Course Calendar

Cultivating Transformational Communities

Course Calendar

Cultivating Transformational Communities: Course Schedule

All class sessions are compulsory and take place asynchronously on M W and F, with the exception of video meetings with your peers, which can take place at your convenience. If you are having trouble with scheduling sessions, please message us. All games must be playtested and feedback must be gathered for full credit.
All assignments are due the end class on the day assigned, i.e. Mondays at 11:59pm in your time zone. When possible, please post the night before to make sure your peers have time to read your posts.
If your country has a holiday on a due date, complete your work on the next work day.
Tasks in bold font are deliverables that will be graded either on a 0-2 point basis (Discussion Posts) or Complete/Incomplete basis (Journals and Written Assignments).
- Most tasks in bold font are deliverables that will be graded along the following scale:
  - Pass with Distinction (PwD – 100% – 75%)
  - Pass (Pass – 74% – 50%)
  - Fall (49% – 0%)
We have done our best to weight the time it will take to complete your homework each week, including the relative complexity of the materials. Some days you will have more videos, whereas others you will have more readings.
You must complete all discussion posts, including replies to your peers, for full credit.

Week 1 – Unit 1

Monday

Choosing Playtest Groups

Activities:

Choose a playtest group based on times available under groups. You can choose the same group as last time or join a different one. Please organize in groups of 4.
- Post an introduction to your small group.
- Organize a playtest session with your group.

Homework:

Read Bowman’s “Interactional Dynamics in Role-Playing Games” and Baird and Bowman’s “The Transformative Potential of Immersive Experiences Within Role-playing Communities.”

Wednesday

Community Building and Transformational Containers

Activities:

Complete Discussion 1: Community Building and Transformational Containers by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Watch Caro Murphy’s “Creating Transformative Communities” and Diana J. Leonard’s “Promoting Healthy Communities in Larp.”
Read Lizzie Stark’s “Building Larp Communities: Social Engineering for Good.” and Laura Wood’s “Why Larp Community Matters and How We Can Improve It.”

Friday

Leveling Up Role-playing Communities

Activities:

Complete Discussion 2: Leveling Up Role-playing Communities by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Watch Bowman’s “Safety in Role playing Games Part V: Cultivating Safer Communities.”
Read Kim’s “Writing an Autobiographical Game.”
If needed, review Bowman’s “Safety in Role playing Games Part I.”

Week 2 – Units 1 & 2

Monday – Units 1 & 2

Safety, Autobiographical Games, and You

Activities:

Complete Reflection Journal 1: Safety, Autobiographical Games, and You by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

In preparation for your first session, familiarize yourself with the “Crisis Management Workshop from Living Games 2016.” We recommend reading Page 7 carefully before the session for best practices.

Wednesday – Unit 2

Crisis Management Scenarios

Activities:

Complete Playtest 1: Crisis Management Scenarios by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Read Nilsen’s “High on Hell,” Pedersen’s “Tears and the New Norm,” Pedersen’s “Your Larp’s Only As Safe As Its Safety Culture,” and Bowman’s “A Matter of Trust: Larp and Consent Culture.”
- Content advisory for “High on Hell”: This article includes mentions and descriptions of addiction, incarceration, violence, sexualized violence, dehumanization, verbal and physical abuse, and indoctrination. Please contact your instructor if you need any alternative assignment.
Choose one (1) article to read from the from the Consent category.

Friday – Unit 2

Cultures of Hardcore, Consent, and Safety

Activities:

Complete Discussion 3: Cultures of Hardcore, Consent, and Safety by 11:59pm in your time zone.
Read Instructions for Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Homework:

Work on Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Week 3 – Units 2 & 3

Monday – Unit 2

Autobiographical Nano-game Brainstorming

Activities:

Work on Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Homework:

Choose three (3) items that you have not yet read for this course from three (3) of the following categories: Triggers, Activation, and Emotional Flooding; Bleed; Alibi; and Post-Game Emotional Reactions.
Work on Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Wednesday – Units 2 & 3

Emotional Intensity and Role-playing Games

Activities:

Complete Discussion 4: Emotional Intensity and Role-playing Game by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Read Torner’s “Just (the Institution of Computer) Game Studies.”
Choose one (1) item from different content creators (unless two are specified) to examine under the following categories for a total of two (2) items: Analog Role-playing Game Academics and Academia and Leisure Communities.
Work on Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Friday – Unit 3

Analog Role-playing Game Studies

Activities:

Complete Discussion 5: Analog Role-playing Game Studies by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Examine all sections of the Introduction to Conflict Transformation module.
Watch Diakolambrianou and Bowman’s “Groups: Processes, Dynamics, Facilitation and Creativity.”
Read Leonard and Arango’s “The Dynamic Life Cycle of Live Action Role-play Communities.”
Work on Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Week 4 – Units 3 & 4

Monday – Units 3 & 4

Group Work, Listening, and Feedback

Activities:

Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Complete Discussion A: Introduce Yourself and Connect by 11:59pm in your time zone.
Complete Discussion 6: Group Work, Listening, and Feedback by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Choose two (2) items to examine from the Activism and Democratic Participation section under Recommended Materials.
Work on Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Wednesday – Unit 4

Activism and Democratic Participation

Activities:

Complete Discussion 7: Activism and Democratic Participation by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Examine all sections from the Positions, Interests, Feelings, and Needs module.
Work on Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Friday – Unit 4

Positions, Interests, Feelings, and Needs

Activities:

Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Complete Discussion B: Positions, Interests, Feelings, and Needs by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Work on Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document.

Week 5 – Units 4 & 5

Monday – Units 4 & 5

Autobiographical Game Design Document

Activities:

Submit Major Assignment 1: Autobiographical Game Design Document by 11:59pm in your time zone.
Read Instructions for Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.
Schedule Playtest 2: Autobiographical Games.

Homework:

Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Examine all sections from the Worldview, Cognitive Dissonance, and Perception Checking module; and the Nonviolent Communication and “I” Statements module.
Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.

Wednesday – Unit 5

Worldview, Cognitive Dissonance, and Perception Checking; Nonviolent Communication and “I” Statements.

Activities:

Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Complete Discussion C: Worldview, Cognitive Dissonance, and Perception Checking by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Watch Ane Marie Anderson and Martin Nielsen’s “Pillars and Parasites.”
Read Rafael Boccamazzo’s “Lessons Learned from Both Sides of Games” and Teos Abadía’s “The Community Rises at the D&D Creator Summit.”

Content Advisory for Boccamazzo: Discussion of harassment, threats, and mental health challenges. Let the instructor know if you need an alternative assignment

Review Bowman’s “Social Conflict in Role-playing Communities: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.”
Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.

Friday – Unit 5

Community Toxicity, Dysfunction, and You

Activities:

Complete Reflection Journal 2: Community Toxicity, Dysfunction, and You by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Read Toft and Harrer’s “Design Bleed: A Standpoint Methodology for Game Design.”
Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Examine all sections in the Conflict Styles module.
Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.

Week 6 – Units 5 & 6

Monday – Unit 5

Conflict Styles

Activities:

Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Complete Discussion D: Conflict Styles by 11:59pm in your time zone,

Homework:

Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.
Read Williams, Kirschner, Mizer, and Deterding’s “12. Sociology and Role-playing Games.”

Wednesday – Unit 5

Autobiographical Games

Activities

Complete Playtest 2: Autobiographical Games.
Schedule Playtest 3: Autobiographical Games (if needed).

Homework:

Read Vanek’s “Behind the Larp Census: 29.751 Larpers Can’t (All) Be Wrong.”
Choose one (1) item to examine from the category Social Status and Appearance under Recommended Materials.
Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.

Friday – Units 5 & 6

Sociology, Status, and Appearance

Activities:

Complete Discussion 8: Sociology, Status, and Appearance by 11:59pm in your time zone.
If you volunteered, attend the 1st ROCKET Session, 9-11am CET. Zoom link TBD.
- If participating, you will do the reading for this day, but Discussion 8 is not mandatory.

Homework:

Choose two (2) items to examine from different content creators in the following categories under Recommended Materials for a total of four (4) articles: Race/Ethnicity and Gender/Sexuality.
Make an appointment at the Language Workshop if you need extra assistance with your writing.
Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.

Week 7 – Unit 6

Monday

Race/Ethnicity and Gender/Sexuality

Activities:

Complete Discussion 9: Race/Ethnicity and Gender/Sexuality by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.

Wednesday

Autobiographical Games and/or Writing Workshop

Activities:

Complete Playtest 3: Autobiographical Games (if needed).
Complete appointment with the Language Workshop (if needed).

Homework:

Watch Ford’s “Mind the Gap: Barriers to Larping for People from Backgrounds of Structural Poverty.”
Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Examine all sections of The ‘Isms and Conflict module.
Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.

Friday

The ‘Isms, Conflict, and You

Activities:

Log into the ROCKET Studium shell. Complete Reflection Journal A: The ‘Isms, Conflict, and You by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Read Axiel Cazeneuve’s “The Paradox of Inclusivity.”
Work on Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities.

Week 8 – Units 6 & 7

Monday – Unit 6

First Draft and Peer Review

Activities:

Submit First Draft of Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities by 11:59pm in your time zone.
Read Peer Review Instructions for Major Assignment 2.
Send First Complete Draft of Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities to your peers in your group by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Choose one (1) item to examine from different content creators in the following categories for a total of two (2) items: Accessibility and Neurodiversity.
Work on Peer Reviews for Major Assignment 2, sending your feedback as soon as its ready.
Revise Major Assignment 2 based on peer and instructor feedback when available.

Wednesday – Units 6 & 7

Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

Activities:

Complete Discussion 10: Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Read James Mendez Hodes’ “Representation Tier List.”
Review: Diana J. Leonard, Jovo Janjetovic, and Maximilian Usman’s “Playing to Experience Marginalization: Benefits and Drawbacks of ‘Dark Tourism’ in Larp.”
Work on Peer Reviews for Major Assignment 2, sending your feedback as soon as its ready.
Revise Major Assignment 2 based on peer and instructor feedback when available.

Friday – Unit 7

Cultural Consulting and You

Activities:

Complete Reflection Journal 3: Cultural Consulting and You by 11:59pm in your time zone.
If you volunteered, attend the 2nd ROCKET Session, 9-11am CET. Zoom link TBD.
- If participating, you will do the reading for this day, but Reflection Journal 3 is not mandatory.

Homework:

Choose one (1) item to examine from different content creators from the following three (3) categories for a total of three (3) items: Safety Teams, Anti-Harassment Movements, and Organizer Safety.
Work on Peer Reviews for Major Assignment 2, sending your feedback as soon as its ready.
Revise Major Assignment 2 based on peer and instructor feedback when available.

Week 9 – Units 7, 8 & 9

Monday – Units 7 & 8

Safety Teams, Anti-Harassment Movements, and Organizer Safety

Activities:

Complete Discussion 11: Safety Teams, Anti-Harassment Movements, and Organizer Safety by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Read the Living Games Conference 2018’s “Code of Conduct and Guidelines for Encouraged Behavior” and “Internal Procedures.”
Work on Peer Reviews for Major Assignment 2, sending your feedback as soon as its ready.
Revise Major Assignment 2 based on peer and instructor feedback when available.

Wednesday – Unit 8

Codes of Conduct, Encouraged Behavior, and Internal Procedures

Activities:

Complete Reflection Journal 4: Codes of Conduct, Encouraged Behavior, and Internal Procedures by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Choose one (1) item to examine under Cultures of Care.
Watch John Stavropoulos’ “Innovating for Growth: Designing a Culture of Safety in Games.
Revise Major Assignment 2 based on peer and instructor feedback when available.

Friday – Units 8 & 9

Safer Community Container Setting and You

Activities:

Complete Reflection Journal 5: Safer Community Container Setting and You by 11:59pm in your time zone.
Complete Peer Reviews of Major Assignment 2 if you have not done so already.
If you volunteered, attend the 3rd ROCKET Session, 9-11am CET. Zoom link TBD.
- If participating, you will do the reading for this day, but Reflection Journal 5 is not mandatory.

Homework:

Choose one (1) item to examine from three (3) of the following cultures for a total of three (3) items: Russia and Belarus; Spain; Greece; North America; Switzerland and France; Singapore; the Arab World; and China.
Revise Major Assignment 2 based on peer and instructor feedback when available.

Week 10 – Units 9 & 10

Monday – Unit 9

RPG Communities Around the World

Activities:

Complete Discussion 12: RPG Communities Around the World by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Choose one (1) podcast from the Backstory Podcast from the Recommended Materials list to examine.
Revise Major Assignment 2 based on peer and instructor feedback when available.

Wednesday – Units 9 & 10

Backstory Bonus Round

Activities:

Complete Discussion 13: Backstory Bonus Round by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Homework:

Revise Major Assignment 2 based on peer and instructor feedback when available.

Friday – Unit 10

Transformational Communities and You

Activities:

Complete Reflection Journal 6: Transformational Communities and You.
Submit Final Draft of Major Assignment 2: Cultivating Transformational Communities by 11:59pm in your time zone.

Course schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor(s). Please note that schedule changes may occur during the semester.