Educational Uses of Role-Playing Games

         This is a collection of articles which relate to the use of RPGs in an educational context. In many ways, role-playing games are a natural fit to education. A number of role-playing supplements (particularly several in the GURPS series) seriously treat topics in history and science, which have passionate players. However, this aspect of games has been relatively neglected. Below I have collected a number of links related to education and RPGs.

RPG Realism & Education (Added July 1, 2003)

This is an essay I wrote on the topic of realism in RPG design, and how it relates to education.

Educational Roleplaying (Added May 8, 2008)

A discussion site devoted to use of role-playing in education, with links to a variety of resources.

GAMA's "Games & Education"

A series of brochures from GAMA (a non-profit international trade association of companies which produce games).

David Millian's "Gaming and Education" Newsletters

This was a series of newsletters edited by David Millians (an elementary school teacher in Georgia) which has 13 issues online, from 1993 to 1998.

The Roleplay Workshop

A "educational enrichment program in Oakland for children ages 10 to 18, using role-playing in a custom system and setting.

The Way

A series of three role-playing games which were developed within the Lutheran church in Sweden, which were intended for use in confirmation courses.

Reflections on Gaming With the Younger Generation

An essay by a high school math teacher, Mike Petty, who used various games in an educational context.

RPGs in the English as a Foreign Language Classroom

An essay by Brian David Phillips (Department of English, National Chengchi University). Brian has a number of other RPG, gaming, and education essays on his site as well:
Communications: EFL RPG
Language Learning Benefits of Role Playing Games
Methodology for Using RPGs in English Conversation Classes
Card Based Games in the Classroom
The Game Design Project: Student-Generated Flash Games in the Classroom
Use of Role-Play Simulations in Teaching
Problem Based Learning: within a traditional teaching environment
PhD Education: where left and right brains meet?

Academic Gaming Review

A small quarterly journal edited by Peter L. de Rosa which covers freeware educational simulations, articles on using classroom games, course materials, and website and game reviews.