Session Descriptions

The year is 1772 and Royal Ambassadors, Archbishops, and members of the Crowd have gathered in Rome to decide the fate of the Roman Catholic Jesuit order. This game, Ban the Jesuits, is the first offering in a new series of single-session live-action roleplaying games (called Microgames) from the Reacting Consortium. Come play this game to understand how Reacting Microgames work and how they can be applied to multiple educational contexts.

Let's put your critical thinking to the test! Will you solve the crime in this digital escape room and escape with the understanding of the role that accessible content plays in online learning?

Bring your laptop to play the game in the session.

Join me for 'Leadership and Efficiency: A Lean Six Sigma Simulation,' a dynamic workshop designed for all professionals interested in enhancing operational efficiency through effective leadership. Engage in a strategic game that demystifies Lean Six Sigma principles, emphasizing the critical roles of leadership and teamwork.

Dig into the phenomenon that is Catan! Far from fading out, sales skyrocketed 144% in the first months of 2020, as quarantines kicked in. Learn the game (if you don’t know it), play the game (good for all ages), then dig into the design and messaging. We’ll use Jesse Schell’s Deck of Lenses to explore the impact of various rules and mechanics on fun, then investigate subtext and messaging through the lens of procedural rhetoric.

In this session, participants will play as members of a family experiencing the Black Death. Participants will manage resources and make moral decisions as they seek to survive in a world that seems unfair. Though its mechanics, this simulation will help illustrate how the Black Death was a biological, economic, and social event and will conclude with a discussion on how to balance historical accuracy, fairness, and student engagement.

Ever thought "That wasn't cool. Should I say something? Am I overreacting?" when you see or hear something in the workplace? In a meeting have you ever seen someone's ideas ignored, then co-opted by someone else? Those are opportunities step in as an ally. Allyship "is the act of using one’s power, position, or privilege to uplift others." In this session, participants will explore how to respond as allies in a variety of workplace situations.

In "Kingdoms of Equitopia," step into a world reshaped by a planetary shift, altering climate and power among factions. Through immersive role-play, you'll explore what it means to play "by the rules," when to break them, and how to strive for a “fair” playing field. Enhance empathy, dialogue, and systems thinking while challenging binary categories and reflecting on social structures. Be prepared for an emotionally engaging experience tackling complex power dynamics and equity.

Most networking events result in increased social anxiety and very few real, new connections.

It's time to eliminate the awkward insertions into in-progress conversations, engaging in useless small talk, or wandering the room searching for a friendly face.

The simple solution to better networking? Structured Play.

We all know how to play. It's inherent from childhood. But we don't do it in business nearly enough. In this workshop, explore how using Play in your networking events can catalyze genuine connections between strangers and build relationships that support growth.

Join this session for an overview of designing an escape room game that teaches students about misinformation. Developed by the University of Washington and adapted by the presenter for Le Moyne College's ERIE 21 Program for high school students, the game places participants as researchers investigating "Euphorigen," a new water additive. Uncover the truth in under an hour by playing the game. Then explore variations and engage in a debriefing session afterward.

Dive into the wild world of "Crash Pandas," where raccoons take on the streets of Los Angeles in a chaotic race. This interactive session explores collaboration and quick thinking as participants work together to navigate the racecourse. Through gameplay, you'll practice improvisation, learn the value of teamwork, and understand when to follow or break the rules for a fair playing field. Be ready for an emotionally engaging experience filled with unpredictable fun and essential learning moments.

Wondering what’s out there in the world of elementary-oriented STEM games? Come and enjoy a buffet of small science and math games from Art of Problem Solving (a.k.a. AoPS). These are bite-sized games, each designed with different goals and constraints, with different strengths and weaknesses. Most aim at specific content standards, but some were built just for the fun of puzzle-solving. Play a game, ponder what makes it tick, and talk it over with colleagues and designers from NASAGA and AoPS. Then play another game! And another!

Represent a country, navigate fluctuating markets, and strategize to maximize profits through the production and sale of geometric paper shapes. This engaging session offers a hands-on approach to understanding the complexities of international trade, economic strategies, and the impact of real-world market forces. Join me to transform theory into practice and gain deep insights into global economic competition.