The Dilemma of Games: Moral Choice in a Digital World
3:15-4:45 (This session will extend into coffee hour)
(This description will be updated shortly)
Although some advocates worry that games depicting violence might promote aggressive behaviors in players, games also have the potential to advance pro-social values and behaviors. After all, games offer choices, and such choices could invoke ethical, civic, or moral dilemmas. How can games promote such values as compassion, charity, or sacrifice? Can they marry these values to the kind of "systems thinking" that games promote and which are becoming more vital in our networked world? WGBH, the renowned public television station, is launching a transmedia TV show and game that tackles these questions head-on. In this workshop, you'll help have a chance to shape this project that aims to teach children about environmental systems and their own choices within that system.
Confirmed workshop moderators:
- Blyth Lord, Project Director, Children's Programming, WGBH
- Marisa Wolsky, Executive Producer, WGBH
- Gary Goldberger, VP and Director, Fablevision
- Dr. Doris Rusch, MIT-Singapore GAMBIT Gambit Game Labs
- Dr. Jaroslav Svelch, Fulbright Scholar, MIT-Singapore GAMBIT Gambit Game Labs
- Peter Rausch, MIT Comparative Media Studies '07
- Josh Diaz, developer, MIT Comparative Media Studies '09
Confirmed participants:
- Prof. Helen Haste, University of Bath, Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Prof. Barry Fishman, University of Michigan, Harvard Graduate School of Education