Persuasion Effect

Tyson Acree

The Benefits Of Dungeons and Dragons In The Classroom And Beyond.

The tabletop game “Dungeons and Dragons” is creative, fun, and social. The

game (also called DnD) should has a place in schools for many reasons. While public

opinion of DnD has been rocky and some will dismiss the game as a simple hobby for

nerds, the game can help boost both math skills and problem solving as well as mental

and social health.

Beforeefore we talk about that, we should talk about what the game actually

looks like in order to dispel the stereotypes and jokes. First and foremost there is the

storyteller, the so called “dungeon Master” who plans the plot and guides the players

through it. The players are given agency to act within the story thus creating a

collaborative storytelling environment. I’ll tell my players that a ghost slowly approaches

them, it's up to my players to decide if they want to talk to the ghost or try to fight it, at

least I anticipate either of those options when in reality then run away forcing me to

improvise new story elements. The players nor the Dungeon Master really knows where

the story will end up and throwing wrenches into plans is half the fun. Dice are used to

simulate combat in the game. When I attack a zombie with my sword, i simply roll a die,

add my sword skill value, compare it to the zombies defence, then roll damage if

successful on another die specified by my weapon. Combat in the game is more than
just about the dice of course as tactics, teamwork, and problem solving are key as well.

A good tactician will know to place their characters in easily defensible positions, team

players will know how to enhance their abilities by using the abilities of others, and

problem solvers won't take long to deduce that certain enemies take extra damage from

fire.

Dungeons and Dragons is already beginning to be used in the classroom for a

multitude of reasons. According to an article written by Matt Zalaznick (​Zalaznick, M.

(2018). Dungeons & Dragons storms education. ​District Administration​, ​54​(12), 18.

Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com.libprox1.slcc.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN

=133398512&site=ehost-live​) ​Dungeons and Dragons is being used by educators in

Virginia to teach problem solving and math. “You’re solving problems with friends, in a

safe environment, and you’re learning to communicate,” says Chris Bugaj, a teacher.

For a child, a radius might be something they learn and forget after a test but to the

child’s wizard her fireball has a Radius of 15 feet. If two zombies stand 25 feet away

from each other, the child better be able to tell if her spell can hit both or not.

On top of teaching simple math and problem solving, the game is also a safe

environment to express yourself and be creative. Creating your character is an

inherently creative act in that you must write the backstory and design a personality due

to it. This allows people, kids especially, to have a safe place to “try out” different

outlooks on the world and see what it’s like. For instance, someone who is shy in real

life might safely play a boisterous musician in the game. A proud athlete might try the
part of a bookish wizard. This sort of experimentation allows people to see the world

through new eyes and they can gain a better worldview from it.

When it comes to the mental benefits of the game, an article in the American

journal of psychology examined the effects of Dungeons and Dragons as a

Psychotherapeutic treatment for a depressed patient classified as having a “obsessive

disorder”.In the patient's own words playing the game allowed him to first understand

and empathize with his characters emotions, then others, and them himself. The article

concludes by stating that using fantasy based therapy used to achieve emotional

change may have “considerable merit” and that allowing patients to slay their “mental

dragons” is a healthy thing.

Another important piece of DnD is the social aspect. The game historically

attracted both people who weren’t great in social situations and those who were and

allowed them to communicate both in our world and in another. DnD is a great way to

learn the world (fictional and otherwise) and to make new friends in the aforementioned

safe environment.
 According to booknetcanada.ca, sales for Dungeons and Dragons in Canada

have doubled since 2014. The game is now reaching wide audiences and is more

popular than ever due to television shows like Stranger Things and Podcasts like

Critical Role. Sites like youtube.com and twitch.tv are helping the role playing genre

flourish once again. Dungeons and Dragons has many social and educational benefits

and is already being used to treat psychological illnesses and in class settings for kids.

The game shouldn’t be used to replace class time, merely as a optional supplement to

help engage kids in learning math, empathy, and social skills.

 Sources Cited

(​Zalaznick, M. (2018). Dungeons & Dragons storms education. ​District Administration​, ​54(​ 12), 18.

Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com.libprox1.slcc.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN=133398512&site

=ehost-live​))

(Blackmon, Wayne D. “Dungeons and Dragons: The Use of a Fantasy Game in the

Psychotherapeutic Treatment of a Young Adult.” ​American Journal of Psychotherapy​, vol. 48, no. 4, Fall

1994, pp. 624–632. ​EBSCOhost​, doi:10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.1994.48.4.624.)

(​BookNet Canada. “The Rise of Dungeons & Dragons.” ​BookNet Canada​, BookNet

Canada, 13 June 2018, www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2018/6/13/the-rise-of-dungeons-dragons.)