The Hidden Power of Games:  Game Based Models Within the Corporate Environment

Organized by Brunswick teacher Jared Fishman, this seminar will focus on HMGS Next Gen, Inc’s work using a gamified approach to leadership and corporate training. Throughout the seminar, Jared Fishman will share the methods he’s developed to train people to think more decisively, reflectively, and build their skills by using games as a pedagogical tool. More specifically, Jared will share testimonials from employees from the Department of Cultural and Historic Affairs in Passaic County, NJ, who have been working with HMGS Next Gen, Inc since September 2023. Over the course of five months, Jared has worked alongside and consulted with Director of Operations Kelly Ruffel in an effort to build a more productive and professional work environment. Ultimately, while games are fun, they also have a power unto themselves to draw out the best in people, and often unlock hidden skills. Jared will outline all the benefits of a game based learning approach for use in the professional world, developed over his nearly 20 year career.

BIO
Jared Fishman is the co-founder and co-director of HMGS Next Gen, Inc, and host of the “20 Sided Gamified Podcast”. He is a familiar face in the world of education and game design thinking. Currently, Jared is a teacher at Brunswick School, in Greenwich, CT, where he teaches Modern World History and a history elective entitled, “History of Warfare”.  Moreover, he serves as the advisor to Brunswick’s Model UN team, which regularly takes part in conferences at Princeton and Georgetown.  Previously, Jared worked at the Hackley School, in Tarrytown, NY. He served as a grade level dean, authored elements of the history curriculum, and was the architect of Hackley’s popular “Strategy Game Club.” Jared has been bestowed numerous honors in his career, including the Mary Lambos Award for Teaching in 2014 and the Davidson Chair in History, a position he held from 2016-2020. Jared's classroom experience has set the foundation for his belief that games support critical thinking along many different avenues, from the classroom to the office. He has organized and facilitated several conferences on the subject, entitled “Role Playing, Games, and Simulations in the Humanities Classroom” and has presented at various HMGS, NASAGA, and other game related events. In each presentation, Jared has demonstrated the real world benefits that game related thinking can provide. In 2019, he and his teaching partner Michael Canterino won the NASAGA “Rising Star” award for a role play simulation entitled “Drawing a Line in the Sand: Exploring Leadership Through the Lens of Popilius.”