Games & tech for education and social change
About news
I’m looking forward to speaking at the Games for Change Asia-Pacific Festival in Melbourne on the 4th of October! Together with Samuel Whiting we’ll be speaking about our game vignette LifeResounding designed to raise awareness of growing up neurodivergent in a world created for neurotypical people.
We would love to see you there! You can learn more about Games for Change Asia Pacific and see the schedule here: https://g4capac.org/festival-2024/
Recently I got to speak to Will Venn about the use of gamification, or the use of game-like elements in spaces other than games to engage people in activities such as fitness. Alongside some other specialists in areas such as health, I got to talk to Will about the difference between game design and gamification.
I got to talk about the very cool Zombies, Run! game, and how it, and Pokemon Go! Addressed the Covid pandemic by adapting their game design to align with lockdown requirements. I also got to speak about the way in which engaging players through a storyline or a narrative can help modify an individual’s perception of physical activity – actually making our brains feel as though the exercise doesn’t involve as much exertion!
You can read the article here: https://www.unisa.edu.au/connect/enterprise-magazine/articles/2024/like-to-run-or-running-for-likes-how-the-gamification-of-fitness-apps-motivates-movement/
Last week I was lucky enough to speak with Emma Wotzke from The Wire about the benefits of TTRPGs for social and emotional wellbeing. This year is the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons and it’s really great to see the popularity of the game and TTRPGs in general so high in 2024!
We chatted about the use of TTRPGs for social growth and the research in this space. I also got to talk about how TTRPGs can work towards bridging the “double empathy problem”, allowing neurodivergent and neurotypical people to promote social growth and strengthen cross neurotype communication! Emma also spoke to Michael Keady who is a counsellor using D&D in their work.
You can listen to the full story here: https://www.thewire.org.au/story/beyond-the-tabletop-can-d-and-d-support-social-and-emotional-wellbeing/
Last week the UniSA Unstoppable Awards were held in Adelaide/Tarntanya on Kaurna Country. The scheme recognises and celebrates the accomplishments of UniSA academic and professional staff across the UniSA units and campuses, and encompasses the Research and Enterprise Awards, the Teaching and Learning Awards and the Enterprising Staff Awards.
I am so proud to announce that I was announced as the winner of two awards – the Unstoppable Mid-Career Teaching Award, and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award. I am privileged to be able to share my thoughts and ideas in this space with my colleagues, and I really loved hearing about the wonderful work of the other nominees – I hope we can get together in the future and further share our ideas!
Below is the lovely write up about me that was shared as a part of the acknowledgement by our Executive Dean. It was so lovely to hear such kind words from my colleagues:
Susannah was awarded the Unstoppable Mid-Career Teaching Award for her outstanding work promoting inclusivity in games design course content, applying Universal Design for Learning principles to course and assessment design so that students are able to select a variety of formats for their assignments that best suit their learning needs, and which provide differentiated assessment opportunities to address assignment criteria in ways that are accessible to each student. Susannah’s work is interdisciplinary, student focused and an innovative exemplar of UniSA’s core teaching and learning mission.
In the Enterprising Staff Awards, Susannah was also awarded the Unstoppable Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award for outstanding work in increasing and promoting diversity in the games industry, in particular her work in supporting students to build social connections via initiatives such as facilitating regular ‘games nights’, the creation of a ‘safe place’ that is used by students across all year levels of the Games Design & Production courses (which currently has over 100 members), and maintaining and managing social channels where students from the Games Design & Production Major can connect with peers and staff in an informal manner.
I was super privileged to be part of a panel discussion at PAX last week, on the benefits of Tabletop RPGs for social growth alongside some other amazing panelists and wonderful people!
Panelists were:
-Dwayne Fernandes – Ambassador of Engagement, Minds at Play (He/Him)
-Ian Bennett – Senior Adventure Guide, Dice 4 Diversity Gaming (He/Him)
-Daniel Machuca – Dan the GM, Teacher, Podcaster, Game Developer (He/Him)
-Dr. Susannah Emery from UniSA (University of South Australia) (She/They)
During the panel I got to speak about the white paper that I recently wrote with my colleague Dr Michele Jarldorn and the support of Minds at Play! It was a great panel and an awesome experience! If you’re interested in this area you can read the white paper here: https://mindsatplay.com.au/2023/05/14/how-can-tabletop-roleplaying-games-ttrpgs-promote-social-growth-in-their-players/
Recently I chatted to ABC Riverland about the role of Dungeons & Dragons to promote social growth in those who are neurodivergent (ND) and those who are neurotypical (NT). Our research suggests that playing TTRPGs like D&D can help both ND and NT individuals grow socially as they learn to more deeply understand how our different brains work through playing the game.
It was lovely to hear about the great work that Jay Green is doing in the Riverland to promote and run D&D sessions that are inclusive and engaging!
You can read an ABC News article about the story here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-30/dungeons-and-dragons-riverland-neurodiverse-kids-connect/102672520
This week I was lucky enough to chat with Hayden Cornes at WIN News in Hobart about Dungeons & Dragons for Social Growth. I commented on the very cool social D&D sessions ran by Knights of the Shed in Hobart. These sessions are run online and in person in Hobart and promote social growth in their players – very cool!
Recently, I chatted with Shona Hendley from The Sydney Morning Herald about The Play and Pause project and mothers who game.
You can read the article here: https://www.smh.com.au/technology/video-games/i-can-connect-with-my-kids-the-mums-who-take-time-out-to-game-20230202-p5chdu.html
Oh what a hard topic this was! The Conversation asked me to recommend some of my favourite Australian games to play this summer and I had to narrow it down to 5!
Whilst there are so many amazing Australian games to choose from, I ended up recommending Florence, Fruit Ninja VR2, Crossy Road, Untitled Goose Game and the upcoming Rooftop Renegade!
On the last Cafe Booleans podcast for 2021, Kosta, Alex, John and I shared our table with a couple of extra guests Patrick Webb & Dr Damien Rompapas who stopped by for a chat.
We chatted about the Adelaide community’s game jam stories, Japan opening its first e-sports high school, video game industry statistics for 2021, developers remaking Kojima’s PT for the Oculus Quest, IGDA’s new guidelines for creating inclusive games, our predictions and hopes for 2022, and so much more!
Cafe Booleans are:
Alex Ferrabetta – @LowPolyPizza
Kosta Canatselis – @kostacana
Susannah Emery – @susannahkemery
John Oestmann – @john_oestmann
Articles:
– Japan to Open Its First Esports High School in Shibuya in April
– Video Game Industry Statistics 2021
– Play Kojima’s PT with Oculus Quest
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