Origins Game Fair 2026

Back in January, I was flattered to be asked by Maryanne Cullinan and Jennifer Genova to present at this year's Game-Based Education & Therapy Conference (GBET), which occurs simultaneously with Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio.   (Origins is the main "open to the public" annual event ran by GAMA, alongside some retail-only conventions throughout the year.) Despite the fact that Columbus is not terribly far from where I live -- about three hours -- I had never been to Origins before, so I was thankful for the opportunity when I attended last week.

GBET runs over three days (Friday through Sunday) in a dedicated area of the convention center, mere steps away from the exhibit hall and other gaming opportunities.  I ended up presenting two sessions on Friday, June 19.  

Much of what I shared was parts of the professional learning on educational tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) I've been doing over the last few years, although clearly I moved quickly past the "What are TTRPGs?" with the crowd at Origins!  I was grateful for all those who attended, as well as their enthusiastic participation.  A special thanks to several members of The Hills Have Nerds (Aaron! Cody!) who came to my first session -- in particular, a shout out to Josh Damron who took several pictures and videos:

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(Josh also ran a wonderful Call of Cthulu one shot he created, which allowed me to play that TTRPG for the first time -- my character even survived!  More gratitude for Josh's generosity of time and service.)

A conference like Origins/GBET gave me the chance to not only meet several people in person for the first time, but to learn.  Some highlights:

• Adam Davis (an early and influential person who used TTRPGs in therapy, currently with foundry10) presented on the importance of gamemasters sharing power with their players to make a truly co-created story.
• I finally met Steph Campbell of TTRPGKids face-to-face! (Their website is full of resources and self-published materials, and I am still thankful to have been interviewed last year.)  I got a copy of Making a Tabletop RPG for YOUR Particular Kid: A Guide for Families, Friends, and Facilitators. I look forward to reading it.
• Carolyn Noe (of Superheroines Etc) had a session on how disabilities are represented in games.  It's an important topic, and one that reminds us that as we know better, we should do better.
• Zachary Reznichek has been in the educational TTRPG space for several years, running workshops on the topic and self-publishing his book Teacher-Gamer Handbook, although I learned of his work only recently.  After connecting on social media, I was thankful to meet him in person when he attended one of my sessions.
• Back in March, I was a guest on The Twenty-Sided Gamified Podcast, hosted by Jared Fishman.  Jared and his organizational partner Kelly McManus had a session on "Designing Classroom Games and Game Based Learning," which included a chance for me to play a few rounds of Diplomacy (and meet Jared face-to-face) for the first time!
• For pure fun, I had the chance to playtest (alongside Josh) an upcoming rules-light TTRPG called Further Adventure to be published by Limitless Adventures.  (They have always been a big supporter of educators in various ways; one of their resources is highlighted in my book.) You can follow when their new TTRPG launches on Kickstarter later this summer.
• Besides Maryanne, I was also thankful to meet her organizational partner Garrett Monroe in person.  Maryanne and Garrett's Tabletop EDU has resources, self-published books, and ongoing engagement opportunities to learn from others on educational TTRPGs (follow them across social media for the latest).

I really enjoyed Origins, and the city of Columbus.  The convention center and connected hotels allowed for a conference that was large with lots of options, but still inviting and not overwhelming.  In particular, I was impressed with the sessions and presenters offered by GBET, and I believe its value for educators and therapists will only grow in the years to come.

Did you attend GBET this year, or in the past?  What are your thoughts on Origins?  How do you think it compares to other game-related convention opportunities such as Gen Con's Trade Day?  Please share in the Comments below!

For more pictures from Origins 2026, see my KyEdRPG Facebook Page post here.

Play Make Learn and Gen Con 2024

In the last month, I've been fortunate to attend two conferences, and from both I've gotten good ideas for digital and game-based learning.  In today's blog entry, I'll share my reflections with you!

Play Make Learn 2024

Play Make Learn is an annual conference first started in 2017, and is held at the beautiful University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wisconsin.   True to its name, it's a drawing together of teachers, librarians, crafters, and digital and analog game publishers for the students of Kindergarten through higher ed.   You'll see sessions and displays on everything from makerspaces to video games to looming(!) to tabletop roleplaying games.  I went with my colleagues Jen and Amy; it was the first time any of us had gone, and we constantly remarked on the palpable joy in the air from presenters and attendees throughout the two day conference.

Some of the conference highlights included:

• The Madison Public Library system shared findings from the beta testing of The Observation Deck, an intriguing platform that captures multimedia evidence of how library experiences impact patrons.  Separate from the platform itself, I appreciated the "Starter Frameworks" that were shared; these could be inspiration for analog observation and classroom walk-through tools for instructional coaches and admin. 
• Playful Learning Landscapes discussed their community-focused approach to creating urban spaces that center around the "PLL Model" of the 5 Principles of Learning (Actively Engaging, Joyful, Iterative, Socially Interactive, Meaningful), The 6 C's Learning Goals (Collaboration, Communication, Content, Critical Thinking,Creative Innovation, Confidence), and Community Engagement.  I particularly liked their downloadable "Playbook" (available in English and Spanish) with steps on how to implement a Playful Learning Landscape of your own as well as dozens of examples from America and around the world.
• In a "Library Learning Innovations" three person panel presentation, lots of valuable ground was covered.  Sam Abramovich talked through a brief history of genAI, along with the challenges and power it can bring to libraries.  (He also introduced me to the phrase HOMAGO for the first time.)  Rebecca Teasdale shared a preliminary framework for evaluating makerspaces.  Lastly, Chris Baker (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Public Library Consultant, and the lead organizer of the conference) shared evidence on the power of gaming (video, board, tabletop) in a library; among other resources, he highlighted WISELearn.
• The Wisconsin Historical Society recently published Wisconsin Adventures, in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons (which was launched from Lake Geneva, about 80 miles southeast of Madison). Wisconsin Adventures uses the same ruleset as D&D (i.e. it is "5e compatible"), and it leads players through quests inspired by urban legends, famous locations, and historical personages of the state.  Even more impressive is how they aligned it to academic Core Content standards.  At the end of the WHS session, its historians led us in small groups through a mini-adventure from their module.  And that was just the first time I played D&D at PML....
• Jen, Amy and I played a one-shot Dungeons & Dragons adventure designed to help introduce the game to new players.  Jen and Amy may have never rolled the polyhedral dice before, but quickly caught on, and Amy even gave the killing blow to the end boss "Death Tyrant"!

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Gen Con 2024

While this was the second time I've attended Gen Con, it's the first time I have presented, alongside Shelby County Public School teacher Justin Gadd.   The session was part of Trade Day, which occurs on the Wednesday before "The Best Four Days in Gaming" of the convention itself.  The title of our presentation was "TTRPGs in Education: Cultivating Creativity and Critical Thinking in the Classroom."  For his portion, Justin did wonderfully as he shared his classroom story of how tabletop role-playing games have positively impacted his students. 

Justin Gadd, middle school teacher extraordinaire.

After Trade Day, I took off work for Thursday and Friday to enjoy some personal time wandering the halls, playing games, and seeing old friends like Dan Reem and Tom Gross from the podcast Teachers in the Dungeon!

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I made several connections that could help a classroom:

• In his session "No Apologies: Arguments and Examples of Analog Gaming as Effective Tools in Secondary Education," Shawn Thorgersen (a grade 7-12 English teacher and Assistant Principal in New York, as well as a PhD student at St. Johns University) discussed evidence-based research on the topic and some examples from his own classroom.  Thorgersen's slides had a quote from S.S. Boocock that particularly lifted my heart:

• Dr. Katie King, from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, led a session on "Using a TTRPG as a Professional Development Tool." She shared a project she is piloting, where grad students in a teacher prep program have their teacher "characters" engage in TTRPG scenarios as led by a "Classroom Master."  As Dr. King pointed out, such role-playing is closest to the active form of student teaching and therefore more effective and authentic than the more passive learning of classroom observation or article reading.  It definitely got my wheels turning on how a TTRPG could be the engagement model of a professional development session or series.  
• Limitless Adventures has a new solo adventure gamebook based on D&D 5e rules called Lost in the Dark. The book leads you through character creation, and from there, advances you through the story complete with dice rolls and monster encounters.  Great for a classroom or school library for students to check out, or for enrichment time. 
• The Story Engine is a company that makes various card decks & expansion sets that can help build a narrative or world, with simple and intuitive rules.  While originally made for TTRPG players or GMs, the decks can be excellent for brainstorming fiction, understanding geography, or collaboratively practicing what it's like to co-create a story.  Additionally, they have free lesson plan resources!  (While most of the lessons are aligned to middle and high school standards, others -- like the "9 Storytelling Activities" handout -- could be for any age group, depending on their literacy level and the supports given.)
• I first met Tim Beach and his Start Here Roleplaying Game back at the GAMA Expo in March.  He had a presence at Gen Con too, where (as a Trade Day educator) I was able to get an early release of its box set gifted by Tim.   The purpose of the game is to get people playing as quickly as possible, and from what I've seen of the game mechanics, this succeeds!  The box set comes with both simple and expanded rules, along with several genre settings, from fantasy to "Wizards & Wranglers" (think Weird West) to "Zombiesaurus Rex" (think Jurassic Park mixed with The Walking Dead).   The game should be available for ordering very soon.  Until then, check out the Beach House RPG Facebook page for updates.
• I've been a fan of 9th Level Games for a few years now, and I was excited to examine a new TTRPG they are about to publish aimed at elementary aged children: Venture Society.  As their Kickstarter puts it, Venture Society is an "all ages, non-violent RPG focusing on building communication, social, & emotional skills" which utilizes 9th Level's "Polymorph" simple game system.  It's available for pre-order and coming out this fall.
• I will end with three words: Dice Petting Zoo.  Well...perhaps that requires a bit more explanation.  Tom Gross and I discovered a handcrafted wooden tray with dice at a booth advertising some D&D "stay and playcation" opportunities (Nat21 Adventures).  The idea was so whimsical that I immediately began brainstorming how a Dice Petting Zoo could be a delightful addition to a classroom.  It could provide an opportunity for calming and building culture. Imagine naming the various polyhedral "animals."  Or having students whisper numbers to them as they try to solve a difficult math problem.  Or for those that need to fiddle, taking them for a "walk" (roll!).  

Of course, there was so many great experiences, tools, and products at Play Make Learn and Gen Con that this entry can only be considered a fly-by.  For educators looking for inspiration on how game-based learning can work in a classroom, or need convincing about the power of play, I highly recommend checking out either or both conferences! 

GAMA Expo 2024 and KySTE 2024

As I previewed in a previous entry, I attended and presented at two conferences in March, but I've been busy since then and haven't taken the time to write a reflection on what I saw and encountered! So in today's entry, I'll share some highlights.  

GAMA Expo

The international GAMA Expo was at the recently renovated Kentucky International Convention Center, the first of its three scheduled years in Louisville.  I attended the day of my own presentation and the following day.  Not surprisingly as it is mainly a closed-to-the-public industry trade show, the majority of sessions involved game publisher announcements, or ways for gameshop owners to improve their sales, marketing, community partnerships, and so on.  In terms of help for education, it was mainly found on the exhibition floor where I walked the booths of various vendors and game publishers and discovered resources such as the following:

• Academy Games have several historic board games, such as the 878 Vikings: Conquest of England and One Small Step (a "Space Race" simulation).  From a classroom perspective, I was heartened to see many of them advertised as requiring "15+" number of players.  Some of their games also offer a companion teacher's guide for sale, such as the Colonial Trilogy (first, second, and third) and Freedom: The Underground Railroad.  It was this last game in particular that compelled me to initiate a long talk with Uwe Eickert, Freedom's designer.  Players are abolitionists helping enslaved people escape to the North (meaning it avoids the problematic issues of players enacting the role of an oppressor or the oppressed), and as Uwe walked through the game's mechanics, "Freedom" seemed conscientiously honest in how it approaches, as Academy's catalog describes it, the "horrors and heroism" of the topic.
• Beach House RPGs has Tim Beach as a Director, who wrote second edition D&D modules and expansion materials in the 1990's.   Tim wanted to design a TTRPG ruleset that has a much easier entry point for a beginning player, and the result is Start Here.  While the starter set has a default fantasy setting, other books include resources for sci-fi and other genres.  Start Here could offer teachers a great opportunity to adapt a simple, flexible game mechanic for their classrooms!  Materials will begin shipping in June 2024. For more information on acquiring the game, click here.
• Liftoff 2.0: The Epic Space Race Simulation is a well-reviewed board game that has been around for over three decades (the first edition came out in 1989).  It is grounded in real science content and historical accuracy, and offers enough roles for several teams of students to simulate the American and Soviet Union's race to the moon.  According to its designer Fritz Bronner, Liftoff has been used in many classrooms.  However, be warned: perhaps fittingly for its realistic take on managing a space program, the game seemed complicated with lots of token pieces, tables of outcomes, and rules.
• I talked with Andy Hand and Mike Johnson from Limitless Adventures.  They are huge fans of educators, and their "Limitless Encounters" card sets based on D&D fifth edition rules (such as The Blood Queen's Defiance, which Hand and Johnson were kind enough to gift me to review) offer an opportunity for students of an extracurricular club to "self-DM" a Dungeons & Dragons adventure.  Teachers might also use these card sets as inspiration on how to automate their own classroom academic TTRPG modules.
• I briefly spoke with Matthew Orr from Wet Ink Games.  Wet Ink is a local Kentucky game publisher, and it's exciting to know the Bluegrass has such designers in its own backyard!

KySTE 2024

After missing the conference in 2023, I was excited to make it back to KySTE, as it returned to the Kentucky International Convention Center after years at the Galt House.  Ironically, I presented in the same lower level room as I had at GAMA the week prior!

The attendees for my KySTE 2024 session.

Like GAMA, I attended KySTE on the day of my own session as well as the following day.  While there were several standout sessions, I'll spotlight three.

In my last entry, I wrote about Chad Collins and his digitally infused, game-based design of the Spencer County Middle School "Academy Team" elective.  Chad and Michelle Gross offered an expansive and detailed explanation of that course with their session "Play to Learn: Building a Class with Game-Based Design."  Plus, they gave away what was easily the best swag I encountered at KySTE: bags with a d20 die and example "treasure cards" they use in their classes!

@CollinsClassSC @michellegross
This is easily one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in teaching! Helping students not only reach mastery, but creating a motivating environment that makes them WANT to! #KYSTE24 #GoBeyond #TeacherNavigators #DeeperLearning #DNDclassroom pic.twitter.com/poRvLBmbQ3

— Lexie Bewley Gilley (@MrsGilleyUSHis) March 13, 2024

Keith Barnes, a Bullitt County digital learning coach, gave a thought-provoking presentation imploring us to "Go Beyond Using AI like a Magic 8 Ball."   He reminded us that the students should do the thinking even as the AI may do the "work."  In particular, the session centered on an intriguing perspective from a white paper by Drs. Ethan and Lilach Mollick that posited seven approaches for using artificial intelligence with students, with AI as Mentor, Tutor, Coach, Teammate, Student, Simulator, and/or Tool. 

.@bcpsky digital learning coach @kytis01 sharing how #ArtificialIntelligence tools can play different roles to help a student! #kyste24 #KYDLC pic.twitter.com/91sgBrpZ8I

— Adam Watson (@watsonedtech) March 14, 2024

William King (Director of Technology) and Megan Marcum (Digital Learning Coach) from Bowling Green Independent district used the running metaphor of space missions to describe their PD facilitation of a digital learning teacher cohort in their session "Teach2Transform, a Field Guide to Building Better PD."  Initially, William and Megan shared that only 47% of BGI staff thought the relevance of their PD was "very good" or "good," with relevance and continuity cited as the biggest barriers to BGI PD being effective.  With these survey results in mind, William and Megan found success by creating a cohort meeting six half-days throughout the year during the school day, with the focus being succinctly summarized as giving teachers "time, resources, space, and help."  Stipends were given for teachers to spend on resources for their classroom, although interestingly, they found stipends were not a primary motivational driver for the cohort.  The participants' own personal goals were paramount, as well as William and Megan using high quality frameworks for contextualizing the digital learning (in this example, it was the McLeod/Graber "4 Shifts" and Hebern/Corippo's EduProtocols). 

How do we "break from gravity" from the way we've always done PD? @MrsMarcumBGISD and @wkingbg share their #moonshotthinking! #kyste24 #KYDLC #KYDL #UnitedWeLearnKY pic.twitter.com/uaBPbXEV8v

— Adam Watson (@watsonedtech) March 14, 2024

I'll end my highlights of KySTE 2024 with a great overview video, shot and edited (as always!) by STLP student engineers who also were the "IT help desk" throughout the conference:

Again, while these nearly back-to-back conferences made for a very busy March, I was glad for the opportunity to learn from so many people from so many places.

Announcements for February and March 2024!

 Hello friends!   This blog entry is fairly short, but since I had several upcoming appearances, I thought I would put them all in one announcement.

Last weekend, I had the good fortune to virtually meet Melody McAllister and be her guest on the Growth Over Grades podcast, produced by SpacesEDU.   The focus of our talk was on game-based learning -- in particular, tabletop role-playing games in education, and KyEdRPG!  The 41 minute episode went live on February 29; the link to the podcast on Spotify is here, plus you can watch it on YouTube.

TTRPGs in education continue for today's theme.  Next up, I'll be presenting at the annual international industry convention for game publishers and gameshop owners, the GAMA EXPO, coming to Louisville on March 3-7.   My session is "Teaching with TTRPGs: How Publishers and Hobby Shops Can Help."  I'll be presenting on the morning of Tuesday, March 5.  (The conference can only be attended by GAMA members; no general public is allowed.) This is the first of three years that GAMA will be in Louisville, and I'm excited and proud that our city is hosting this prestigious event -- especially in the year of the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons!

The last announcement:  I'll be presenting at KySTE (March 13-15), also in Louisville.  My session is "Dungeons, Dragons, and Digital Tools: Tabletop Role-Playing Games in Schools & Classrooms" and it will be on Wednesday afternoon, March 13.   I hope to see old friends and make new ones!

Thank you to Melody, GAMA and KySTE for the opportunities to share with, and learn from, others!

Update 3/3/24:  The links for the Growth to Grades podcast were added once the episode went live on February 29.