Book description
A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year
In Minds on Fire, Mark C. Carnes shows how role-immersion games channel students' competitive (and sometimes mischievous) impulses into transformative learning experiences. His discussion is based on interviews with scores of students and faculty who have used a pedagogy called Reacting to…
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Why read it?
2 authors picked Minds on Fire as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Carnes wrote this book about ten years ago as a reflection of his experiences in using role-immersion games—simulations—since the 1990s. It recounts the tremendous enthusiasm of students as a result. Perfect attendance, coming long before and staying long after classes. Student reflections on how much deeper their learning experiences were. It inspired me to write my book based on my use of simulations in the classroom.
From Michael's list on history books for teaching and learning.
The founder of “Reacting to the Past” pedagogy offers both a theoretical rationale for, and touching and astonishing narratives from, “Reacting’s” trademark: month-long historical role-playing games that place college students into specific “roles informed by classic texts in the history of ideas”, culminating in open-ended reenactments of classic confrontations or historical watersheds like the trial of Galileo and the US Constitutional Convention. Students devour massive prep manuals; the events themselves are utterly absorbing, often with “moments of heart-stopping intensity”; and the thrills spill over into every moment of students’ lives (other school staff actually complain about this) and live on…
From Anthony's list on to provoke the impresario in every teacher.
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