Abstract

Broadly the topic is about the effect reclaiming a passionate will to play, act, and tell stories has on our lives and how doing so changes communication practices and the way people communicate. Narrowed further the focus is on the observable effects of Table Top Role Playing Games (linguistically narrowed down to the most popular Table Top Role Playing Game, Dungeons & Dragons) as a kind of social tool, with a further sub-focus on the stimulation and promotion of the following values and activities; acting, creative thinking, critical thinking, public speaking, self-confidence, self-empowerment, risk-taking, experimentation, active listening, teamwork/group work, storytelling, collaborative storytelling, and improv, and elaboratively how these factors are uniquely well positioned to help burgeoning employees develop workplace critical interpersonal communication soft skills. Especially in terms of providing means for those whose development was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to reclaim lost interpersonal skill development opportunities. Fair time is given to detailing the positionality of Table Top Role Playing games in relation to the broader research community and historical struggles to fully “break in”. Over the course of this research, it became increasingly clear how much of a meta-analysis of D&D’s history in Communication research specifically was necessary before even trying to answer the intended questions of employability, soft skill development, and what playing D&D could mean for the demographics of college students affected by COVID-19 in particular.

Date

Spring 2024

Department

Communication

Advisor/Professor

Dr. Armeda Reitzal

Citation Style

APA

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