Cultures of Play: Teaching Humanities with Games

TitleCultures of Play: Teaching Humanities with Games
Purchase / Wish List
Google
Game CodeTRD26ND305216
Start DateWednesday July 29, 2026 - 4:00 pm
End DateWednesday July 29, 2026 - 5:00 pm
Cost$0
Tickets Available40/40
Short DescriptionStudents in my humanities course learned ancient and modern games, played them in class, and made their own games. Attendees are invited to express their cultures of play in this interactive session.
Long DescriptionIn adapting the Introduction to Humanities survey to games-based pedagogy, I wanted to explore the idea that how we play defines who we are and what we value, and vice versa. In planning, I spent an MLA Humanities Innovation Grant to buy teaching copies of ancient and modern games from Mancala to The Quiet Year, with an eye out for games learnable within a class period without prior knowledge. For coursework, students wrote personal biographies of play, read brief histories and theories including Sutton-Smith’s seven rhetorics, played games every week, designed games mechanics (for movement, competition, interactivity, storytelling, and cooperation), and play-tested their games during finals week. The Hungry Hungry Hippos tournament was by far the most popular with my first round of students. I invite you to review the course with me and relive some of its fun.
Event TypeTRD - Trade Day Events
Game System
Rules Edition
Group/Company
Minimum Players4
Maximum Players40
Age RequiredEveryone (6+)
Experience RequiredNone (You've never played before - rules will be taught)
LocationJW
RoomWhite River Ballroom J
Table
GM NamesTim Bryant
Web Addressenglish.buffalostate.edu/directory/timothy-j-bryant
Email Contact[email protected]
Tournament0