Divided Kingdom, 561: Gamification of the Early Middle ages

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Gamification has been a growing trend as a tool for pedagogical use. Incorporating game-design elements into a non-game context not only has the potential to amplify student motivation and interaction, but allows for the exploration of a new way to learn, teach, and understand history. Gregory of Tours’ Historia Francorum provides us with an interesting viewpoint into the world of 6th century Frankish Gaul. Understanding the motivations behind the characters in Gregory’s work and their relationship with the religious and political atmosphere of the 6th century can be difficult for modern readers. My project uses elements of role-playing to better engage students in interacting with the text. Students inhabit the role of a historical character from Historia Francorum and play out a narrative ‘campaign’ of multiple sessions as that character. Through research and primary source reading they will develop an understanding for their character, the world they inhabit, and their role within that society. Students engage with other students, prepare and give speeches, all in their prescribed roles. This, along with continual feedback on their actions given by the instructor, will cultivate a unique and more engaging learning atmosphere for students. My goal for this undergraduate research project is to develop an alternative approach to understanding the dynamics of early medieval Frankish society. By turning Gregory’s work into an inhabitable space, the large body of text becomes approachable and engaging to students. The final phase of the project which is underway, is testing it in a third year undergraduate history course.