Ever since the first time I discovered the Serious Play Conference, I was eager to attend. However, for several years it was at the University of Toronto and therefore didn't seem to be an affordable option for a work trip. This year, however, it was at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York. I was thankful to have the conference approved by OVEC as my annual out-of-town professional learning, and doubly grateful when I was asked (along with my TTRPG educator colleague Kalli Colley) to speak on a panel! On a side note, I've been curious about the Erie Canal ever since I sang a folk tune in pre-school, so I was also glad for the chance to see it in person, as it ran just outside of our hotel. (On a side note to my side note, the Del Monte Lodge was a beautiful place to stay, run by an incredibly friendly staff.) While in Rochester, I even ate a version of their local delicacy: a "garbage plate" (it was delicious).
Canals and garbage plates aside, how was the three day conference? In a word: illuminating. Like the Play Make Learn conference in Wisconsin I attended last year, it was energizing to be around hundreds of educators and game designers who enthusiastically believe in the power of play- and game-based learning. While I created an extensive Wakelet covering the depth and breadth of the sessions I attended and the resources I gained (also embedded at the end of this blog entry), here I will share a dozen highlights:
- Michelle King, our keynote for the first day of conference, inspired us with the notion that "words create worlds," and told us a paraphrase of Brian Eno's difference between the solitary genius (an "egosystem") and the collective innovation from a scenius (a vibrant and healthy "ecosystem"). What kind of playful and positive world will we create together?
- Stephen Reid, our second day keynote, implored us to not forget that "play matters." We are often limited by anti-play policies and taught to be suspicious of adults who engage in what is perceived as frivolous activity; as a particularly evocative example, he showed us the difference between what you find when you google "man in a tree" and "child in a tree." Reid also shared anecdotes of using Command and Conquer and Minecraft in his classrooms.
- Deb Fuller and Luigi Guarniccio discussed the need for accessibility in games. As Fuller reminded us, things like curb cuts are not just niceties for those permanently in wheelchairs, as "we are just temporarily abled" and, with age or an accident, will eventually need such supports. How can we design better for those that are (among many other examples Fuller and Guarniccio provided) left-handed, or have vision challenges?
- Meghan Gardner discussed what makes a game truly "transformative" versus merely "remarkable." Additionally, Gardner is the founder of Guardian Adventures, a treasure trove of educational gaming resources and examples.
- Kelly McNeil, a Learning Experience Designer with Digital Promise, shared her journey in bringing play into professional development. She reminded us that while fun can help in engagement, we still need to construct adult learning around evidence-based practices, such as Darling-Hammond, Hyler and (Madelyn) Gardner's "Seven Models of Effective Professional Development."
- I first read about Dr. Megan Connell's work using Dungeons & Dragons as a part of her therapeutic pedagogy in Shelly Mazzanoble and Greg Tito's book Welcome to Dragon Talk. So I was particularly excited to hear her speak, alongside learning what teacher Greg Gordon has done in his own classroom.
- MagiKids is a charitable foundation that donates Magic: The Gathering kits to learning spaces. From that session, I was also blessed to meet Lyla Ross, the head of the Washington State-based 501(c)(3) Gamers Engaged, one of the many "backbone organizations" that help fund MagiKids.
- Sharon Peck demonstrated multiple examples of how games can improve literacy. (Also, check out Professors at Play!)
- Speaking of professors...University of Toronto professors Leslie Stewart Rose (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) and Quinn Jacobs (Department of Arts, Culture, and Media) shared "How Play Solves Problems of Practice in Classrooms." One of the examples indicated was the use of Dungeons & Dragons! I appreciated their ample research references throughout their presentation, and how we better appreciated play in a learning setting by actually playing a game.
- Lt. Col. James "Pigeon" Fielder (ret.) uses a semester-long simulation game for one of his political science courses at Colorado State University. He was candid about what worked, and what he would do differently in the future.
- I picked up two books while at the conference: Becky Keene's AI Optimism and Tracy Fullerton and Matthew Farber's The Well-Read Game: On Playing Thoughtfully. I can't wait to dive into both!
- Last but not least, I visited The Strong National Museum of Play twice for after-hours conference events. It was a charming and delightful institution, and it alone would make planning a trip to Rochester worthwhile. (For a plethora of pictures, check out my Facebook post from my KyEdRPG Page.)
As I mentioned at the beginning, Kalli Colley and I were asked to speak on a session panel: "Adventures in TTRPG: Building Learning Worlds with Dice, Devices, and Dialogue." It was wonderfully moderated by Sana Alimohamed, and we were joined by an impressive group of educators: Sharon Lee De La Cruz, Phill Cameron, and Huaidian (Daniel) Hou. Thank you to the 50+ attendees of the session, who leaned in with great interest and questions! A special thanks to Sana, who in addition to her moderation duties took the time to curate and share several resources discussed in the panel in a LinkedIn post.
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| From left to right: Sana, Phill, Kalli, me, and Huaidian. |
Besides the learning gained at the Serious Play Conference, I am grateful for the chance to have met so many admirable people in person. A final shoutout needs to be given to Paul Darvasi and Elisa Navarro for putting together the event (and for Dr. Darvasi's personal reach out that led to Kalli and I submitting proposals). If you have a chance to attend a future Serious Play Conference, I highly recommend it.
Speaking of Kalli Colley, our "Dungeons & Desks" FREE regional PD series returns this fall to two Kentucky locations: London (October 20) and Hazard (November 3). Come play and learn with us!
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