IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/simgam/v47y2016i4p423-444.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Transformative Potential of Role-Playing Games—: From Play Skills to Human Skills

Author

Listed:
  • Stéphane Daniau

Abstract

Background . Several authors from different fields have already mentioned the educational potential of role-playing games (RPG) . As tabletop role-playing games (TRPG) present some similarities with small adult groups in learning and personal development situations, what about their transformative potential? Aim . The purpose of this article is to describe the tabletop role-playing game’s emerging context, a few of its specificities and functions, to show links with several education, play and game , and personal development theories, and to raise awareness about its transformative potential. Methods . Three complementary approaches were used: a literature review (academics and role-players), action-researches through a transformative role-playing game (“ TF-RPG †– a TRPG plus a debriefing), and data cross-analysis. Results . Participants are involved in the TF-RPG through four levels of reality, namely the character, player, person, and human being, which can be associated with four dimensions of learning: knowing, doing, being, and relating. The unveiling of links between the TF-RPG experience and their personal journey offers the participants various ways of learning and paths towards personal development. Conclusion . TRPGs are particularly effective to foster knowledge acquisition, develop role-play skills , strengthen team building , encourage collaborative creativity , and explore one’s personal development.

Suggested Citation

  • Stéphane Daniau, 2016. "The Transformative Potential of Role-Playing Games—: From Play Skills to Human Skills," Simulation & Gaming, , vol. 47(4), pages 423-444, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:simgam:v:47:y:2016:i:4:p:423-444
    DOI: 10.1177/1046878116650765
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1046878116650765
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/1046878116650765?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:simgam:v:47:y:2016:i:4:p:423-444. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.