PSAM 5550 B (CRN 4827) Collab: Arts for Survival Toolkit!!! "#$%&'()!

Louise Montello, DA, Director of Creative Arts and Health Certificate Program, SUS, NSPE montelll@newschool.edu Nick Fortugno, Adjunct Professor of Game Design, MFA DT, Parsons nick@playmatics.com Anezka Sebek, Associate Professor of Media Design, MFA DT, Parsons Sebeka@newschool.edu Please direct all email to ALL THREE faculty. If you would like to meet with us, email us first.

Course Location: Room 1200, 6 East 16th Street

Course Description The goal of this semester is to create a Live Action Role Play (LARP) social/emotional/life skills game as part of the "Arts for Survival Toolkit," a New School Collaboratory Innovation grant initiative with The Polaris Project, an advocacy group for human trafficking survivors. Students from TN for Public Engagement, Creative Arts and Health Program, and Parsons are invited to share a variety of perspectives and artistic processes to innovate together and to create an artbased empowerment tool through the form of LARP games.

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1. Explore the current research on causes, symptoms, treatment of trauma (i.e. complex trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] through a wide variety of provided resources. 2. Understanding the somatic, mental, emotional, spiritual, behavioral, relational issues experienced by survivors of trauma. 3. Understanding how Creative Arts Therapy theory/techniques can be used to address and transform the above issues in trauma survivors. 4. To discover through practice an understanding of game design in the form of Live Action Role Play. 5. To engage with partners, teams, and collaborators in the LARP experiment and assess its efficacy as a tool for empowering survivors through Creative Arts Therapy/Wellness tools and processes. 6. To understand community partners needs and to shape the production of the LARP as a tool for empowering trauma survivors. 7. To produce tangible and demonstrable products such as a website or wiki, a manual, a video that archives our studio work for use in future collaborations. 8. A review of the history of performance-based interactive narrative and study a number of systems such as: Exploration of methodologies to impart educational lessons within game systems and interactive performances, as well as techniques for storytelling with audiences. 9. Learn and demonstrate techniques from Agosto Boals Theater of the Oppressed 10. Serious games (goal is to learn, not win) - these forms allow players and audience members to play in a live and guided participatory experience to build stories together. Attendance Collaboration Studios meet for one two-hour and forty-minute session per week, and at least 5-10 hours of work per week is expected from each student. As per University policy, 3 absences constitute grounds for failure. Two absences will result in an automatic academic warning. Arriving fifteen minutes after the start of class also constitutes an absence. There is no such thing

as an excused absence; any failure to attend a class sessions will be marked as an absence. Studio Process Collaboration Studios are premised on the art of creating a creative team. The class works together to establish every students role and tasks in the concept, design, production, and documentation process. Faculty should oversee this process and help the students develop effective strategies to tackle the challenges of the studios mission. After 4 weeks of preparatory exploration, the studio will reorient its focus to produce a LARP. We will create the studio as a game production environment: Students learn to work together in a variety of roles producer, game designer, actor, set designer, production artist, writer, documentary video and audio recorders to create a compelling LARP with documentation that will be part of the archive of projects for the Arts for Survival Toolkit. Students learn how test the LARP experience with guidance from game experts, therapists, and Polaris administrators over the developmental process and revise the experience based on their feedback. We will explore assessment/evaluation tools such as surveys, interviews, and social/emotional intelligence scales to measure clients reaction, pre and post intervention. The studio culminates in a final live-action game that provides a new way of building emotional/social intelligence, life skills, strengthening identity and relationships, and enhancing creativity in trauma survivors. Suggested Text: Essential Musical Intelligence Louise Montello (Quest Publishing) Suggested Film: Darkon, documentary - Ovie Productions, SeeThink Films (2006)
1. Assessment and grading

Collaboration Studios are graded using a three-part evaluation scheme: Individual grade: Individual performance in the studio Team grade: Team evaluation Peer evaluation grade (please see evaluation form in this document): During the peer review process each student evaluates three other students. The instructor collects the forms and then averages the evaluations for each student. The three different grades are weighted as follows: 50% 25% 25% individual grade team grade peer evaluation average

Assessable Tasks for the individual grade (total 50%): Attendance: 10% Project role and level of accountability: 10% Documentation and Archiving (can be one of the following: participation in assessment of LARP experiments, written project final summary (5 pages), web production, video edit, final project archive-all materials on a hard drive): 15% Reading Discussion in Canvas on Weekly Readings. These readings should be complete in the first 5 weeks of the semester. Please select 2 readings from Nick Fortugnos work and 2 readings from Louise Montellos reading list and write a short 5-paragraph essay on each. 15%

2. Documentation and Studio Deliverables Results and process must be archived meticulously, as results may be exhibited or published in some way. Students should be required to record and document all work produced in the course, and should design and maintain a cdt.parsons.edu website dedicated to the course. Most communication for the studio can be completed in blog format but it is best that the archive of the work be presented on a site that shows off the work in a methodical manner. Work done in a course is likely to be passed on to a new set of students enrolled in a later semester; documenting the process and results is necessary to ensure continuity in the work. Please follow the website style guidelines to insure that the course site is searchable. At least three (3) high-resolution printable (300 dpi or greater) 8x10 format photos or art work up on the site for publication and promotion purposes. A binder of all the papers, project iterations, and project presentations should also be printed and submitted by the end of the semester. This will be assigned to a team of students at the beginning of the semester. 3. Collaboration Studio website guidelines
1. Front page(s): basic information

Project Title: Primary field of study: one sentence Abstract: 100150 words 35 keywords: may describe context, domain, audience, content, etc. Header: image associated with the project Names: Collaboration Studio faculty Names (and photos if desired): all collaborators and their roles in the studio Email: required
2. Website categories

Please include the following content categories on your site. You may choose to refine these categories, as appropriate to your project but this is the minimum that we expect at the end of the project. Prototypes: documentation of collaboration studio prototypes Context and domain: research material related to your research and investigation Precedents: bibliography, web links, documentation of related precedents and other research Iterations, artwork, presentations: documentation of studio presentations and iterations Production calendar Class blog Images: Three final slides at a printable high-resolution (300 dpi or greater, 8x10)
3. Summary

A short paper describing the pursuit and the final results of the collaboration; evaluations and conclusions reached during the collaboration process; and suggestions for future work. Bound production books and papers are encouraged by the program. Any written work should be submitted to the Program Director and Chair of the Department for archiving.

Class Schedule Week 1-January 29 Overview of class schedule Introduction to Live Action Games Overview of the effects of trauma on mind, body, spirit in survivors; what is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSDP); what is Complex Trauma; what are gold standard treatments for survivors of trauma Treating/empowering trauma survivors through Creative Arts Therapy (research, theory and practice) LARP readings: http://nordiclarp.org/w/images/8/84/2004-Beyond.Role.and.Play.pdf http://nordiclarp.org/w/images/a/af/2007-Lifelike.pdf http://nordiclarp.org/w/images/a/a0/2012-States.of.play.pdf Creative Arts Therapy and Trauma readings (posted in Canvas) Art Therapy and Violence Prevention Long & Soble Colors of Disaster (Art Therapy) Gregorian, et. al Week 2-February 5 LARP! Divide into teams, roles and responsibilities: For Week 2 Discussion Temporary Utopias (Beyond, pp 209-217), My Name is Jimbo the Orc (Lifelike, pp 159-163) The LARP lesson here is about the basic structure of LARPs the idea that they are systems, how the need to be player-centric, and what a players relationship is to the system. The idea here to drill into the students the fact that making a LARP is making a narrative system that players need to explore for themselves. Music Therapy in Treating Trauma article Montello PEACE Through Dance/Movement Koshland & Wittaker Read Montello Ch. 1-3 Week 3 February 12 Exploring Essential Musical Intelligence techniques for creating safety and mind/body integration for trauma survivors Guest lecturer Dr. Wendy DAndrea, psychologist/professor from NSSR presentation on Dance/Movement therapy in treating trauma survivors For Week 3 Discussion MDA essay (http://210.240.189.214/gamedesign/resources/06_personalweb/2006_web/20/paper/MDA_Game Design.pdf), Nicks essay on Measure for Marriage (http://www.electronicbookreview.com/thread/firstperson/gated), I Could a Tale Unfold Whose Lightest Word Would Harrow up Thy Soul: Lessons from Hamlet (Beyond, pp 191-209) This is a class on structural techniques. Were basically exploring how rule systems create boundaries for narrative experiences, which is ultimately how good LARPs work. In particular, were looking at how you can control pacing and emotional resonance while not depriving

players of their agency. How to integrate Creative Arts Therapy/Wellness concepts and techniques into LARP. Week 4 February 19 Exploring Creative Arts Therapy and Wellness warm-ups for creating mind/body integration, healing and empowerment in trauma survivors Read Montello, Chapter 8 For Week 4 Discussion Letting the Story Go (States, pp 129-134), LARP and Aesthetic Responsibility (States, pp 42-47), Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SFqmzg8yWM&feature=player_embedded) This is a discussion of the intersection of serious intent and LARPing explorations of how LARPs have tried to address serious issues and create behavior change. This is not arts therapy and lacks the rigor of that field, but its a useful place to see where games have tried to tackle this. Week 5- February 26 Tabletop RPG (role playing game) review Draft system of live action game assignment Week 6-March 5 Presentation on treating survivors of human trafficking by Polaris case manager (e.g. Etiquette of Contact) System generation assignment due Testing session Methods of Assessment Feedback generation Week 7-March 12 Presentation of real-life trauma experiences (Sandy Hook, Hurricane Sandy, etc.) Narrative generation assignment (how you tell the LARP story) Week 8-March 19 Narrative review Review of current material by trauma experts Feedback and final proposals MIDTERM REVIEW

SPRING BREAK
Week 9-10 April 2/9 First full draft of LARP work Revisit and rehearse etiquette for dealing with survivors Discuss Pre-game and Post-game debriefing, recording, assessment and data analysis Week 11-April 16 First full draft LARP review Work with mock trauma survivors on testing game (pre/post testing required) Feedback and directions Discuss Pre-game and Post-game debriefing, recording, assessment and data analysis

Week 12-14 April 23/30 Work on final two LARP games Testing and assessment of final games and effects of play. Week 15-16 May 7/14 (we have one additional class) DEBRIEF SESSION/PARTY ON MAY 14TH - Final summaries and documentation due. All deliverables due by not later than May 19th 6PM.

Peer evaluation form

Year/semester: Studio title: Project: Team member name: Peer evaluator name:

PARSONS THE NEW SCHOOL FOR DESIGN ART MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY COLLABORATION STUDIO

1. How effective was your peer in initiating actions, volunteering to take on tasks, and helping to set the team in pursuit of project goals? _________________________________________________________________________________ 5 4 3 2 1 exceptional ineffective Comments: 2. What was the quality of the work this person typically contributed to the development of the project? _________________________________________________________________________________ 5 4 3 2 1 exceptional ineffective Comments: 3. How well was this person prepared for each meeting, did s/he meet deadlines and/or commit enough time to complete the project? _________________________________________________________________________________ 5 4 3 2 1 exceptional ineffective Comments: 4. How well did this person recognize the skills and abilities of other team members and support them in the completion of tasks? _________________________________________________________________________________ 5 4 3 2 1 exceptional ineffective Comments: 5. How well did this person participate in the overall production process of this project? _________________________________________________________________________________ 5 4 3 2 1 exceptional ineffective Comments: Additional comments: Feel free to list specific experiences with the team member that would contribute to better understanding his/her participation in the project.

Parsons Academic Policies

Standard policies can be found in the Parsons 20132014 Catalog: https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/catalog.pdf Students are encouraged to review the following specific policies: Attendance (pp. 48) Academic honesty and integrity policy (p. 54) Disability services (p. 65) Graduate grading policies (p. 45) Intercultural support (p. 65) and International student services (p. 65). More generally, you should take the time to review Parsonss statement on student responsibilities: http://www.newschool.edu/parsons/subpage.aspx?id=95062#student-responsibilities If you have any questions about these policies or procedures, feel free to ask your faculty or Paul Nicholson [nicholpm@newschool.edu], the senior academic advisor for The MFA in Design and Technology. Students participating in the Creative Arts and Health Certificate program can seek the advice of NSPE Advisors or Louise Montello.