Games in Personal and Professional Development 2600-GRO-OG

NOT FOR STUDENTS OF THE FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT
The workshop is a laboratory of social and cognitive skills, where game theory meets practical skills training. The course moves away from the traditional lecture model in favor of a "learning by doing" approach. Participants not only learn the mechanisms that govern the world of games, but above all, use them as a safe environment to test their own strategies and tactics.

Detailed topics:
• Foundations and typologies: Analysis of the evolution of games – from ancient strategies to modern hybrid games. Discussion of Bartle's classification (player types) and how our in-game preferences correlate with the roles we play in professional teams.
• Psychology of engagement and flow: Understanding the mechanism of the "dopamine loop" and Mihály Csíkszentmihályi's concept of flow. How to design professional tasks to evoke a similar level of motivation to a well-constructed game.
• Managing in Extreme Conditions:
• Making decisions under pressure of time, energy, and other resources.
• Action and planning under conditions of incomplete information and a dynamically changing environment.
• Communication and Metaphor: Game as a symbolic language. Using games as a tool to break down communication barriers and build a shared system of concepts in diverse groups.
• Critical Problem-Solving: Training in lateral thinking and deconstructing game mechanics to find non-standard solutions.
Meeting Structure (Workshop Methodology)
Each three-hour meeting is divided into three stages:
• Briefing (Introduction): Outlining the context and rules of the game selected for the day.
• Immersion (Play): Participants face challenges designed in board games, card games, or simulations that require collaboration, negotiation, or competition.
• • Debriefing (Analysis and Transfer): A key element of the session. Joint discussion of the game, identification of errors and sources of success, and transfer of experience to real professional situations.

Course coordinators

Michał Mijal

Type of course

general courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

1. level NOT for students of the Faculty of Management

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, the student:
- Recognizes the fundamental conditions (or prerequisites) for applying games in competency development.
- Explains application issues stemming from the practice of entertainment and educational games.
- Is able to identify and critically evaluate key game mechanics (e.g., drafting, rapid optimization, risk management) and their impact on the modeled competencies.
- Conducts in-depth self-reflection on their emotional responses, playing style, and decisions made.

Assessment criteria

Conditions for a passing grade: obtaining the required total number of points.
Points are awarded for active participation in classes and for mini-essays.
Points obtained during the classes constitute 100% of the total points.

Bibliography

1. Berne, E. 1987. W co grają ludzie? Warszawa: PWN
2. Caillois, R. 1997. Gry i ludzie. Warszawa: Volumen
3. Filiciak, M. 2006. Wirtualny plac zabaw. Gry sieciowe i przemiany kultury współczesnej, Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Akademickie i Profesjonalne
4. Gobet, F., Voogt, A.de, Retschitzki, J. 2004. The Psychology of Board Games. Nowy Jork: Psychology Press
5. Huizinga, J. 1985. Homo Ludens. Zabawa jako źródło kultury, Warszawa: Czytelnik
6. Mayer, B & Harris, C 2010. Libraries Got Game. Alligned Learning Through Modern Board Games. Chicago: American Library Association
7. Mijal, M, 2012. Gry we współczesnej organizacji. Warszawa: WN WZ
8. Salen, K., Zimmerman, E. (2004). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. MIT Press.
9. Sicart, M. 2014. Play Matters. MIT Press

Notes

Term 2024Z:

None

Term 2024L:

None

Term 2025Z:

None

Term 2025L:

None

Term 2026Z:

None

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes: