Description
Book SynopsisGames enable children to practice emotions in spaces that are free from actualized consequences. With thoughtful guidance, games can help children manage emotions, perspective-take, demonstrate empathic concern, and exhibit prosocial behaviors.
Emerging research suggests that these competenciesalso known as social and emotional learning (SEL) skillsare, in fact, teachable. In Gaming SEL: Games as Transformational to Social and Emotional Learning, Matthew Farber investigates the rich opportunities games have in supporting SEL skill development. Experts from the fields of education, game development, and SELincluding folks from CASEL, the Fred Rogers Center, Greater Good in Education, iThrive Games, Minecraft Education, and UNESCO MGIEPshare advice.
Games themselves cannot be responsible for children's learning. Having a supportive educator or caregiver guiding experiences can be crucial. This book also includes recommendations for embedding games in classrooms in
Trade Review
“Gaming SEL takes us into a fascinating and resourceful journey exploring the development of social and emotional skills (more specifically in children) and the ways in which games can support social and emotional learning (SEL). Matthew Farber summarizes the results of empirical research and gathers the expertise of dozens of academics, researchers, educators, and game designers to digest it all in a very approachable way for the reader. Using a multitude of examples from board games to video games, he also offers a compelling guide for harnessing the emotional and engaging power of games for SEL. This book is a must-read for teachers, parents, and anyone interested in understanding why and how games can foster a growth mindset, allow us to experiment with emotions and interpersonal relationships safely, and support our overall emotional well-being.”—Celia Hodent, PhD in psychology, game UX consultant; author of The Gamer’s Brain and The Psychology of Video Games
“Matthew Farber's book gives the reader a compelling and nuanced tour of a very important subject—social and emotional learning and the role that games can play in supporting it. I would encourage anyone looking for a comprehensive and accessible introduction to this topic to read this book! I particularly appreciate Farber's broad knowledge of game design efforts in this area, as well as his grasp of related literature.”—Katherine Isbister, Professor of Computational Media, University of California, Santa Cruz; author of How Games Move Us: Emotion by Design
Table of Contents
Foreword: Anantha Kumar Duraiappah, Founding Director, UNESCO MGIEP – List of Figures – Acknowledgments – Introduction – About This Book – Links, Lessons, and Games – References – How Mister Rogers Taught Us to Feel – An Exploration of Social and Emotional Learning – How Games Give Players “The Feels” – Empathy Games – Mindful, Kind, and Compassionate – Ethics, Perspective- Taking, and Teen Identity – Co-op Play, Teamwork, and Relationship Skills – How Making Games Supports Self-Awareness – Index.
