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Playing to Create: Video Games and Creativity

20 Mar 2021
2:30 - 4:00 pm.
Virtual Conference
Csaba Osvath
Erica Newport, PhD

Playing to Create: Video Games and Creativity

This presentation reveals the potentials of video games in the context of creativity. I will feature a curated list of video games designed to teach concrete and relevant creativity-related skills (e.g. drawing, playing a musical instrument, world-building, running an art gallery). Playing certain types of video games also foster complex creative and critical problem-solving skills. Game designers through level design and game mechanics scaffold the players learning and progression, thus creating a learning environment where the gamer learns creative problem-solving skills through play and without the need of a teacher or instructor. Through this presentation, I share how video games and specific game genres address creativity and how game designers inspire gamers to progress through levels and complete each challenge in order to reach the end of the game and learn new skills. During this workshop, I share a curated collection of games I have been engaged with in the past few years revealing my own personal experiences of how playing these games impacts and shapes my creativity.

What:
What 3 things might your participants learn or experience as a result of your workshop?

  • You will learn how video games “teach” critical and creative thinking and problem-solving.
  • You will be introduced to a variety of video games, and together we explore and reflect on how these games can be used in creative domains, and how these games can impact and enhance your everyday creativity and problem-solving.
  • You will gain a new appreciation for video games and their creative potential.

So What:
What might be 3 ways that the content of your workshop changes your attendees’ perceptions, habits, ways of working, or view of the world?

  • You will gain a new critical lens regarding video games and gamers and see video games in a new light especially when it comes to creativity.
  • You will have a collection of creativity-relevant games that you can use in the service of your creative endeavors.
  • You will integrate video games and play into your creative practice in service of your creativity.

Now What:
What are 3 ways your attendees might apply what they learn in your workshop?

  • You will be able to apply strategies, skills, perspectives, etc., from a gaming experience to address a real-life (existential or creative) problem.
  • Your quality of life may improve due to the benefits of mindful play.
  • You will be able to use gaming to overcome creative blocks and barriers.

Example of Bio #1: Marcia Berkey

Marcia after many years of teaching at traditional universities and corporate training, now teaches full time online in the IT department for South University. She has a wonderful time living and learning and applying the many concepts learned from everywhere. She has presented a variety of e-Creativity sessions for both education and business. Marcia also consults on Word, PowerPoint, Access databases, and Excel spreadsheets.

Example of Bio #2: Jane Goldwasser

Jane Goldwasser is President of New Directions Consulting, Inc. a qualitative research company specializing in new product development. In her spare time, she is on the Board of Directors of a newly re-aligned Girl Scout Council and chairs both their Fund Development and Board Development committees. She is a CPSI alum who, having completed the Integrating Creative Leadership program, has put it to work in leading both PACE sessions and in working with CPSI Youthwise™.

Example of Bio #3: Art Emrich

Art is certified as a Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP and Hypnosis by the 4 major hypnosis organizations in the US. His practice includes (a) medical referral clients who experience distress not relieved by traditional treatment, (b) the mental game of sports success (such as tennis, golf, and baseball), (c) academic excellence for peak performance in study and testing, and (d) enabling creative solutions for the challenges of life. Art is the HEAD Coach and Founder of U-Solutions LLC in Sarasota (the “U” stands for unconscious, where the most creative solutions reside).

 

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Example of Workshop Description #1: Christine Alexander

Join Chris for a day of exploration through improvisation and theater games…no acting experience required! In this safe, small group setting, you will have opportunities to be both on the stage and in the audience. Through the experiences, discussion, and your reflections, you will find new insights into communication, relationships, and yourself. This is a wonderful opportunity to allow your inner voices to speak to you and to discover the possibilities that come from living in the NOW.

Example of Workshop Description #2: Jane Goldwasser

This is a workshop for people who have dreamed of starting a business, solving one of society’s great problems, or pursuing any dream that has remained elusive for years. Often the biggest challenge to undertaking an audacious, wonderful goal is leaving the security of the known to go out into uncharted territory. If you have such a dream, join Jane Goldwasser for a day-long opportunity to translate this wish into a detailed plan for action. Use Jane’s D.A.R.E. model – D. (Decide), A. (Analyze), R. (Reality Check), E. (Execute).

Example of Workshop Description #3: Ann Bracken

Do you find yourself saying you don’t have enough time? You can’t squeeze in enough space for fun or creativity? What if you could make time expand or contract at will? In this workshop, based on the book Creating Time by Marney Makridakis, you will use journaling to kick-start your ideas and create an art-inspired time-tool to help you flip your day so that you and time can become partners in your creative work.

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Example of Learning Outcomes #1: Christine Alexander

  1. Participate in a variety of Improv exercises and theater games
  2. Take time to reflect and discus experiences and insights
  3. Identify strategies to improve communication
  4. Make connections between ‘play-acting’ and one’s real world POSSIBLE

Example of Learning Outcomes #2: Jane Goldwasser

  1. Translate a dream into a major goal
  2. Develop a plan to realize this goal
  3. Learn to move beyond stumbling blocks

Example of Learning Outcomes #3: Ann Bracken

  1. Identify and describe your relationship to time for creative pursuits
  2. Use a series of structured journaling and visual-arts prompts to identify problems and brainstorm solutions
  3. Pair-share solutions
  4. Create an arts-based clock-face reflect new relationship to time
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Example of Possible Applications #1: Christine Alexander

  1. Add new improv exercises and theater games to teaching, group facilitation or training
  2. Build on the insights gained in the workshop through continued reflection
  3. Discover a passion for the stage and become involved in community theater or beyond

Example of Possible Applications #2: Jane Goldwasser

  1. Implement the plan for action and achieve a major goal
  2. Apply the D.A.R.E. planning tools to other goals

Example of Possible Applications #3: Ann Bracken

  1. Make effective use of reconfiguring time to accomplish important tasks (prof/self)
  2. Use art as a means of goal-setting and track progress in achieving goals (self/prof)
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Example of Possible Applications #1: Christine Alexander

  1. Add new improv exercises and theater games to teaching, group facilitation or training
  2. Build on the insights gained in the workshop through continued reflection
  3. Discover a passion for the stage and become involved in community theater or beyond

Example of Possible Applications #2: Jane Goldwasser

  1. Implement the plan for action and achieve a major goal
  2. Apply the D.A.R.E. planning tools to other goals

Example of Possible Applications #3: Ann Bracken

  1. Make effective use of reconfiguring time to accomplish important tasks (prof/self)
  2. Use art as a means of goal-setting and track progress in achieving goals (self/prof)
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