Reacting to the Past: Teaching with Historical Role Playing Games

This workshop will introduce participants to Reacting to the Past. Reacting to the Past is a pedagogy that uses immersive roleplaying games to promote active learning and student engagement. In Reacting games, students play the roles of actors during pivotal events in history and they seek to achieve victory through formal speeches, informal debate, negotiations, protests, and conspiracy. Instructors have successfully used Reacting pedagogy to enhance student learning in many different disciplines, such as history, political science, philosophy, classics, religion, and literature.

This workshop will provide an overview of Reacting to the Past and guidance on how to incorporate it into the classroom. But the best way to understand Reacting is to experience it for yourself. To that end, participants will also take part in a brief historical simulation as part of the workshop.

To register and receive papers please contact Kim Girman kgirman@princeton.edu