Games and Play for Intercultural Learning – Alexandra Schreiber

Enjoy this first (1) of three (3) Lightning Talks from the Spring 2022 Town Hall Meeting in the Transformative Play Initiative Event Series: “Games and Play for Intercultural Learning” by Alexandra Schreiber! Lightning talks are meant to spark conversation in our group discussions at Town Hall events, with the goal of inspiring networking and collaborations.

n this video, Schreiber discusses her formative experiences with games in helping her develop language skills and step out of her comfort zone to succeed, which provoked excitement. She explains how engaging with uncertain situations with curiosity, like in games, releases dopamine. Schreiber expands upon the different skills needed for intercultural competence, such as taking new perspectives, breaking down stereotypes, cultivating community, and building empathy. She closes with describing how she uses games to help people develop these skills, including contact improv, simulation, and role-playing.

Description:
This session will outline how collaborative game play can spark curiosity and increase empathy to broaden intercultural competencies. It will examine the emotional, transformative experiences participants have when playing games that highlight storytelling, communication and teamwork. It explores aspects of role-playing to promote engagement for meaningful change of perspective.

Presenter bio:
Alexandra Schreiber (M.A., Intercultural Studies) is an intercultural competence trainer at Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. Alexandra has taught at universities and colleges in Germany and abroad. She is particularly interested in the topic of Intercultural Learning and Serious Games. In her seminars, students can increase their ability to communicate effectively with people of different cultures, whether socially or professionally.