Adult learning as a Dungeon master

Abstract

As Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop roleplay games grow in popularity, it is reasonable to assume more adults will engage in the hobby. Central to the playing of these games is the role of Dungeon Master (DM). While the extant literature on games and role-playing abounds, there has been scant study on what it is that DM’s learn simply by running tabletop roleplay games for fun without anything educational added. Using Knowles’ Self-directed Learning as a guide, the present study examines the narratives DM’s construct around what they learn at the game table that they then apply in their work, social, and personal lives away from the table. Purposive sampling was used to recruit five to participants who engaged in semistructured interviews. The DM’s who participated in this study reported learning a number of skills that they applied to their work and social lives away from the game table, including flexibility, creativity, strategic thinking, and conflict management.