Games in Education Short Talks

Game-based learning is on the rise in classrooms at every level. This panel gives examples of how table-top games are being used for learning. From board-games to TTRPGs, Escape Games to Mega Games our assembled experts will give examples of past and future projects for game design in education. Liz Cable, Jim Wallman, Dr. Laura Mitchell and Dr. Alex Moseley will discuss their experience across TTRPGs, ARGs, boardgames, escape games and megagames in education and research.

Jim Wallman is a professional game designer with over thirty years’ experience in the serious game design field and Director of Stone Paper Scissors Ltd, specialising in wargames, senior leadership development games and games for developing insights, strategy, team development and education.

Laura Mitchell is a senior lecturer in people, work and employment at the University of York who loves using playful learning to brighten up dry theories about society and ethics. She has a background in Critical Management Studies and is the co-director of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Management Education. She is also a LEGO® Serious Play facilitator and LARP and tabletop roleplayer.

Alex Moseley is the Head of Anglia Learning and Teaching at Anglia Ruskin University and a National Teaching Fellow. Alex is the founding co-chair of the Playful Learning Association, co-chair of the Playful Learning Conference and an accredited Lego Serious Play Facilitator. 

Liz Cable is Digital Marketing Programme Lead at Leeds Trinity University, she is an award-winning game-based learning designer and author. Liz has designed and run LARP campaigns, escape rooms, RPGs, city-wide treasure hunts, alternate reality games and is the convener of UK Games Expo's first academic track.

This is the first of three informal Sunday events for the Games in Education academic track - new this year.

UK Games Expo is presenting its first ever academic track to bring together designers, teachers, academics, students, researchers and parents to explore what ideas, projects and partnerships can be formed going forward.

From a game designer’s point of view, access to academic research can inspire, inform, or even transform the nature of a game. Research funds can also pay for development and dissemination. There’s a growing opportunity for game designers to be involved in research bids and grant proposals.

If you are involved in providing any stage of formal or informal learning, and want to use games in your practice, come along.

We’ll be asking how we can use table-top and other analogue game formats to

·               Build community

·               Teach and encourage learning, especially social and higher order thinking skills

·               Share research in accessible ways

·               Provide authentic educational experiences and assessments

·               and solve real-world problems

Our track on Sunday will involve some short talks presenting the opportunities and possibilities, a roundtable for discussion, and networking including the opportunity to show off your projects at whatever stage of development.

10.30-11.30                     Games in Education Short Talks

11.30-12.15                       Roundtable

12.15 - 12.30                    Break

12.30-1.30                       Networking and Show your Work

Games in Education Short Talks: Jim Wallman, Liz Cable & Alex Moseley will kick off with a discussion of their experiences bringing learning to life through non-digital games in education and training.

Roundtable: A discussion around the opportunity for educators and game-designers to work together.

Networking and Show Your Work: everyone is welcome to show their games in education project, whether its finished, a work in progress, or just an idea…