Student Research Guide SPQ25/ Tabletop Role Playing Games and Education

Transforming learning through digital Tabletop Role-Playing Games

 This is a student created research guide for English 102 & Library 201 Learning community. This guide was completed in conjunction with a research paper on the same topic for English 102.

The purpose of this guide is to explore how integrating technology into tabletop role-playing games can transform them into effective educational tools that enhance critical thinking, collaboration, and student engagement. By bending narrative gameplay with digital platforms, educators can create immersive learning experiences that traditional methods often fail to provide.

The research thesis of this guide is to explore how integrating technology into Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs) can transform them into dynamic educational tools. These tech-enhanced games foster critical thinking, promote meaningful collaboration, and boost student engagement through immersive, interactive learning experiences. As traditional methods often struggle to capture student interest, digital TTRPGs offer a compelling alternative that aligns with 21st-century goals. 

The research questions addresses in this guide are:

1. How do tabletop role-playing games promote critical thinking in educational settings?
2. In what ways does integrating technology into TTRPGs enhance their educational value?
3. What challenges or criticisms exist around using TTRPGs in education, and can they be addressed?

     This paper explores how technology-enhanced tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) can serve as effective educational tools by promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and student engagement. The reason for writing this paper stems from a growing interest in how games, particularly narrative-based and collaborative ones like Dungeons & Dragons, are being used in classrooms to meet 21st-century learning goals. As traditional methods often struggle to maintain student interest or adapt to diverse learning styles, TTRPGs offer a promising alternative. This research includes a review of scholarly articles, case studies, and educator testimonies that examine the use of TTRPGs in both physical and digital classrooms. Sources include peer-reviewed journals on game-based learning, studies focused on social-emotional development, and reports on student literacy and engagement. 

     The result of the research show that TTRPGs, when supported by technology, help students develop high-level thinking skills, improve communication and teamwork, and stay motivated in ways that traditional lectures often do not. The implications of this research suggest that TTRPGs should not be overlooked as a niche or informal learning tool. Instead, they have strong potential to be incorporated into mainstream education when paired with thoughtful planning and appropriate technology. By making learning more engaging, collaborative, and student-driven, TTRPGs represent a unique opportunity to rethink how education can be delivered in a modern, digital world.

Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), such as Dungeons & Dragons, have been around since the 1970s. Originally designed as collaborative storytelling games for entertainment, TTRPGs have evolved into tools that educators now use to support learning outcomes across multiple disciplines. These games involve players taking on fictional roles, working as a team, and solving complex challenges using logic, creativity, and communication. With the rise of digital platforms like Roll20 and Foundry VTT, educators are increasingly blending TTRPGs with technology to create immersive, student-driven learning experiences. Key stakeholders in this topic include teachers, educational technologists, curriculum developers, and students. The use of TTRPGs in the classroom is gaining global attention, especially in the U.S. and U.K., where studies are being conducted to measure their impact on student engagement, social-emotional learning, and academic performance.

The video below supports the argument that immersive, interactive experiences like TTRPGs can enhance education by making learning more engaging and meaningful. Alexander's emphasis on narrative, participation, and emotional investment mirrors the strengths of TTRPGs in developing critical thinking, collaboration, and deeper understanding in academic settings.

Alexander, Kris. “How Video Games Can Level up the Way You Learn.” TED         Talks, www.ted.com/talks/kris_alexander_how_video_games_can_level_up_the_way_you_learn?     utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare.