Those Who Play, Emerge Together: Toward a Community-Building Framework Through Table-Top Role Playing

This qualitative dissertation explores the use of an original table-top role-playing game as a framework for community-building among independent community educators who lack a central geographic nexus. The study utilized an action research approach, involving the creation and development of the game in collaboration with participants for a period of many months, using an iterative, emergent design process that emphasized collaboration and feedback. The research sought to answer the following questions: 1) How can a table-top role-playing game establish and build community among independent community educators? 2) By engaging in an emergent design-informed table-top role-playing game, what kinds of community-building frameworks can be produced by independent community educators playing the game? The game, called "New School," was designed to facilitate communication and connection among educators working in a variety of communities, contexts, and geographic locations. Through a series of playtesting sessions and a reflective feedback loop, the researcher and participants identified key features of the game that supported community-building, including opportunities for storytelling, shared problem-solving, and connection with personal and professional experiences. The findings suggest that the game has potential to serve as a framework for community-building, promoting emergent collaboration and knowledge-sharing among participants. Implications for future research and practice in this area are discussed.