We’re Just Playing: The Influence of a Modified Tabletop Role-Playing Game on ELA Students’ In-Class Reading [peer-reviewed article]

Cook, M. P., Gremo, M., & Morgan, R. (2017). We’re Just Playing: The Influence of a Modified Tabletop Role-Playing Game on ELA Students’ In-Class Reading. Simulation & Gaming, 48(2), 199-218. 

An ELA teacher adapts the short story The Most Dangerous Game into a tabletop RPG and runs it as gamemaster for 36 middle schools students (classroom divided in 2 groups of 18, then divided in teams of 4-5). The system used is a simple adaptation of Pathfinder RPG. All material and video tutorials online here.

Students positively :
- Used informations from the story (plots and setting) to drive their decisions
- Played roles of characters
- Collaborated meaningfully and helpfully

Needs:
- Teacher has to be confortable and experienced as gamemaster
- Prior instructions on: how to engage with the game and the story + how to communicate and work in small groups