Collaborative Storytelling in the ClassroomThe Use of Role-Playing Games for Education

Resumen

Traditional role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons, consist of a playful activity in which the players perform characters whose characteristics are previously set out on character sheets. The objectives of this research are (1) to identify the pedagogical benefits of the use of role-playing games in the classroom, illustrated with various experiences that have been put into practice and that confirm the pedagogical dimension of the activity and (2) to make a methodological proposal that offers solutions applicable in the classroom and that results in a guide to take the first steps in the application of role playing games in that context. It has been identified that the pedagogical benefits of the use of role-playing games in the classroom revolve around different dimensions, such as the development of soft skills, the application of the contents learned in a guided worldbuilding process and the possibility of playing with the curricular contents through a setting created specifically by the teacher. The conclusions of the methodological proposal show that, depending on the pedagogical axis being pursued, the challenges faced by the teacher are different. The aim of all this is to highlight the value of a playful activity which, although little known, can provide a series of important benefits for pupils with the appropriate adaptations to the classroom.