University of San Diego Digital USD Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 2020-05-17 An Examination of Gaming Environments in Dungeons and Dragons Groups Joe Lasley University of San Diego Follow this and additional works at: https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations Part of the Leadership Studies Commons Digital USD Citation Lasley, Joe, "An Examination of Gaming Environments in Dungeons and Dragons Groups" (2020). Dissertations. 170. https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/170 This Dissertation: Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital USD. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital USD. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. AN EXAMINATION OF GAMING ENVIRONMENTS IN DUNGEONS & DRAGONS GROUPS by Joe Lasley A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2020 Dissertation Committee Dr. Cheryl Getz, EdD Dr. Zachary Gabriel Green, PhD Dr. Sarah Lynne Bowman, PhD University of San Diego © Copyright by Joe Lasley All Rights Reserved 2020 University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences CANDIDATE’S NAME: Joe Lasley TITLE OF DISSERTATION: AN EXAMINATION OF GAMING ENVIRONMENTS IN DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS GROUPS APPROVAL: _____________________________________, Chair Cheryl Getz, EdD – _____________________________________, Member Zachary Gabriel Green, PhD- _____________________________________, Member Sarah Lynne Bowman, PhD - DATE: April 20, 2020 ABSTRACT Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPG) like Dungeons & Dragons are unique phenomena within the topics of game-based learning and gamification of leadership development. Games in general are used for both game-based learning (learning from playing games) and as sources of inspiration for gamification: the application of game design elements in non-game contexts like business or education.