The game is afoot! On November 6–7, 2025, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s East Campus will host the next chapter of the Playposium – Lincoln. Like last year, the event will be hosted in a hybrid format, so those who are not able to attend in person can still participate in the fun.
Can't attend the whole time, or need to switch between in-person and online? No problem! Go ahead and register (select in-person if you'll be attending for any portion in person, and you'll get the zoom link, too), and attend when you can. (If you select that you will attend either the dinner or the murder mystery event (or both), please do plan to attend those events! It helps us with head counts and additional communications.)
Ready to investigate? Register here!
To register, either sign in using SSO or create a new account. Then select "Playposium 2025" from the list of upcoming events and complete your registration.
This year’s theme, “Get a Clue: Exploring the Mystery of Play in Higher Education,” invites faculty and staff to put on their detective hats and join the investigation into how play shapes teaching and learning. Here are a few things to look forward to during this two-day event:
Our Head Detective, Dr. Alison James, gets our investigation going with a discussion on what play is and what it can look like in higher education
Several other sleuths share their cases
Work through clues with fellow gumshoes at dinner on Thursday before taking part in a murder mystery
Explore a digital escape room
Get into character with a panel on role-play games and resources
Get practical tips on bringing play into your teaching
Full schedule details are below.
Registration is open to everyone, so anyone is welcome to attend either in person or on Zoom. Details:
Who can attend: Anyone!
Cost: Registration is free for participants within Nebraska; $25 for participants outside Nebraska.
Location: UNL East Campus Union and Zoom.
There is A-lot and metered parking on the north side of the East Campus Union.
Zoom links will be sent out the day before the event begins.
Format: This is a hybrid event, so participants can attend in person or on Zoom.
Play often requires vulnerability, so the program will NOT be recorded.
Meals: A buffet dinner on Thursday evening will be provided; lunch for both days will be on your own.
Coffee and iced tea will be available throughout the day.
There are several options for lunch within walking or close driving distance, including Cultiva, Valentino’s, and the East Campus Dining Center.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Erin Bauer (ebauer2@unl.edu) or Julia Remsik Larsen (jremsiklarsen2@nebraska.edu).
Schedule At a Glance
Day 1 - November 6
| 8:30 am | Registration Opens |
| 9:00 - 9:15 am | Opening Remarks |
| 9:15 - 10:45 am | Keynote Speaker: Alison James, PhD The Clue Is You. Finding your playful way in higher education (Keynote) |
| 10:45 - 11:00 am | Break |
| 11:00 - 11:45 am | What research methods can teach us about incorporating play in graduate courses |
| 11:45 am - 12:15 pm | Play is Serious Learning (and you should be playing games in the classroom) |
| 12:15 - 1:15 pm | Lunch on your own |
| 1:30 - 2:15 pm | Speed Sessions |
| 2:15 - 2:55 pm | Jacquelyn Omelian |
| 3:00 - 3:15 pm | Break |
| 3:15 - 4:00 pm | Mark Griep |
| 4:00 - 4:45 pm | Cultivating Paradigm Shifters: Changing Mental Models through Games |
| 4:45 - 5:00 pm | Closing for Day 1 |
| 5:30 - 6:30 pm | Buffet dinner at East Campus |
| 6:30 - 8:30 pm | Murder Mystery event hosted by Escape Lincoln |
Day 2 - November 7
| 8:30 am | Registration Opens |
| 9:00 - 10:30 am | Opening for Day 2 and Panel: Reacting to the Past |
| 10:30 - 10:45 am | Break |
| 10:45 - 11:30 am | David Thomas |
| 11:30 am - 12:15 pm | Dan Uden |
| 12:15 - 1:15 pm | Lunch on your own |
| 1:30 - 2:15 pm | Jessica Hite |
| 2:15 - 3:45 pm | UNL Academic Technologies: Dr. Amy Barry, Leah Widdowson, and Jay Adams Canvas Escape Room |
| 3:45 - 4:00 pm | Event Closing |
Day 1: Session Details
9:15 - 10:45 am - The Clue Is You. Finding your playful way in higher education (Keynote)
Keynote Speaker: Alison James, PhD
In this keynote I will share insights from practices, projects and publications which celebrate the presence of play in the academy, and challenge reasons for resistance to it. In particular, we will explore the outcomes of two studies - The Value of Play in HE - the clue is in the title - and its offshoot - PLAYI - which looks at the ways genAI and play are being combined in university learning and teaching.
11:00 - 11:45 am - What research methods can teach us about incorporating play in graduate courses
Usually, I use elements of play to teach my students about mixed methods research. Today I am going to turn the tables and use mixed methods principles to demonstrate how I incorporate play in my teaching. You will get to experience some of these activities and identify ways you might repurpose them for your courses.
11:45 am - 12:15 pm - Play is Serious Learning (and you should be playing games in the classroom)
Cameron Iwan, Great Plains Gaming Project President
Aubrey Crooks, Great Plains Gaming Project Director
Check back soon for more information on this session!
1:30 - 2:10 pm - Speed Sessions
Join us for quick tips on including play in your own work - just 5 minutes each! Six instructors and staff share how they've taken small or easy steps to incorporate play in their classroom, at their desk, or in their lives.
- Susan Burton
- Nick Monk
- Nate Pindell
- Don Lee
- Cody Hanson: That time I lost my voice for 4 months
- Disabilities aren't necessarily permanent. Come listen to the riveting tale of how I lost my voice for several months, and the strategies I used to survive in a world that expects the gift of gab - then take a moment to reflect on how students in your classroom might feel the same way I did.
- Chris Graves
2:15 - 3:00 pm - Jacquelyn Omelian
Check back soon for more information on this session!
3:15 - 4:00 pm - Mark Griep
Check back soon for more information on this session!
4:00 - 4:45 pm - Cultivating Paradigm Shifters: Changing Mental Models through Games
Games are more than entertainment—they’re catalysts for change. Together, we’ll explore how game-based learning can reshape mental models, spark systems thinking, and build community. Drawing on examples from popular games and original educational games I’ve helped design, we’ll uncover how play can transform players into paradigm shifters.
5:30 - 6:30 pm - Dinner
Connect with fellow attendees at a buffet dinner.
6:30 - 8:30 pm - Murder Mystery Event hosted by Escape Lincoln
Whodunnit? Grab your magnifying glasses and your detective skills, and help us solve a murder! Costumes encouraged, but not required.
More details coming soon!
Day 2: Session Details
9:00 - 10:30 am - Panel: Reacting to the Past
We're starting off Day 2 of 2025 Playposium - Lincoln with a panel discussion on using the Reacting to the Past games in courses. The CTT and Honors have co-sponsored this resource for UNL.
Our panelists include Joann Ross, Vanessa Gorman, Carolyn Twomey, Tony Foreman, and Tom Fraatz.
10:45 - 11:30 am - David Thomas
Check back soon for more details about this session!
11:30 am - 12:15 pm - Dan Uden
Check back soon for more details about this session!
1:30 - 2:15 pm - Jessica Hite
Check back soon for more details about this session!
2:15 - 3:45 pm - Canvas Escape Room
UNL Academic Technologies: Dr. Amy Barry, Leah Widdowson, and Jay Adams
At the Canvas Escape Room session, attendees will work in table teams to complete an escape room in Canvas! This course is a fun faculty development opportunity that allows teachers and staff to learn more about Canvas best practices from the student perspective. Will you escape?!
