Gencon Events

"Educator and Game Designer Meet & Greet"

Let's meet each other and share our interests on teaching with games! Bring any materials you're working on to share if you like. (See a longer description here: https://www.joebisz.com/genconeducators/)

Date and Time: Thursday @ 8-9pm

Event Number: ZED24ND253579 (register here!)

Cost: $4

 

"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, and like to be inspired, 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 @ 2pm - 3:30pm

Event Number: https://www.gencon.com/events/253580 (register here!)

2nd Session

Date and Time: Thursday @ 4pm - 5:30pm

Event Number: https://www.gencon.com/events/253581 (register here!)

3rd Session

Date and Time: Friday @ 2pm - 3:30pm

https://www.gencon.com/events/253584 (register here!)

4th Session

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

Event Number: https://www.gencon.com/events/253582 (register here!)

5th Session

Date and Time: Sunday @ 12pm - 1:30pm

Event Number: https://www.gencon.com/events/253583 (register here!)

Cost: $24

Description:

What do the lesson “Finding Citations,” the game “Trivial Pursuit,” and the mechanic “Bluffing” have in common? Your team’s mission is to brainstorm a creative active-learning exercise or game in 20 minutes, by mixing elements from play and board games. Forget video games; think LOW-TECH index cards, roleplays, & puzzling questions. Whether you need to teach the rules of citation or compliance, a “game plan” can help! If you’re an educator, training manager, presenter, instructional or game designer, you’ll learn how to integrate play & simulations into your classroom or workspace. This full-featured workshop begins with an interactive presentation, 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 and author of The Allure of Play from Columbia University. (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 @ 5pm - 8pm

Event Number: https://www.gencon.com/events/253587 (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