JOE'S WORKSHOPS AT GEN CON 2023

Updated for 2023!

Gen Con is a long-running game convention held in Indianapolis the first week of August. It is mostly about playing mainstream board and card games, but the con also features many workshops, including a whole pre-day for educators called "Trade Day."

People tell me my workshops and seminars are some of their biggest highlights, so I'd like to share them with you. Below you will see registration links in red that take you to the Gen Con registration page, but you must first purchase a convention badge before you can register for my (or any) events. Also, if the registration link doesn't work yet, it's because Gen Con is still updating the links (the links normally work by May).

If you're debating whether to attend my workshops, and would like a little more information about me first, you can read reviews of my workshops here, or scout my website to see all the game-based efforts I'm involved in (such as co-directing the only US conference devoted entirely to game-based learning in higher education).

If you're attending the Trade Day pre-day on Wednesday, I'm also offering a shorter, free workshop at 4pm that day with different content than the other workshops.

"What’s Your Game Plan?: Turn Your Lesson or Training into a Game"

This workshop will be repeated during Gen Con. Each session is essentially the same workshop, but after my opening 15 minute lecture, the rest of it is a game design session, whose content and conversations are completely unique each time, since they are based upon the learning activities attendees wish to see turned into games. So if you have the time, you may wish to attend multiple sessions!

(Bonus: Anyone attending two What's Your Game Plan? sessions gets a free copy of one of my  game design card  decks! They are normally available for $20 plus shipping.)

1st Session

Date and Time: Thursday @ 4pm - 5:30pm (SOLD OUT!)

Event Number: WKS23ND227037 (register here!)

2nd Session

Date and Time: Sunday @ 10am - 11:30am (ALMOST SOLD OUT!)

Event Number: WKS23ND227038 (register here!)

3rd Session

Date and Time: Sunday @ 12pm - 1:30pm

Event Number: WKS23ND227039 (register here!)

Cost: $24

Description:

What does the lesson “Finding Citations,” the game “Trivial Pursuit,” and the mechanic “Bluffing” have in common? In this boot camp brainstorm, your team’s mission to enhance a teaching lesson or training exercise with the mechanics of popular board games in only 20 minutes. Whether you need to teach the rules of citation or compliance, there’s a game plan that can help. If you’re an educator, training manager, presenter, instructional designer, or game designer, you’ll learn how to integrate non-digital educational games or simulations into your classroom or workspace. This full-featured workshop begins with an interactive lecture on game pedagogy, then segues into whole room active game design, and is kept at an optimum size so we can explore your instructional problems in depth. Led by a professor from the City University of New York. (Workshop changes each year.)

Note: You can read more about the success of this famous workshop (and its accompanying card game about game design called "What's Your Game Plan?") on this page.

"Redesigning Board Games for Instructional Purposes"

Date and Time: Friday @ 7pm - 10pm

Event Number: WKS22205426 (register here!)

Cost: $28

Description:

Are you a teacher, training manager, content designer or learning game designer? We’re going to play a well-designed commercial board or card game (e.g. Pandemic, Red7, Forbidden Island) for 45 minutes. Next, we will study reference cards I created that meticulously examine how the game might be modified to teach any school or workplace instructional goal (or to visualize a problem). Finally, you will pick such a goal, and together with other smart team members, brainstorm a new learning game inspired by the game you just played. You will walk away with several ideas for enhancing your own instruction, and with many custom game cards and handouts! Led by a professor of game-based learning pedagogy. (If you joined us last year, you will have first priority to try another game this time.) See previous event pictures and descriptions here: http://www.joebisz.com/redesigningboardgames

Other Game Events--Just Mainstream!

Together with my colleagues, I'm running several other game events at Gen Con, but they are all just for playing mainstream (not academic) games. You can peruse them by searching "Prof Joe Games" within the field "Gaming Group/Company."