Center for Learning through Games and Simulations

The Center for Learning through Games and Simulations (CLGS) at Central Michigan University is a faculty-led academic center that promotes the use of games, simulations, and play in learning. The use of games facilitates an active-learning agenda with a high level of student engagement. The goal is to have the students learn course material while simultaneously building skills in leadership, public speaking, critical thinking, problem-solving and analysis.

Organic chemistry students play games during a course learning simulation at CLGS — Organic chemistry students play games during a course learning simulation.

New release

Central Michigan University Press just launched a brand-new game for crowdfunding! Line by Line is a cozy, collaborative poetry-writing game where players take on the role of Bards preparing poetry for an open mic at their favorite cafe to bring back business. It was designed by Tilak Vyas with art by Vicky Tran — and Central Michigan University professor Dr. Gretchen Papazian was the game developer!

Help CMich Press publish this beautiful, accessible game about poetry and language by making a pledge for your copy of Line by Line on our Bakerkit page.

Visit our CMich Press website to learn more about all games available for sale.

Game Design Thinking minor

The Game Design Thinking Minor offers students an interdisciplinary approach to the study of games and game design. Drawing upon several disciplinary approaches from across the university, it is structured to allow students to explore and apply the principles of good game design to a broad range of potential career options. Contact the Center for Learning through Games and Simulations for more information or to declare the minor.

Game Design Thinking Minor

Process for course inclusion

CMU Faculty who wish to have a course added to the GDT minor program should note the following requirements:

Requests should include contact details and department of the requesting faculty, a short statement making the request, and a teaching syllabus for the course in question.
Requests to include a course in Required Courses I, II, or IV of the GDT minor program must also include a written rationale for inclusion.
For inclusion in Required Courses III of the GDT minor program, the teaching syllabus of a course must have at least 40% of its total assessment related to games and/or game-based learning.

Formal requests may be submitted at any time throughout the academic year to clgs@cmich.edu or delivered to the Center for Learning through Games and Simulations, Anspach 001. Requests will be reviewed by the Game Design Thinking Interdisciplinary Program Council (GDTIPC) at its next available scheduled meeting.

The following is a breakdown of each section of the GDT minor program, offered to help faculty applicants in deciding which part of the minor to apply for.

Required Courses I: This category is for the core courses of the minor, which introduce students to various philosophies of and approaches to game design, as well as the ways people learn through games.
Required Courses II: This category offers students experience with skills associated with analog and video game design.
Required Courses III: The courses in this category broadly expose students to the process of game critique and game-based learning (colloquially referred to as “games in the wild”).
Required Capstone: The capstone courses offer students the opportunity to apply their previous learning to the process of building, designing, and testing a game, either individually or as part of a team.

Meet the staff

The Center for Learning through Games and Simulations is co-directed by Dr. Tracy Davis and Dr. Jonathan Truitt with Dr. Andrew D. Devenney serving as Associate Director.