Transformative Play for Building Resilience to Misinformation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33063/ijrp.vi19.1249Abstract
Abstract: This study explores how transformative play, a form of experiential learning where players engage with and reshape a fictional world, can be used to build resilience against misinformation. Through the design of an educational escape room – The Euphorigen Investigation – the research demonstrates how immersive, narrative-driven gameplay fosters critical reflection, emotional engagement, and epistemic growth. Transformative play positions participants in meaningful roles within complex, uncertain scenarios, prompting them to confront their assumptions, biases, and vulnerabilities. As players navigate puzzles involving misleading data, deepfakes, and manipulated media, they experience the disorientation of being misled; an emotional turning point that catalyzes self-awareness and critical thinking. The game’s design encourages collaborative sensemaking and peer dialogue, aligning with theories of transformative learning that emphasize context, reflection, and identity transformation.
Findings indicate that such gameplay experiences can shift perspectives, enhance critical media engagement, and support the development of more inclusive and adaptive ways of knowing.
Keywords: Transformative play, misinformation, escape rooms, experiential learning
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