The CUNY Games Network of the City University of New York is excited to announce The CUNY Games Conference 11.0 on January 23, 2025.

The CUNY Games Conference combines workshops, idea exchanges, interactive participant presentations, playtesting, and playing tabletop games into a one-day online event to promote and discuss game-based learning. The conference focuses on creative pedagogy, such as playful learning activities or games, that teachers can use in the classroom every day. The conference will be online and feature interactive presentations by attendees, informal idea exchange sessions, and workshops by the conference organizers.

We are calling all researchers, teachers, and graduate students who play or design games/playful interactive activities for your classes to participate or present! Our network emphasizes higher education, but those in K-12 are encouraged to participate. Both CUNY and non-CUNY participation is welcome. No commercial solicitation will be allowed.

Conference Registration

While the conference is free to attend, the Zoom link will only be sent out to registered individuals. Please register, even if you submitted an abstract.

Please use the following link to register for the conference:

https://forms.gle/EnEDdAoG4qYUyvo2A

Conference Logistics

Please read the following document in advance of the conference to avoid any technical hiccups:

https://tinyurl.com/w6335m99

Open Space

Throughout the conference, access our Open Space document and add resources, ideas, conference feedback, etc. You may type directly into the document or add comments on the side. We will refer to this document during the conference. You may want to bookmark it and/or keep it open in a separate tab on your device.

https://tinyurl.com/yezj9n2h

Full Schedule

All times are currently tentative.

10:00 – 11:00 AM: Opening “icebreaker” game and conference introduction, “Meeting with the Mentimeters App: An Idea exchange” (By Joe Bisz; also hosted by the CUNY Games Network team)

Starting Questions: 10 minus
Breakout Rooms: 20 mins
Whole Room Discussion: 20-30 mins

11:00 – 12:00 PM: Presentations:

Note: The moderator-organizer for each breakout will introduce each presentation and vocally interrupt with 5-minute warnings. The main room organizer will give a 1-minute time slot warning and “end” breakout rooms.

Breakout room 1 (Moderator: Carolyn)

(15 min talks + 5 min Q&A each)

1. Symmetry Cards: Play Cards and Learn Rosette Symmetry Groups (Audrey Nasar, The Fashion Institute of Technology)
2. Psychopup: A Death Planning Game (Hutnick, A., CUNY Graduate Center)
3. Gamification Strategies for Creating a Remote Multiplayer Classroom (Andrew Davies, Virginia Commonwealth University)

Breakout room 2  (Moderator: Grace)

(20 min talks + 10 min Q&A each)

1. Engaging Students through a Modified KISS, MARRY, KILL Game in Discussion Forums (Roberto Mariani and Emral Devany, Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY)
2. Access Granted!: A Project to Preserve Games in Libraries (Sandra M. Leonard, Hannah Katein, & Kody Knight, Kutztown University)

12:00 – 12:30 PM: Break

12:30 – 1:30 PM: Presentations:

Breakout room 1 (Moderator: Devorah)

(15 min talks + 5 min Q&A each)

1. How to Teach General Psychology using Board Games: A Classroom Study (Cui, L., & McWhirter, W., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)
2. Stories Decoded, Recoded & Encoded: Multisensorial Storytelling (Oduro, K , Independent)
3. A Quest for Research: A Journaling Role Playing Game (Deirdre Flood, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY)

Breakout room 2 (Moderator: Joe)

(15 min talks + 5 min Q&A each)

1.  Diamond Mountain pedagogic game (Liana Andreasen and Robin Andreasen, both at South Texas College, McAllen TX)
2. First-Day Improv: Risk-Taking and Experiential Learning through Game Design (Adams, H., Pratt Institute)
3. Introducing a Customized GPT for the ALLURE Game Design Method (Mondelli, V., University of Missouri, Kim K., University of Missouri, & tentatively Bisz, J., BMCC, CUNY)

1:30 – 2:30 PM: Presentations:

Breakout room 1 (Moderator: Christina)

(15 min talks + 5 min Q&A each)

1.  Playtocracy: A game to create games (Cabral, M. College of Staten Island)
2. Repurposing Video Games as Discussion Tools (Joshua Patterson, Mount Saint Mary College)
3. Making Music with Strangers in Public: Mechanics and Strategies of a Successful Open Jam (Dr. Tom Zlabinger, York College, CUNY)

Breakout room 2 (Moderator: Rob)

(20 min talks + 10 min Q&A each)

1. The Neural Correlates of Bodily Self-Consciousness in Virtual Worlds (Robert Duncan, York College & The Graduate Center, Evan Owens, The Graduate Center)
2. Gamification based on Traditional Children’s Games in Higher Education (Beatriz Albuquerque (U.T.A.D.; CI-ISCE/ISCE Douro; C.I.T.A.R.-U.C.P., Portugal)

2:30 – 3:00 PM: Wrap-Up (Moderator: Joe)

**All times listed are EST