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2024 REACTING WINTER CONFERENCEJanuary 12-14, 2024 | Virtual |
OVERVIEW
The University of Georgia is hosting the 8th Annual Reacting to the Past Winter Conference on January 12th–14th, 2024, focusing on active learning. In order to continue the greater range of participation we have experienced in the last few years, we will once again host the Winter Conference in a virtual format. We hope this makes the conference and its content more accessible to the Reacting community. We are offering five games, three of which have never before been featured for play at a Reacting event, representing a broad range of geography, discipline, and era: Charles Babbage, Enlightenment in Crisis, 1894 Korea: Kabo Reforms, Council of Nicaea, and the Election of 1912. The Conference Workshop on Friday night will focus on active learning: both how to "up your game," and ways to bring active practices to non-game classes. In addition to the game and active learning workshops, Leah L. Carmichael, the new Director of Active Learning at UGA, will give our keynote address. We are also including expanded breaks and social blocks to allow time to connect with your colleagues outside of the context of your game roles. Join us for all of this and more at the Winter Conference! |
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6:00 - 7 PM
| OPTIONAL ORIENTATION SESSION If you're new to Reacting to the Past or online workshops, or just wondering about one little thing before we begin, please join us for this casual chat and Q&A session with a pair of your conference hosts. |
7:30 - 9 PM | WORKSHOP: REACTING, GENERATIVE AI, & THE HOLISTIC CLASSROOM The workshop will explore how to use generative artificial intelligence to deepen the impact of playing Reacting games within a holistic classroom. We will move beyond issues of academic honesty to focus instead on how to use AI creatively within Reacting games with special emphasis on debriefing the game with your students. Reacting, as the most active of the active learning strategies, has a significant role to play in a holistic classroom of any discipline, a classroom which is changing with the advent of generative AI. |
SATURDAY, JANUARY 13 |
11 AM - 12:30 PM
| GAME WORKSHOP - SESSION 1 The game workshop offers a condensed gameplay experience, context for the simulation, and includes post-game guidance on how to use Reacting in your own classes. You'll be sent a gamebook, as well as a detailed a role sheet. During the game, you participate as your role, making arguments and forging alliances to achieve specific objectives. The first session will cover historical context, game set-up, and faction meetings. At some game-friendly point during this 90 minute session, GMs will call for a 10 minute break Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, and the Dawn of Computing The Enlightenment in Crisis: Diderot's Encyclopédie in a Parisian Salon, 1750 Korea at the Crossroads of Civilizations: Confucianism, Westernization, and the 1894 Kabo Reforms Constantine and the Council of Nicaea: Defining Orthodoxy and Heresy in Christianity, 325 CE Progressivism at High Tide: The Election of 1912 |
12:30 - 2:00 PM
| BREAK Virtual conferences are their own kind of tiring, so we're offing a 90-minute midday break. There will be no activities offered for an hour, and the half-hour from 1:30-2 PM is an optional opportunity for participants to engage in casual chat with others , whether in- or out-of-game. |
2 - 3:30 PM | GAME WORKSHOP - SESSION 2 Gameplay begins in earnest. You can expect to get through about one-third to one-half of your game during this time. As before, GMs will include a 10 minute break at some point. |
3:30 - 4:15 PM | KEYNOTE PLENARY For this year’s Winter Conference, we've invited the new Director of Active Learning at the University of Georgia, Leah L. Carmichael, to discuss the pivotal role of Active Learning in shaping the future of higher education. Her presentation will shed light on how educators who incorporate Reacting to the Past games into their classrooms are at the forefront of innovative teaching methodologies and best practices. |
SUNDAY, JANUARY 14 |
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM | GAME WORKSHOP - SESSION 3 Gameplay continues. You can expect to get almost to teh end of you game in this session. As before, GMs will include a 10 minute break at some point during this session. |
12:30 - 2:00 PM | BREAK Virtual conferences are their own kind of tiring, so we're offering a 75-minute midday break. There will be no activities offered for an hour, and the half-hour from 1:30-1:45 PM is an optional opportunity for participants to engage in casual chat with others , whether in- or out-of-game. |
2:00 - 3:30 PM
| GAME WORKSHOP - SESSION 4 The final session includes time for debriefing the game, discussion of mechanics and implementation, and questions. |
3:30 - 4:15 PM | CLOSING PLENARY Closing remarks and discussion. |
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Includes all conference events. Members need to sign into your account in order to register at the member rate. Become a member here.
| Early Bird through October 31 |
Regular November 1-30 |
Late December 1-January 10 |
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| Member | $150 | $175 |
$200 |
| Non-Member | $225 | $250 | $275 |
FUNDED REGISTRATION FOR DEI ADVANCEMENT
The Reacting Consortium is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging. We offer fully-funded and subsidized registration for instructors who are members of historically underrepresented and marginalized identity groups, and those teaching at minority-serving institutions (HBCUs, Tribal colleges and universities, AAPI and Hispanic-serving institutions). If you are interested in applying for one of these spots, please send an email to reacting@barnard.edu with the subject line “Funded WC Spot” by November 1 December 6. Approved applicants will be able to register for free or at a discount. Please apply and share with colleagues.
WORKSHOP-ONLY REGISTRATION
Instructors wishing to attend only the Friday night "Active Learning" workshop on Friday can register for it for a cost of $75. These registrants cannot observe or participate in the game workshop.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN I ONLY PARTICIPATE IN ONE GAME?
Yes. You play through one game for the full weekend. If you'd like to play multiple games, come to our in-person Annual Institute the second weekend in June.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THE GAME WORKSHOP?
First of all: fun! In terms of practical details: Participants will be sent a digital gamebook ( outlining the topics and debates of a historical moment, as well as a detailed a role sheet for a historical actor in those debates. Participants prepare and engage as that historical actor, making arguments and forging alliances to achieve specific Victory Objectives. You need not be a specialist to play (or run) a Reacting game, but you should plan on doing some preparatory reading.
I HAVE A CONFLICT FOR PART OF THE GAME WORKSHOP SESSIONS, CAN I STILL ATTEND?
Yes. While it's not ideal, you can absolutely still attend. Please make note of your conflict when you register so we can try to work around it in casting, and we can let your GM know.
OTHER QUESTIONS?
Email reacting@barnard.edu and we'll try to answer them.
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