Brag - Spring2023

Teaching a Medieval
Pandemic with a Historical
Role-Playing Game
BY DR. ALLISON FIZZARD
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, CAMPION COLLEGE
THE
PLAGUE
COMES TO
CAMPION
“These historical
role-playing
games are
typically set
in periods of
tension or crisis;
students are
given the roles
of people who
have to debate
and decide
on courses of
action that
reflect real
controversies.”
In the fall of 2022, students enrolled in
HIST 290AU The Black Death: A Medieval
Pandemic had the opportunity to learn about
the distant past in a new way. After spending
the first portion of the course studying the
historical background of this devastating
fourteenth-century outbreak of disease,
students took on the roles of citizens of the
English city of Norwich to debate and vote on
how they should respond to rumours of plague
advancing toward them. They were doing so
as part of the historical role-playing game
“1349: Plague Comes to Norwich”, designed by
Amy Curry of Lone Star College in the United
States.
“1349: Plague Comes to Norwich” is one
of a number of historical role-playing
games designed by post-secondary
educators following an active learning
approach known as “Reacting to the Past”
(see https://reactingconsortium.org/
WIR-basics).
These historical role-playing games are
typically set in periods of tension or crisis;
students are given the roles of people who
have to debate and decide on courses of action
that reflect real controversies. Each student
has an objective they must achieve in order
to “win”. Most students belong to factions
and must work with their faction members to
advance the faction’s objectives. “Winning”
in these historical role-playing games means
persuading one’s fellow students to support
the course of action one is advocating.
In HIST 290AU last fall, students took over
the running of the classes when we were
playing the game. Attired like the Grim Reaper,
I remained in the background, waiting until
at some point during each class I “tolled the
bell” and had the students pick stones of
different colours from a bag. Depending on
the colour of the stone, they learned whether
their characters lived, died, or were suffering
from symptoms of the plague. Each class
students debated issues such as whether
to close the city gates to travellers or to
impose a quarantine. These debates allowed
students see how issues like balancing medical
advice with economic needs during times of
pandemic have a very long history.
In addition, students developed their skills in
reading and analyzing historical texts, writing
persuasive speeches, and working in groups.
Some students expressed nervousness about
public speaking but afterward said how much
the experience helped them build confidence
in speaking in front of others.
One Campion student in the course,
Madeleine Boté, described what she got out of
the course this way:
“The Black Death class and game were
not just fun, but [they] also encouraged
students when playing to engage more
with the course readings so that they had
a better chance of succeeding in-game.
Being able to experience this sort of
hands-on and involved learning was a
great treat, and I would recommend this
class to anyone who wants a class that
is not only deeply informative, but very
different and standalone amongst the
other history classes offered on campus.”
HIST 290AU is being offered again in the
Fall, 2023, semester.
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Brag | VOL. THIRTY-FOUR | SPRING 2023
Campion College
Campion College Brag | VOL. THIRTY-FOUR | SPRING 2023
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