Experiencing Trade and Exchange: Teaching Archaeological Concepts through Role-Playing Games

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Leveling Up: Gaming and Game Design in Archaeological Education and Outreach" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

When teaching about archaeological concepts on trade and exchange, typically, theoretical models dominate the classroom lecture and discussions. Traditional theoretical discussions limit explanations to biological, social, environmental, or religious reasons. Although lectures and discussions are useful, they limit student understanding of concepts related to trade and exchange. Interactive role-playing games in the classroom offer students a first-hand experience of the various aspects of decision-making and agency within trade and exchange that are not necessarily within the realm of traditional theoretical discussions. For instance, students might engage in trading with another group in retaliation to a third group. The interactive role-playing game allows students to reflect on their decisions while experiencing the emotional and empathetic side of trade and exchange.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Leveling Up: Gaming and Game Design in Archaeological Education and Outreach   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37771.0