d&d EDUCATION

[Tarangil]

I'm currently using D&D as an educational tool for an 8 year old. It's pretty much run as any game would be, except any puzzles and traps are there to augment reading/writing and problem solving skills. Not to mention math, but that's a given.

I'm curious to know if anyone here has also used D&D with the same objective? And if so I'm looking to aquire more ideas that could help build more onto what I've started.

 

[RangerWickett]

That's a really intriguing idea. How do you do it? What sorts of puzzles?

I have a friend, he's got a masters in business administration, and he doesn't like to read. Maybe I could use something like this with him.

 

[wgreen]

Why on earth would you use D&D? Role-playing, sure...but D&D is a combat-oriented system, so if you want role-playing with puzzles and word-games, but without lots of fighting, well, there are much better solutions.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

You really think a kid is going to want to play a math or reading oriented game? No. I think d&d makes sense you're adapting a system thats meant to be fun not educational and making education a side effect.

 

[Tarangil]

That's a really intriguing idea. How do you do it? What sorts of puzzles?

I have a friend, he's got a masters in business administration, and he doesn't like to read. Maybe I could use something like this with him.

Well right now it's pretty basic. Since I'm trying it at a 3rd to 4th grade level I don't have to get overly complicated.

-The player gets to Keep a journal about his daily (or weekly) activities. This helps with writing and sentence structure, and of course it's a "magic Journal" so writing in it gives the PC more XP, based on what the quality and quantity of what is written. Essentially if the kid could pour out as much detail of the adventure in story format he could shoot up in levels and do the fun stuff quicker than bashing anything that moves.

-For historical purposes and problem solving, the PC is on a quest to translate something using the Rosetta Stone. In this case instead of discovering how Egyptian is to be read it's just a ficticious language (and letters) of the world we're in. The name of the Rosetta stone stays the same.

-I'm also going to be taking out a chessboard sooner or later, just to excercise logic and similar thought processes.

 

[Dr Awkward]

There's a group on Yahoo started by game designer Sam Chupp that discusses gaming with kids and using games to teach - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kids-rpg You should sign up and post this same message there to get some advice.

I'm also planning a section of my website devoted to this very same topic, but that's a little way down the road...

- DocAwk

 

[GnomeGames]

How you can use D&D for education

Don't ever underestimate how you can use D&D in the classroom. We've used the d20 system for several classrooms -

Firs remember that all characters have history. How did they get to be who they are? This makes for some great writing opportunities that you can expand upon as the play and class develops. To keep the administration happy remember as you write the lesson plans to identify the local and state benchmarks and standards that your class (not game) will include. Remember that you are not playing a game - you are teaching.

Some things we've seen the d20 system used for:

d20 Modern for an American Civil War historical unit - using detailed characters and NPC's exploring the underground railroad. Players had to create their characters using research, reading and comprehension skills based on factual accounts during the time period. We used the basic rules; skipped a lot of stufff to keep it simple and controlled the scenario very closely.

D&D - use the rule books as ideas for writing descriptive paragraphs and stories. Don;t get too wrapped up in the game mechanics - use the books as idea sources. Then have the kids create their own chracters and present them with challenges in groups - this forces them to cooperate, learn how to intereact together to overcome small objectives etc. Make sure you plan for writing excercises that hit the grade appropriate standards.

D&D statistics - not for the faint of heart. Use very specific situtations to determine the probability of the success of a battle based purely on statistics. You develop story problems that also challenge their reading comprehension. An alternative to this is the statistical research to test the outcome of their predictions using the dice.

D&D literature studies - where did the basic characters come from? Conan, Lord of the Rings, mythology? You can wrap entire units around the literary and historical sources of many of the critters and characters. This should include research skills, writing and comprehension skills all centered on state and local standards.

If you need some specific class ideas give me a call or email. I'm sure we can help.

Pat Fuge
Gnome Games
(920) 499-GAME
UW Green Bay Games in Education Lecturer

 

[Bloodstone Press]

Wow. I think its awesome that people are doing this with DnD.

i

 

[jtone]

These ideas are great. Now if I can just remember/implement them when my kids are old enough...

Pat, do you have a website showing how you did this?

 

[jasper]

One person I know of is using d&d will some changes to teach history in Finland.
One teacher I know used D&D rules for an Alamo recreation.