edWebinars
«Back to all edWebinarsReading Games Well: A New Lens for Literacy in the Classroom
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
Presented by Matthew Farber, Ed.D., Associate Professor, University of Northern Colorado; and Tracy Fullerton, Professor, University of Southern California
Moderated by Jennifer Ehehalt, Senior Regional Manager, Common Sense Education
Sponsored by Common Sense Education
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Attend this edWebinar to explore how games, like books, can be “read well” to foster deep literacy and critical-thinking skills in students. Drawing on the established frameworks, like that of Rudine Sims Bishop’s Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, we’ll examine how video games create immersive narratives that offer students unique ways to see themselves, others, and new perspectives.
This edWebinar will introduce key ideas from the presenters’ new book, The Well-Read Game: On Playing Thoughtfully, demonstrating how educators can approach games as texts—analyzing themes and literary devices just as they would with traditional literature. We’ll highlight several readings from the book to support these ideas and showcase how games can invite personal interpretations and responses.
As a practical example, we’ll explore Walden, a game EDU, a free game experience that invites students to step into Thoreau’s world. Educators will gain concrete strategies for pairing games with traditional texts, fostering discussion, and assessing student understanding through multimodal literacy approaches.
By the end of the edWebinar, you’ll leave with actionable strategies from The Well-Read Game to integrate games into your curriculum, enriching your students’ engagement with both books and games. This edWebinar will be of interest to elementary through high school teachers and librarians.
About the Presenters
Matthew Farber, Ed.D. is Associate Professor of Educational Technology and Co-director of the Gaming SEL Lab at the University of Northern Colorado. He is a play theorist who studies how games can foster empathy, compassion, perspective taking, and ethical decision making. He was a contributing writer for Origin101, the official learning companion for Ava DuVernay’s critically acclaimed film, Origin. Author of several books and articles, Dr. Farber writes for Edutopia, has been invited to the White House and to keynote for UNESCO, and has been interviewed by NPR, The Washington Post, EdSurge, The Denver Post, Fast Company, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. He has co-developed game-based lessons with Tracy Fullerton for her award-winning Walden, a game EDU. In The Well-Read Game: On Playing Thoughtfully, Fullerton and Dr. Farber explore how personal and subjective meanings are evoked through a new theory of player response.
Tracy Fullerton is a Professor and Founding Director (Emeritus) of the USC Games program at the University of Southern California. Her research center, the Game Innovation Lab, has produced a number of influential independent games, including Cloud, flOw, Darfur is Dying, The Night Journey, and Walden, a game, which was named Game of the Year at Games for Change 2017 and Developers’ Choice at IndieCade 2017. Tracy is the author of Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, a best-selling design textbook used in games programs worldwide, and the recently released The Well-Read Game: On Playing Thoughtfully with co-author Matthew Farber, Ed.D, which explores how personal and subjective meanings are evoked through a new theory of player response. In addition to her academic positions, Tracy also sits on the boards of directors for Square Enix Holdings and Games for Change.
About the Moderator
As Senior Regional Manager, Jennifer Ehehalt designs and delivers high-quality professional development opportunities for educators across the country. She spotlights thought leaders by creating and moderating conversations on timely topics relevant to digital teaching and learning. When attending Jennifer’s edWeb sessions, participants know they will leave with concrete strategies from the field, including how to build a positive school culture, use straightforward templates to guide challenging conversations, and implement family engagement ideas.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Join the Digital Learning & Leadership community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Common Sense Education develops high-quality digital citizenship programs and digital teaching resources, providing educators and students with the digital learning tools they need to harness the power of technology for life.
