Befriend the Dragon: Befriend the Dragon: Pedagogical Uses of Pedagogical Uses of Roleplaying GamesRoleplaying Games

Van TarpleyVan Tarpley

TE 922TE 922

February 17, 2011February 17, 2011

The BasicsThe Basics A relatively new hobby A relatively new hobby

(Dungeons & Dragons, 1974)(Dungeons & Dragons, 1974)

A combination of tabletop A combination of tabletop game, collaborative game, collaborative storytelling and guided storytelling and guided theatertheater

Generally, one person serves Generally, one person serves as Referee (inhabits minor as Referee (inhabits minor roles, provides an roles, provides an overarching goal) and others overarching goal) and others play a character within the play a character within the gamegame

MisconceptionsMisconceptions Fantasy is the only genre. Fantasy is the only genre.

It’s all a boring Tolkien It’s all a boring Tolkien retread.retread.

It’s a fast-track to the It’s a fast-track to the occult.occult.

One just rolls dice over and One just rolls dice over and over again to hit over again to hit opponents on the head. opponents on the head. Why bother? Why bother?

Genres include modern day, Genres include modern day, science fiction, historical, science fiction, historical, horror, detective, humor and horror, detective, humor and many others.many others.

Nope. Some games do have Nope. Some games do have magical themes, as is the magical themes, as is the case with much popular case with much popular culture. culture.

Many games do use Many games do use polyhedral dice (ranging polyhedral dice (ranging from 4- to 20-sided) to from 4- to 20-sided) to resolve actions. But resolve actions. But storytelling, group storytelling, group cooperation and character cooperation and character development tend to be development tend to be more important.more important.

Fair Concerns Fair Concerns for the School Settingfor the School Setting

Roleplaying Games glorify Roleplaying Games glorify violence. violence. Many genres do Many genres do include cinematic violence as include cinematic violence as part of their idiom. The extent part of their idiom. The extent to which educators should to which educators should encourage this is debatable.encourage this is debatable.

The games are not female-The games are not female-friendly. friendly. There is a “chainmail There is a “chainmail bikini” problem in the art, but bikini” problem in the art, but the writing, character design the writing, character design and art have all gotten more and art have all gotten more inclusive in the last twenty inclusive in the last twenty years. More players are still years. More players are still male than female, but numbers male than female, but numbers of women and girls in the hobby of women and girls in the hobby is growing.is growing.

Why Bother with RPGs in Why Bother with RPGs in School?School?

They are collaborative. They are collaborative. Players must work together to Players must work together to overcome obstacles and meet goals. All win through overcome obstacles and meet goals. All win through cooperation and creating a fun story. They are great tools cooperation and creating a fun story. They are great tools for teaching teamwork and basic socialization.for teaching teamwork and basic socialization.

They encourage the use of higher-order thinking. They encourage the use of higher-order thinking. Mystery plots, problem-solving and strategic challenges Mystery plots, problem-solving and strategic challenges encourage young people to analyze situations, hypothesize, encourage young people to analyze situations, hypothesize, test possible solutions, and exercise ingenuity and test possible solutions, and exercise ingenuity and creativity.creativity.

They excel with a group schools are losing. They excel with a group schools are losing. Roleplaying games are often of most interest to middle-Roleplaying games are often of most interest to middle-school boys. The subculture of gaming is a very benign one school boys. The subculture of gaming is a very benign one largely free of drugs, drinking or violence.largely free of drugs, drinking or violence.

Sneaky Math BuildingSneaky Math BuildingSome game systems, such as modified FUDGE, are virtually all Some game systems, such as modified FUDGE, are virtually all talking and storytelling with little use of dice. However, many of the talking and storytelling with little use of dice. However, many of the most popular systems are excellent for the internalization of basic most popular systems are excellent for the internalization of basic mathematics skills. For instance, let’s say that in Dungeons & mathematics skills. For instance, let’s say that in Dungeons & Dragons your cunning archer character shoots an arrow at a Dragons your cunning archer character shoots an arrow at a minotaur. The math might work like this (1d20 means “one twenty-minotaur. The math might work like this (1d20 means “one twenty-sided die”):sided die”):

““First, you have a 20% chance of missing because of the billowing First, you have a 20% chance of missing because of the billowing fog. Roll to see if you overcome it. Great! Now roll to hit. If fog. Roll to see if you overcome it. Great! Now roll to hit. If 1d20+7=>22, your arrow strikes true. Determine damage: 1d20+7=>22, your arrow strikes true. Determine damage: 3(1d8+3+1+1+2)-5.”3(1d8+3+1+1+2)-5.”

Over the course of a two-hour game session, a player might make Over the course of a two-hour game session, a player might make such calculations 10-15 times. such calculations 10-15 times.

Gaming in my Own LifeGaming in my Own Life I have roleplayed off and on I have roleplayed off and on

since the fifth grade. Note since the fifth grade. Note the geeky brother trio to the the geeky brother trio to the right (at a game convention).right (at a game convention).

I currently play personally I currently play personally about twice a month for 2-4 about twice a month for 2-4 hours a session.hours a session.

Favorite games include Favorite games include Dungeons & Dragons, d20 Dungeons & Dragons, d20 Modern, Star Frontiers, DC Modern, Star Frontiers, DC Heroes, and Savage Worlds.Heroes, and Savage Worlds.

I have the world’s most loving I have the world’s most loving and patient non-gamer wife.and patient non-gamer wife.

Roleplaying with a PurposeRoleplaying with a Purpose I have in a number of non-school positions used roleplaying to help I have in a number of non-school positions used roleplaying to help

me work with and counsel young men lacking in social skills at both me work with and counsel young men lacking in social skills at both the high school and college level. This is an excellent tool for the high school and college level. This is an excellent tool for teaching the action-consequence cycle. For instance, one young teaching the action-consequence cycle. For instance, one young man with anger issues would routinely, in a fantasy roleplay setting, man with anger issues would routinely, in a fantasy roleplay setting, have his character attack local law enforcement in the towns the have his character attack local law enforcement in the towns the group passed through. After the whole group had been tossed in group passed through. After the whole group had been tossed in prison several times, the young man realized that there were more prison several times, the young man realized that there were more fun ways of exercising the freedom of action the game allowed. fun ways of exercising the freedom of action the game allowed.

I led gaming sessions as a counselor at a homelessness-abatement I led gaming sessions as a counselor at a homelessness-abatement program. This allowed players to mentally escape the program. This allowed players to mentally escape the circumstances that trapped them and reveal new facets of their circumstances that trapped them and reveal new facets of their personalities. A highlight was being able to help the player personalities. A highlight was being able to help the player characters earn something in the game that I had no power to characters earn something in the game that I had no power to provide in the real world – a very cool house. provide in the real world – a very cool house.

Ideas for School UseIdeas for School Use Start a roleplaying club. Start a roleplaying club. A A

good friend who is a middle-good friend who is a middle-school teacher runs an after-school teacher runs an after-school club with 12-18 school club with 12-18 participants in which, after a participants in which, after a year, students are leading year, students are leading games for each other.games for each other.

Use historical roleplaying as Use historical roleplaying as PAT in the classroomPAT in the classroom. . In In social studies and English social studies and English classes, games in which classes, games in which students take on roles of students take on roles of Chinese merchants or Chinese merchants or characters in Jane Austen characters in Jane Austen novels could be very fun and novels could be very fun and pedagogically useful.pedagogically useful.