NASAGA - Games and Simulations

2007 Conference

Preconference Workshops (Wednesday, Oct 10)

The 2007 NASAGA Conference offers 3 preconference workshops on October 10th providing in-depth professional skills necessary to successfully implement games and simulations. Each workshop is conducted by a nationally recognized leader in the field.
Preconference Workshops will be held on Wednesday, October 10, beginning at 8:00 am and ending at 5:30 pm. All sessions will begin with a keynote address and breakfast. And all pre-conference attendees will receive a limited edition NASAGA magic tee-shirt (these are cool), and a networking opportunity will follow. Game design workshop attendees will receive a Game Design Certificate.
The preconference workshops are a great way to get up close and personal with top notch games and simulation designers. This year the workshops will highlight Dr. Sivasailam "Thiagi" Thiagarajan who is managing the Games Certification workshop, Bernie DeKoven for a games and magic workshop, and Yael Schy on the thinking Out of the Box. Creative Thinking workshop.

Thinking Out of the Box: Using Improvisation for Creative Group Decision-Making by Yael Schy

Workshop Description:

Do you ever feel stuck or like you’re in a rut in your training exercises? Do you find yourself doing “the same old things” over and over? Would you like to be able to break out of that mold and try something new? This interactive workshop will teach you techniques for helping training participants tap into their hidden creativity and create magic. Through innovative and fun improvisational theater and brainstorming exercises, you will learn how to:
• Discover creative ideas you didn’t know you had
• Gain energy from sharing ideas with a group
• Avoid judging your own or others’ ideas
• Identify your best and most “doable” ideas
• Plan implementation of your best ideas
• Use improvisation to help groups through the creative thinking process
Come with an open mind and be prepared to have fun! You will leave with new ideas and training tools, as well as a plan of action.

Getting to the Source by Bernie DeKoven

Workshop Description:

New games, kids games, drinking games, theater games as frameworks for building new simulations, for breaking ice, building community, and replenishing soul. And, oh yes, having fun.
Attendees will play some games from each area, explore how those games can be modified to produce different games (participants will work in small groups to test, develop and demonstrate their new games), and explore the kinds of learning inherent in each game.
The major objectives for participants is for them to build their repertoire of games and to feel competent enough to modify those games for specific training goals.

For more information on the Keynotes, please email Dave Matte.

For more information on NASAGA 2007, please call 404-966-2372 or email Deborah Thomas.