Sarah M. Spalding, “Game of Thrones and Gaming the History Classroom,” The History Teacher 54, no.3 (March 2021): 569-590.
“It is this aspect that I use to hook my students–history has real-life people whose stories are just as compelling. Learning their motivations and reasons for acting is just as exciting and dynamic as the fictional show. (Spalding, 571)”
Many people find television shows, reality and fictional, to be exciting and sometimes addictive. However, not everyone finds historical events as entertaining, even though events of the past have an impact on modern day life. Spalding wanted to find a connection to her students to get them more eager to learn in her classroom. With Game of Thrones being a popular show, many students will be familiar with the material or the concept of the series. The addition of pop culture elements and a gaming scenario makes Spalding’s course more than a required general education course to graduate.
“It also allows me to get a good sense of the strengths and weaknesses of the class’s understanding of the material, and of individual students’ gaps as well. With this information, I can tailor courses to address these gaps in understanding. (Spalding, 579)”
Spalding argues that students’ grades and feedback is essential to maintaining and improving the effectiveness of his teaching materials. Spalding can modify his game based on what the students did or did not enjoy, or what they understood and what they found confusing.
“Using the pop-culture connection between the Game of Thrones television series, and its historical nods and narrative arc, in my history courses has proven a useful tool to motivate my students to own the course material. Gaming my classes has allowed students who do not see themselves as interested in history to begin to have a stake in it. (Spalding, 584)”
Spalding’s use of a game to teach class material gives students the opportunity to be involved in the action, rather than being a spectator. The students will feel a more personal connection to the material. Students may find this approach more engaging than memorizing facts of the event and dates. Spalding’s Game of Thrones game reminds me of a European history class I took recently. After learning about the European witch trials, the professor let the students in the class participate in a mock witch trial in 1300s Europe. Students took the roles of townspeople, judges, and leaders in a town and had to prove or disprove the presence of witches in the town. The class really enjoyed this game and had a better understanding of what these trials might have looked like and how people would have reacted.
