Collaborative Storytelling: Composition Pedagogy and Communal Benefits of Narrative Innovation

<p>Can gaming be considered narrative? Should gaming be allowed in a pedagogical space? Tabletop roleplaying games are probably not the first thing that come to mind when thinking about how to innovate narrative structure and teaching composition. Often considered a nerdy pastime, participants ridiculed for playing pretend and caring about imaginary characters, TTRPGs have nonetheless entered a sort of renaissance in recent years. While video games have slowly become more incorporated into pedagogy by teaching students more abstract concepts of interactivity with narrative, audience, and player engagement, TTRPGs have been slower on the draw. But incorporating the highly interactive and freeform narrative structure into composition curriculum is far from impossible. In addition to helping students break out of their comfort zones, TTRPG-like assignments can help build community and strengthen communication skills, allow students to explore ownership and leadership in group work, and teach real-time improvisation and problem-solving techniques. TTRPGs are a vastly underestimated and underutilized form of narrative structure and innovation, and deserve consideration as a valid form of composition and pedagogy for practical and theoretical applications.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Year

2021

Author dc:creator

• Atamdede, Aysel

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ian Barnard
• Morgan Read-Davidson
• Jan Osborn

• composition
• pedagogy
• collaboration
• narrative
• tabletop
• gaming
• Other English Language and Literature

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/english_theses/33

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.chapman.edu:english_theses-1035