D&D's nagetive & positive asspects! [Archive] - Wizards Community

D&D's nagetive & positive asspects! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Jack_SSW
10-04-04, 02:27 PM Hello, I'm a fellow D&D player and newbie DM, and I'm also doing a research project at my school that, it's self-chosen, talks about the nagetive( :( ) and positive( :) ) effects on players of D&D(and any other popular fantasy board games[RPG] you can think of). and since this question will hopefully help the cause of D&D, though it might not, I figured you might be able to put in your perspectives!

Example: does D&D improves mathematics and in what way?

Even if you can tell me were I could find some info on this I would be most apprecient! Thanks!

~Jack_SSW
Jack_SSW
10-04-04, 02:30 PM Reply please! :D

I feel a little pethetic replying to my own thread this early... :rolleyes:
Bacon and Eggs
10-04-04, 02:32 PM One place to start...

1001 things you learned from D&D (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=262725)

... and the other

What is the Educational Value for D&D? (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=123597)
Mister Mayhem
10-04-04, 02:42 PM Also, Scott Kurtz of pvponline.com has a very nice article in his rants section:

5 Reasons Your Kids Should Play Dungeons and Dragons. (http://www.pvponline.com/rants_dd.php3)
WWAD
10-05-04, 12:02 AM It completely depends on the game and game master. Some games are just numbers crunching. Others delve into mystery. Still others pull from a variety of historical and natural settings. The more mature (not always older) you get with D&D, the more you can get from it. Which is why some people who pick it up in 8th grade are still playing in their 40's (it's only been around since the 70's but I predict they will be playing for many more years to come).

So, the game can span generations and possibly even bridge generation gaps. Why can't a family with kids, parents, and grandparents all play D&D together? Each session can hold a mini history lesson, a science lesson, and a few math problems. Then, each player has to write out the experience from their character's point of view.

It all depends on the structure. The more parents (those kids who started playing in the 70's) who get their kids involved and use it as a teaching tool, the more kids will learn from it. When it's just kids playing, their minds don't expand nearly as much. The only way to try and bring the adult structure to the kids' game is to publish adventure modules that focus on educational aspects of the game--a portion of WotC's development that is sorely missing.

So, I think your report will probably find that D&D's educational value rests in its potential--that while strong, will ultimately be determined by the publishers and the parents and teachers of those who play it. Publishers can do their part by designing an adventure that has a teacher's lesson plan book with it. The DM (could be the teacher or one of the students) runs the adventure for the players. They all participate in the learning experiences that are woven throughout the game with word problems, puzzles, science experiments, and creative writing. The teacher guides the activities during and after the game to create more learning opportunities.

For instance, the group has a ring of shocking grasp, some water, rope, and a large canvas bag. They are at the bottom of a pit and need to pull a lever up that is well beyond the reach of any of the party members, how will they do it? One possibly solution is to put the ring in the water and place the bag over it, over time, the electrical current will separate the hydrogen and oxygen molecules and produce enough hydrogen gas to inflate the balloon (bag that when slightly wet becomes airtight). They lasso the lever and put the other end on their balloon, when they let go of the balloon they hope it moves the lever. One of the party members doesn't think the idea will work, so, it's off to the lab where they test the theory out!

Does your group play like that? Probably not. Maybe because no one knows the effects of electrical current on water, but mainly because, you can't learn anything in a vaccuum. There has to be real content that can be studied by the players. As I stated earlier, to date, that material isn't being published, so D&D's real potential as a teaching tool has yet to be displayed on a large scale. Hopefully, a d20 publishing group will see this window of opportunity and start making adventures geared toward the middle and high school "teaching RPG" groups. As I see it, the groups can be clubs that meet after school like "brain bowl" or "math league" groups do. Only these groups play D&D and explore a wide variety of topics and work together to solve problems rather than compete against one another--again, something D&D can offer that other outlets do not.
Mister Mayhem
10-05-04, 02:51 AM Roleplaying games have also been used as a very useful tool to aid the learning of a foreign language.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jack_SSW 10-04-04, 02:27 PM	Hello, I'm a fellow D&D player and newbie DM, and I'm also doing a research project at my school that, it's self-chosen, talks about the nagetive( :( ) and positive( :) ) effects on players of D&D(and any other popular fantasy board games[RPG] you can think of). and since this question will hopefully help the cause of D&D, though it might not, I figured you might be able to put in your perspectives! Example: does D&D improves mathematics and in what way? Even if you can tell me were I could find some info on this I would be most apprecient! Thanks! ~Jack_SSW
Jack_SSW 10-04-04, 02:30 PM	Reply please! :D I feel a little pethetic replying to my own thread this early... :rolleyes:
Bacon and Eggs 10-04-04, 02:32 PM	One place to start... 1001 things you learned from D&D (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=262725) ... and the other What is the Educational Value for D&D? (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=123597)
Mister Mayhem 10-04-04, 02:42 PM	Also, Scott Kurtz of pvponline.com has a very nice article in his rants section: 5 Reasons Your Kids Should Play Dungeons and Dragons. (http://www.pvponline.com/rants_dd.php3)
WWAD 10-05-04, 12:02 AM	It completely depends on the game and game master. Some games are just numbers crunching. Others delve into mystery. Still others pull from a variety of historical and natural settings. The more mature (not always older) you get with D&D, the more you can get from it. Which is why some people who pick it up in 8th grade are still playing in their 40's (it's only been around since the 70's but I predict they will be playing for many more years to come). So, the game can span generations and possibly even bridge generation gaps. Why can't a family with kids, parents, and grandparents all play D&D together? Each session can hold a mini history lesson, a science lesson, and a few math problems. Then, each player has to write out the experience from their character's point of view. It all depends on the structure. The more parents (those kids who started playing in the 70's) who get their kids involved and use it as a teaching tool, the more kids will learn from it. When it's just kids playing, their minds don't expand nearly as much. The only way to try and bring the adult structure to the kids' game is to publish adventure modules that focus on educational aspects of the game--a portion of WotC's development that is sorely missing. So, I think your report will probably find that D&D's educational value rests in its potential--that while strong, will ultimately be determined by the publishers and the parents and teachers of those who play it. Publishers can do their part by designing an adventure that has a teacher's lesson plan book with it. The DM (could be the teacher or one of the students) runs the adventure for the players. They all participate in the learning experiences that are woven throughout the game with word problems, puzzles, science experiments, and creative writing. The teacher guides the activities during and after the game to create more learning opportunities. For instance, the group has a ring of shocking grasp, some water, rope, and a large canvas bag. They are at the bottom of a pit and need to pull a lever up that is well beyond the reach of any of the party members, how will they do it? One possibly solution is to put the ring in the water and place the bag over it, over time, the electrical current will separate the hydrogen and oxygen molecules and produce enough hydrogen gas to inflate the balloon (bag that when slightly wet becomes airtight). They lasso the lever and put the other end on their balloon, when they let go of the balloon they hope it moves the lever. One of the party members doesn't think the idea will work, so, it's off to the lab where they test the theory out! Does your group play like that? Probably not. Maybe because no one knows the effects of electrical current on water, but mainly because, you can't learn anything in a vaccuum. There has to be real content that can be studied by the players. As I stated earlier, to date, that material isn't being published, so D&D's real potential as a teaching tool has yet to be displayed on a large scale. Hopefully, a d20 publishing group will see this window of opportunity and start making adventures geared toward the middle and high school "teaching RPG" groups. As I see it, the groups can be clubs that meet after school like "brain bowl" or "math league" groups do. Only these groups play D&D and explore a wide variety of topics and work together to solve problems rather than compete against one another--again, something D&D can offer that other outlets do not.
Mister Mayhem 10-05-04, 02:51 AM	Roleplaying games have also been used as a very useful tool to aid the learning of a foreign language.