07 November 2025 The Allure of Play: Using Game-Inspired Design to Spark Engagement and Deep Learning

Join colleagues for an energizing workshop with Game-Based Learning thought leader, Dr. Tori Mondelli, Founding Director of the University of Missouri’s Teaching for Learning Center and author of The Educator’s Guide to Designing Games and Creative Active-Learning Exercises (Teachers College Press, 2023).

In this interactive session, you’ll explore practical ways to boost student engagement using both simple and complex game mechanics. Discover how serious play can captivate learners—even at the university level—and learn how to harness the allure of play to invigorate your teaching this academic year.

10.00am: CoE Introduction

10.05pm: Keynote Address

10.50pm: Summary

11.00am: Speaking finishes, guests network over morning tea

11.30am: Event finishes

Friday 7 Nov

10.00am - 11.30am

Patiki, Waimarie Building, Lincoln University

Dr. Tori Mondelli

Dr. Mondelli serves as the Founding Director of the University of Missouri’s Teaching for Learning Center. She is an affiliated faculty member in Adroit Studios Gaming Lab in the College of Education & Human Development and the History Department in the College of Arts and Science. She holds a Ph.D. in early modern European history. Her training as a historian led her to prize writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines pedagogies. From there, she became an expert in coaching faculty and other educators to incorporate the full gamut of evidence-based and creative practices to maximize student engagement and deepen learning.

Her passion for game-based learning was ignited while at the City University of New York and led her to facilitate workshops nationally, often with her co-author, Dr. Joe Bisz. Their collaborative, highly interactive pedagogy was in need of a scholarly design method to leverage research-based principles known to improve learning. After years of research and praxis, Mondelli and Bisz released their book in 2023, The Educator’s Guide to Designing Games and Creative Active-Learning Exercises: The Allure of Play.

When not playing games, Dr. Mondelli can be found leading strategic teaching initiatives to enhance support for faculty members and graduate instructors. She aims to increase the prevalence of learning environments that intentionally build a sense of belonging for ALL learners, while structuring active learning and transparent assessment.