.
Session Keywords:
women and gender, history, serious games, role-playing, experiential learning, simulation, medieval history, literature
Jennifer Edwards
she/her/hers
Professor, Manhattan College
Jennifer C. Edwards is Professor of History and Director of Medieval Studies at Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY, where she teaches medieval and ancient history. Her research examines medieval European women and gender, power and authority, religion, and health. She is the author of Superior Women: Medieval Female Authority in Poitiers’ Abbey of Sainte-Croix (Oxford, 2019) and Daily Life of Women in Chaucer’s England (ABC-CLIO, 2022). She is working currently on a book project, “Holy Healing: Saints and Leprosy in the Middle Ages,” that examines the treatment of leprosy in the medieval cult of the saints. She earned her PhD and MA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and BA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is general editor of Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality and serves on the Advisory Board of the Society for Medieval Feminist Scholarship.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/ProfJenEdwards
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercedwards/
(Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/profjenedwards/
(Website): https://jennifercedwards.wordpress.com/
A framework for drawing learning goals as game goals
Backwards Design, Personal Constructs, Action-mapping, oh my. Tools abound for designing learning and designing games - so how can you use these to do faster design of more aligned games with a clear design compass? That's a lot of words, so know this, if you design games for learning, this presentation will show *a* way to guide conversations when outlining the goals (learning, and game) for a new game. In 30 minutes or less, you'll see how to: Unpack a learning problem to find the values that sit alongside behaviours; Translate educational objectives into engaging game challenges; Weave together the values, learning goals, and skills into actions in a game; Gain a practical tool and a framework for leading a discussion on the design of a game-based learning experience.
Session Keywords:
game design, learning frameworks, conversations, goals
Richard Durham
he/him/his
Game Designer, Lecturer, Curriculum Development Manager
University of Auckland, and Wondertree Studio
Rich has had diverse game design work over the last two decades. He has designed over 30 published or public event games across mediums. From digital audio adventures (Twisted Tales series for Grabbit Entertainment), transformational games for social good organisations (Hohi 1816 tabletop game, End-danger mega game for Four Paws International, etc), games for street festivals, large events, and personal hobby games for tabletop (Award nominees Dirty Little Secrets, Skip Jack, etc). Rich is a regular speaker at academic and industry conferences on games and gameful learning, recently The NZ Game Developers Conference, Wellycon, Games Based Learning Conference, Play by Play, and the NZ Association of Trainers and Developers conference. Finally, in his role at the University of Auckland Rich works in the leadership of the faculty of Creative Arts and Industries to shape teaching and learning strategies and - yes - smoosh in playful design and games.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/richdurham
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/richdurham/
(Research Gate): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard-Durham
(YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@RichardDurhamDesigner
(Website): https://wondertree.studio/
Designing Asynchronous Online Games in Higher Ed
This presentation will introduce participants to designing semester-long asynchronous online game-based courses. It will take participants through a game design process, ways to leverage Learning Management Systems as game engines, and how to troubleshoot common problems. In doing so, the presenter will use different courses she has designed to demonstrate different game formats such as string of pearls, double helix, choose your own adventure, and golden spine. Different techniques such as setting automatic triggers, using question pools, and integrating different technologies will be explored. Different ways of assessing student learning, including “stealth assessments” and “out of bounds activities”, as well as how to use the feedback cycle to maximize learning will be discussed. Evidence of success as well as issues she is still trying to overcome will round out the presentation.
Session Keywords:
Higher Education, learning management systems, game-based teaching, online courses
Janna Kellinger
she/her/hers
Professor, University of Massachusetts Boston
Dr. Janna Kellinger is a Professor in the Curriculum and Instruction department at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She is the author of the book A Guide to Designing Curricular Games as well as several articles and book chapters about game-based learning. She has designed six semester-long game-based courses.
Fixing the Scales of Classroom Fairness with Game Balance
Game balance, as understood within the field of game design, offers new models and new concepts of classroom "fairness". The concept of fairness implies a one-size-fits-all-approach, but any two educators are likely to mean two different things when they refer to fairness. Unlike course design, game design does not consider games either/or balanced-or-not. Rather, games are balanced _for_ specific effects, similar to the way some knives are balanced for throwing (rather than cooking), and some ships are balanced for the steady transport of cargo (rather than for speed). While we grow more and more familiar with strategies of equity and/or equality, it is possible to go beyond those concepts and, often by embracing asymmetry, teachers can avail themselves of a wider array of equitable approaches to grading and attendance policies by balancing their curriculum _for_ specific goals and outcomes, rather than trying to "be as fair as possible" overall.
Session Keywords:
gamified learning, gamification, serious games, experiential learning, game design, equity, equality, fairness, student needs, engagement
Michael Merriam
he/him/his
Game Designer & Curriculum Designer & College-Level Teacher
University of Central Florida
Michael W. Merriam teaches courses in Digital Media and Game Design at University of Central Florida, and has also taught Creative Writing for Games at Full Sail University. He specializes in creating immersive learning experiences, and is always interested in learning more about game-based techniques for intensifying engagement and incentivizing attendance. He has worked as a journalist, game designer, and narrative designer through his varied projects, from radio scriptwriting to developing TTRPG modules. A regular at academic and professional game design conferences, Michael's journey has taken him from studying chaos math and history of science at UC Santa Cruz, to the archaeological study of the diaries of the Brontë children at Columbia university, into his current doctoral pursuits. He is always excited to trade stories with other teachers about what works (and what doesn't) and about the joys and terrors of experimenting with teaching methods.
(Twitter): https://mwmxyz.github.io/academic/
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-merriam1/
Helping Authors Find Their Game
This session will describe how the Reacting Consortium, a nonprofit alliance of institutions and instructors, created and supported its Development Editor function. For three years, the Reacting Development Editor has worked with roleplaying game authors to help them start, modify, or finish their games. This presentation will describe how the role was created, how it functions in practice, how it guarantees author autonomy and preservation of intellectual property, and lessons learned from its establishment. The presentation will be useful for anyone considering the use of Development Editor services for any kind of creative work.
Session Keywords:
development editing, Reacting Games, author support, game writing, game authoring
Raymond Kimball
he/him/his
Reacting Development Editor
42 Educational Games Coaching and Design
Ray Kimball, EdD, is the Chief Executive Officer of 42 Educational Games Coaching and Design (“42EdGames” for short). He is an education professional with years of experience in game-based learning and collaborative professional development that meets the needs of diverse teams. Ray founded 42EdGames in 2020 so he could continue his dream of serving higher education faculty by helping them harness the power of game-based pedagogy. He also serves as the Development Editor and Microgames Coordinator for the Reacting Consortium.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/42edgames/
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/74895861/
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/42edgames
(Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/42edgames/
(Website): https://42ed.games
Unveiling Power Dynamics Through Role Play
I will showcase the game Star Power, a compelling role-play game first developed in 1969 by Shirts. The game offers a deep dive into the concepts of power, privilege, and societal dynamics. In this game, students engage in chip trading, aiming to accumulate wealth and climb a three-tiered social structure. This interactive format mirrors real-world power systems, highlighting how wealth can influence status and control within society. Players experience the fluidity of power dynamics, as they trade chips to enhance their status, with some even getting chances for upward mobility. However, as the game progresses, the wealthiest group gains authority to set rules, altering the game's landscape. This shift in power dynamics provides a tangible lesson in ethics, privilege, and societal stratification, making Star Power an invaluable educational tool for understanding the complexities of societal power and its ethical implications.
Session Keywords:
gamified learning, role play
Silviana Falcon
she/her/hers
Professor, Florida Southern College
Dr. Falcon’s major areas of scholarly activity are innovative pedagogy and human resiliency. In August 2021 Dr. Falcon published the book titled Lectures and Play: A Practical And Fun Guide To Create Extraordinary Higher Education Classroom Experiences. In July of 2022 and March 2023, she had articles on human resiliency published by the Harvard Business Review.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvianafalcon/
(Website): https://silvianafalcon.com/
Teaching World Trade Through Role Play
This educational game, inspired by the World Trade Game by Action, is ideal for teaching international trade; however, its adaptability suits various educational settings. Participants represent countries competing to produce and sell paper shapes - circles, triangles, rectangles - to a market trader. The game dynamically reflects real-world economics as prices fluctuate based on supply and demand. The goal for each 'country' is to maximize profit. Through this interactive role-play, students experience the complexities of global trade, economic strategies, and the impact of market forces. It’s a hands-on tool for understanding international trade principles and the challenges of economic competition in a globalized market.
Session Keywords:
gamified learning, experiential learning, and role play
Silviana Falcon
she/her/hers
Professor, Florida Southern College
Dr. Falcon’s major areas of scholarly activity are innovative pedagogy and human resiliency. In August 2021 Dr. Falcon published the book titled Lectures and Play: A Practical And Fun Guide To Create Extraordinary Higher Education Classroom Experiences. In July of 2022 and March 2023, she had articles on human resiliency published by the Harvard Business Review.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvianafalcon/
(Website): https://silvianafalcon.com/
Understanding the Intellectual Property Rules to Protect the Rules of your Game!
This presentation will delve deeper into the vast differences between the 2 major forms of Intellectual Property (IP); copyright and patent. Can either be used to protect the mechanics and conceptual rules of a game? Yes! But how is the question that will be answered in this presentation? Understanding the nuances and limitations of each form of IP will illuminate learners to empower them to make the right decisions in moving forward with protecting their games.
Session Keywords:
patent, copyright, protection, intellectual property, entrepreneurs, start ups, software
David Postolski
he/him/his
Partner, IP and Patent Attorney
David Postolski, a senior partner at Gearhart Law, is a registered patent attorney and Intellectual Property (IP) attorney for close to 20 years. David specializes in assisting inventors, creators, artists, start-ups, entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and emerging companies with their U.S and international IP strategy, protection, enforcement, and monetization. David is a frequent speaker and author on emerging IP issues and technologies including, raising capital, business formation, food science, software, licensing, Data and Privacy Compliance, equity-based crowdfunding, and compliance with other US and International Regulatory structures. David is also a Professor at Temple University, Parsons School of Design and the Radzyner Law School (Herzliya, Israel) where he teaches master-level students about IP, ethics, and other regulatory considerations. David currently serves on Harvard’s Lemann Entrepreneurial Program Advisory Board.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/davidpostolski?lang=en
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpostolski
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/david.postolski/
(Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/DavidPostolski/
(YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZxFqds2VOM
(Website): https://gearhartlaw.com/ourteam/david-postolski-esq/
Designing games focused around doing or not doing an action
The value of games as educational tools may best be as devices to teach context. Because a "game" is primarily considered valueless, it encourages and supports taking both right and wrong paths. Learning in a game may occur when friction creates context for the value of tools, knowledge, and actions. This talk will explore how obstacles, choice, and time create friction that can draw out player learning when applied to the right elements of the game. It will examine some examples from the programming education platform Terminal Two, alongside other titles.
Session Keywords:
games, friction, sports, programming education, system design
Randy O'Connor
he/him/his
Game designer and educator
Randy O’Connor is a game designer, artist, and teacher. He works across platforms, from consoles to mobile to PC to board games. He is currently a game design consultant with a focus on systems design, most recently contributing to Stranger Things VR. He’s an expert in educational game design, and has worked with the MIT-Gambit Game Lab, Amplify Education, Endless Studios, Formation Ventures, and others. He has also taught game design and production to several colleges, including teaching the Experimental Game Lab course for two years at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/randyzero
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/randalloconnor/
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/randyzero
(YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/randyoconnor
(Website): https://www.randyo.net/
Exploring the Impact of Serious Games and Gamification in Industrial Production
Serious games and gamification experiences have seamlessly integrated into the world of industrial production. In the age of Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, technological solutions facilitate the incorporation of gamification, simplifying the learning curve for neophytes in factory work while concurrently presenting seasoned workers with more intricate challenges, thereby fostering engagement and work-related satisfaction. Serious games and gamification can be categorized into three distinct domains: 1) Learning While Working (LWW), 2) Idle Time Training (ITT), and 3) Non-Factory Instructional Games (NFIG). Each of these domains confers unique advantages in the conception and development of serious games and gamification experiences.
Session Keywords:
gamification, serious games, industry 4.0, industrial worker
Lars Konzack
he/him/his
Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen
Lars Konzack is associate professor in Information Studies at the Department of Communication (COMM) at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH). Konzack has an MA in Information Science and a Ph.D. in Multimedia from Aarhus University. Co-founder of the game developing academy DADIU. His field of interest are ludology, imaginary worlds, and digital culture. His publications include “Computer Game Criticism: A Method for Computer Game Analysis”, “The Cultural History of LEGO”, “Mark Rein•Hagen’s Foundational Influence on 21st Century Vampiric Media”, “Viking re-enactment”, and “The Subcreation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth and How It Became Transmedial Culture”.
Incorporating Games-Based Learning in Introductory Biology Courses
Chances are, that if you are asked to explain what mitochondria are, you will respond with an enthusiastic, " It Is The Powerhouse of The Cell!". However, when asked for further clarification about what mitochondria are or their functions within a cell, it may be more challenging to explain. Often in content heavy STEM courses, students think they have to memorize facts and that is all that is required to be successful in the course. No one will dispute the importance of information recall for these students. However, the ability for students to apply this information to novel questions in their field is more important. Scaffolding games-based learning activities into the course allows students to improve both content understanding and application of information. This presentation will focus on incorporation of games-based learning in introductory biology courses.
Session Keywords:
games-based learning, biology, STEM
Susan Banks
she/her/hers
Associate Professor of Biology, Co-coordinator Biology First Year Learning Community
Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL, USA
Dr. Banks is an Associate Professor of Biology at Florida Southern College (FSC). At FSC, Dr. Banks has focused on incorporation of games-based learning and gamifying the first year learning community experience for students in the Biology family of majors. In 2023, Dr. Banks received the FSC ODK Professor of the Year award.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-banks-46421b7/
Using TTRPGs with adults with mental disorders
This session presents the suitability of roleplaying games/ TTRPG in the area of care-taking process. When prepared in terms of content, pen and paper roleplaying games can offer a treatment option for adults with socio-emotional problems. But which mechanisms determine effectiveness and which concepts and design elements offer promising therapeutic approaches? Starting from the basics of gaming, the specific structure of pen & paper role-playing games is discussed in a dedicated therapeutic context. These are examined in relation to the learning world of adults. Which elements can be effectively applied in social therapeutic processes? To what extent can they complement established therapeutic concepts? I will present research and research results related to working with mentally ill adults.
Session Keywords:
serious games, serious playing, adult learning, TTRPG, therapeutic games
Josefine Schwarzer
she/her/hers
Occupational Therapist
Josefine Schwarzer is a trained occupational therapist and also studied educational sciences/psychology. In her role as an occupational therapist and social worker, she has been working primarily with adults, families and the mentally ill for around 10 years. Both in outpatient practice settings and within inpatient living arrangements. In this area of responsibility, she has been focusing more and more on play pedagogical approaches for about 4 years, developing concepts for the use of board games in client-centered work with children, families and people with mental illness.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/josefine-schwarzer-115513253/
(Other): Discord tag firestorm_95
Demo of the Gamification Design Process for a University Course
Imagine you’re ready to gamify your course for next semester. You have a course description set & major assignments mapped out. Where do you start with this new approach? What does the gamification process look like? What sorts of intentional design decisions should you make? And which pitfalls should you avoid? Join behind the scenes with Professor Jim Egan & designer Naomi Pariseault for a demo of the gamification design process. We’ll talk through how we make decisions, integrate the story and the game mechanics, & how we might implement the various components. The demo features an in-person course Jim has not yet gamified, but we now hope to add to his portfolio. This session features: Creating personas for your intended audience with a focus on motivation. Using random pairings to create a compelling story. Choosing specific game mechanics that will target your audience’s motivations while avoiding demotivation. Integrating & implementing the story, learning activities, & mechanics.
Session Keywords:
higher education, gamification, design process, motivation, personas, intended audience, narrative, stories, characters, worldbuilding, game mechanics, learning activities, integration, design implementation
Naomi Pariseault
she/her/hers
Senior Learning Designer & Gamification Mastercraftsman
Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
As a senior learning designer in Digital Learning & Design at Brown University, Naomi considers her role to be best articulated as a learning engineer and experience designer. She believes that learning is a multifaceted experience (engaging, inspiring, challenging, etc.) and should serve as a catalyst for reflection, change, and appreciation of our world. She is a certified Master Craftsman in gamification design for learning and has earned the Level 1, 2, and 3 Certifications from Sententia Gamification. She is also a certified facilitator for teaching the Level 1 Certification Program. Gamification design is by far her most favorite approach of learning design. One of the Brown University undergraduate courses she designed with Professor Jim Egan, "Fantastic Places, Unhuman Humans," won two international awards for excellence in gamification design. Naomi holds an M.A. in English Literature and a Master in Library and Information Studies (MLIS) from the University of Rhode Island.
(Twitter): @elearngeekette
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-pariseault/
(Instagram): @elearngeekette
(Website): https://www.brown.edu/sheridan/people/naomi-pariseault
Jim Egan
he/him/his
Professor of English & Gamification Mastercraftsman
Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
Jim Egan is Professor of English at Brown University. He teaches courses on US literature before the United States, good and evil, literature and social media, as well as several gamified asynchronous online-only courses such as “Renegades, Reprobates, and Castaways” and “Fantastic Places, Unhuman Humans.” He is the author of Oriental Shadows: The Presence of the East in Early American Literature (2011) and Authorizing Experience: Refigurations of the Body Politic in Seventeenth-Century New England Writing (1999) as well as numerous essays and works of fiction.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-egan-a814b324/
(Website): https://vivo.brown.edu/display/jegan
A Dynamic Exploration Of Cooperative, Collaborative, and Competitive Play for Optimal Learning
We will explore the dynamic usages of cooperative, collaborative and competitive play in the world of learning. While the most commonly used game format would be competitive as it is often a great motivator for engagement, there is no doubt that cooperative and collaborative games are great too. Good game design for learning should not only focus on the engagement, but it is important to ensure the game format caters to the learning needs as well. In our presentation, we will delve into the differences, the pros and cons of each game format, real-world examples, and the strategic use of various game structures—cooperative, collaborative, and competitive—for optimal educational impact. From team-based challenges to strategic competitions, discover how to transform your learning environment. Uncover practical insights on implementation, fostering an interactive and enjoyable educational environment.
Session Keywords:
game based learning, serious games, simulations, competitive, cooperative, collaborative, game design
Andrew Lau
he/him/his
CEO & Founder
Think Codex
Andrew Lau is the CEO and founder of Think Codex – a multiple award-winning Gamification Organization. Using gamification & game based learning as a key value proposition, the Think Codex team serves a clientele of Fortune 500 & MNCs across 4 continents in over 30 countries. He is also the former Chair of the International Gamification Confederation (GamFed).
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlau-thinkcodex/
Kerry Wong
she/her/hers
Head of Gamification Design & Trainer
Think Codex
Kerry is the Head of Gamification Design and a trainer at Think Codex, a multiple award-winning Gamification Organisation. By combining her gamification expertise with her background as a business analyst, she integrates her knowledge of business intricacies to design and deliver engaging business simulations and gamified workshops for multiple industries.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrywongky/
Aaron Leong
he/him/his
Gamification Designer & Trainer
Think Codex
Aaron is a Gamification Designer and trainer at Think Codex. From a psychological research background, he uses learning and motivation theories to design and deliver engaging business simulations and gamified workshops for multiple industries.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronleong825/
Elements of Design in Classroom RPGs
Role-playing games engage students and center their voice allowing for a transformation in classroom learning, but most RPGs aren’t designed for teaching. In this panel, we’ll describe Luna Uni, a game built to help elementary and middle school students become confident authors and collaborative communicators, leading to 35% gains in writing scores and rabid enthusiasm in two 5th grade classrooms. Along the way, we’ll explain how to deal with barriers to implementation, and how to hit academic targets, differentiate for all student needs, and make this practice yours!
Session Keywords:
gamified learning, role-playing games, socio-emotional learning, writing instruction
Michael Low
he/him/his
Game Designer, Curriculum Designer, and Teacher
Luck of Legends LLC
Michael Low a classroom educator with over 20 years in the classroom who designs both games and curriculum. He runs Luck Of Legends, developing educational role-playing games for small groups and classrooms. He is the co-creator and a storyteller for the Stories RPG podcast, which helps people of all ages leverage the power of role-playing to foster trust and creativity, build literacy, and deepen engagement. He has spoken at Gen Con, SXSW EDU, on a large number of podcasts and interviews, and in countless professional development workshops on his work. Michael holds a clear credential in secondary education in California for both English and Japanese, an MA in Secondary Education from the University of Michigan and one in Japanese from Washington University, and BAs in both Creative Writing and Japanese. He's developed curriculum for Yerba Buena HS and KIPP San Jose Collegiate in San Jose, PUC CCECHS in LA, and LVLHS in Chicago, and run many workshops and trainings.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/LuckLegends
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-low-luckoflegends/
(Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076482692943
(YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzXhyVtDq4ZmlMGUq1QqB_w
(Website): https://www.luckoflegends.com/
(Other): https://www.storiesrpg.com/
Tyler Pelletier
he/him/his
Primary School English Teacher
Dyer Elementary, South Portland, ME, USA
Tyler is a 5th-grade Humanities teacher in South Portland, ME who has been teaching for 9 years. He works with a lot of ELL (English Language Learner) students, and has had a large amount of 504 (students with social or emotional needs and IEP (Individualized Education Plan) students in his classes. He has taught with Luna Uni, the classroom RPG designed by Michael Low and Luck of Legends, for the last two years to impressive results, both in terms of socio-emotional wellness, classroom culture, and in terms of academic improvement.
(Twitter): https://twitter.com/TPelletierG5
(Website): https://sites.google.com/spsdme.org/mrpelletiersclasssite/home
Rebecca Freeman
she/her/hers
Secondary English Teacher & Playtester
Minnetonka Middle School West, Excelsior, MN, USA
Rebecca Freeman is a secondary English teacher with over seven years of experience in the middle and high school setting. While she's taught a variety of grades ranging from 6-12, she always returns to middle school because of their demonstrated creativity, excitement, and quirkiness. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls in 2016 and is in the process of completing her Master's Degree in Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology. For as long as she can remember, her life has revolved around the creation of stories. From her grandmother teaching her to write in kindergarten, to winning the Minnesota State Competition for a first grade story she wrote, to finally becoming a teacher that was able to share her love with her own students, she has never withdrawn from the power of stories. Outside of teaching, she also advises a gaming group and she has enjoyed incredibly bring the stories her students create out through writing with Luna Uni.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-freeman-0813918a/
Concerns, Issues, and Solutions
Using games during lessons does not seem like inventing the wheel any more. However, using or adapting games efficiently for specific educational goals is more problematic than it may appear in the beginning. First, commercial games and educational games have to be compared. Later, simulations, serious games, and adapted games come into play. On top of that, game elements for larger narratives or even fully-fledged gamified systems can be created on the basis of specific games. Therefore, the aim of this presentation is two-fold. Firstly, adapted games will be juxtaposed with other games and gamified solutions. Secondly, a few concerns and solutions will be addressed in relation to how games should be adapted for educational purposes. A few examples of role-playing games, game-based tasks and adapted games will be presented and dissected to reach practical advice for teachers interested in adapting games for game-based learning and gamified solutions.
Session Keywords:
GBL, Game-Based Learning, GAL, Game-Assisted Learning, games in education, educational games, gamification, adapting games
Mikolaj Sobocinski
he/him/his
Senior Instructor, Course Designer, Linguist, Editor, Translator
American University of the Middle East, Kuwait
Mikolaj Sobocinski has 20+ years of experience in education & research. He published several articles on linguistics, education, and gamification after attending 80+ conferences and events. His education interests range from designing and running courses in academic writing, communication and presentations, linguistics, descriptive grammar, phonetics, game design, and gamification. His research interests concentrate around semiotics and pragmatics as he studied the influence between space, proxemics, and interactions. In the last two decades he has been introducing commercial games and adapting games for his courses. He also prepared gamified solutions for his courses and those taught by other school and university teachers. Currently, he resides in the Middle East, where he develops his teaching and organisation skills as well as his gamification and game-based learning portfolio.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikolajsobocinski/
(Research Gate): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mikolaj-Sobocinski-2
(Website): https://www.games4teachers.net/blog/
Learn how to use the gamified, 100% research-based Zoom app Townhall.pro to reduce stress, save time and make you more money!
Teaching on Zoom is a huge pain. Learners are easily distracted, and it's very challenging to know if attendees are engaged at all. Further, no data exists to determine if the session was productive or a complete waste. The Townhall.pro Zoom app plug-in directly solves these issues and makes VILT easy for any educator! In this session you'll learn how Townhall: Reduces your stress by engaging learners for you, Saves you time by delivering actionable data and insights, and Makes you more money by improving delivery and learner reviews. All powered through 100% research-based gamification techniques vetted and proven over the past 15 years. The entire session will be use case and action oriented. We will go through specific tactics on how to leverage Townhall to make Zoom teaching easier for any educator.
Session Keywords:
Instructor Led Virtual Training, VILT, gamifying Zoom, gamified learning, gamification
Peter Nadolny
he/him/his
Director & Virtual Instructor
Townhall.pro
Mr. Nadolny has led and coached hundreds of engineers over his 20 year career. Having virtually trained operators, sales and engineers in technical topics such as quality engineering and nanofiltration, he knows engagement is the critical enabler to content retention. He will be presenting on his experience as well as his Co-Founder's Dr. Larysa. A lifelong educator, consultant and highly accomplished UI/UX researcher with over 15 years of experience in gamification research, Human-Computer Interaction, and product development. She has over 40 peer-reviewed publications and is a sought out keynote speaker on virtual engagement. Townhall.pro is built upon her work.
(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/pjnobx/
(YouTube): http://www.youtube.com/@townhallpro
(Website): https://www.townhall.pro/
Conference Overview
Conference Guide
Mighty Networks Access
Code of Conduct
Friday June 7, 2024
Conference Welcome & Opening
Welcome 01
Welcome 02
Welcome 03
Welcome 04
Welcome 05
Storytelling Games for Low-Resource Classrooms
Storytelling Games 01
Storytelling Games 02
Storytelling Games 03
Storytelling Games 04
Storytelling Games 05
Storytelling Games 06
Behind the Scenes: Demo of the Gamification Design Process for a University Course
Behind the Scenes 01
Behind the Scenes 02
Behind the Scenes 03
Behind the Scenes 04
Behind the Scenes 05
Behind the Scenes 06
Behind the Scenes 07
Live Networking
Each day of the conference is broken down into different types of events:
Recorded Sessions
Live Sessions
Live Networking
$100 Discount $197 / Expires: Friday March 29, 2024 at 11:59pm (ET)
$90 Discount $207 / Expires: Friday April 5, 2024 at 11:59pm (ET)
$80 Discount $217 / Expires: Friday April 12, 2024 at 11:59pm (ET)
$70 Discount $227 / Expires: Friday April 19, 2024 at 11:59pm (ET)
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$20 Discount $277 / Expires: Friday May 24, 2024 at 11:59pm (ET)
$10 Discount $287 / Expires: Friday May 31, 2024 at 11:59pm (ET)
Regular Registration $297
ALL Registration Levels Include: Recorded Sessions, Live Sessions, Live Networking, Indefinite Access to Recordings
Contact: [email protected]
Recorded Sessions, Live Sessions, Live Networking, Indefinite Access to Recordings
This application is an opportunity to procure a discounted registration for the games-based learning virtual conference. Applications are limited to one per person and will be considered on a case by case basis by the conference administration.
Applicants may apply at any time prior to the start of the conference. Individuals may apply for any reason. Discount registrations for the conference will only be available for registrants who have successfully applied and been approved through this process.
Approval requires applicants to successfully refer one (1x) registrant to the conference at a currently available paid rate. Successful referrals will be documented through the use of a unique coupon code issued only to an approved applicant.
Once an applicant’s referral has successfully registered and paid for a conference registration will a discount registration be offered to the applicant. Discount registrations are free and are offered at no cost to successful applicants who have referred an individual that has used their unique coupon code.
Discounted registration for the conference includes all of the following benefits: recorded sessions, live sessions, live networking, and indefinite access to conference recordings.
The discount registration program may be rescinded by the conference administration at any time and for any reason.
Live conference sessions will remain free and complimentary for the general public to attend.