{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2F982d77bb-742b-4c30-a660-2a00269f4f1d","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"Game Ethics and Accessibility in Boardgames with Pauline Belford","description":"Pauline Belford is an experienced educator who has spent nearly two decades teaching in post-16 education at both Further Education and Higher Education institutions. She was involved in the development of the first Scottish Higher National Diploma in Computer Games Development \u2013 a national qualification delivered across Scotland\u2019s Further Education Colleges. She is also an active researcher in the fields of computer ethics and accessibility in games, and has co-authored several papers on topics such as game design, game ethics, and sexism in gaming. She is currently working part-time as a freelance educational consultant and accessibility researcher, whilst co-authoring a book on computer ethics, and learning Swedish.\nIn our conversation, we talk about morality in games, board game accessibility, and parkrun.\nShow Notes (link)\n[00:40] What drew Pauline to game design, computer ethics, and accessibility[01:06] Pauline's background and exposure to computers[01:42] From biology and sociology to computer science[02:49] Developing the HNC and HND Computer Games Development qualification[04:14] Where that qualification can lead[04:40] Setting up teams and incubators during the program[06:38] Pauline's interest in computer ethics[07:21] Teaching ethics through the case study \"Scandal in Academia\"[08:47] Student reception to learning ethics in computing[09:35] The lessons behind the lesson[10:38] Also, PhDs: Beware of what you're getting into[11:18] The potential for exploitation in academia[13:25] On independent research and publishing[14:24] Teaching ethics to both computing students and police officers[15:13] How to assess an ethics unit[16:25] Morality in games[17:40] Morality systems in the \"Fallout\" (VG) series[19:14] The \"Magic Circle\u201d concept[20:29] Empathy as a mechanic in \"Life is Strange\" (VG)[22:02] The politics of story crafting in games[22:24] The analogy to slavery in \"Detroit: Become Human\" (VG)[22:56] Ethics and morality as a mechanic in games[23:40] \"Papers, Please\" (VG)[26:47] How they found a niche in board game accessibility[27:35] Social benefits of board games[29:01] Board game community feedback to their accessibility work[30:50] Bonus Question 1: What hobby or interest do you have that is most unrelated to your field of work?[31:19] parkrun[33:52] Starting her own local chapter[36:22] The Swedish parkrun community[38:07] Bonus Question 2: Which childhood book holds the strongest memories for you?[39:49] Bonus Question 3: What advice you would give someone who wants to do what you do? Or what advice should they ignore?[39:56] On knowing your worth[40:39] On applying for jobs[41:19] On networking[41:36] Mark Granovetter\u2019s \"The Strength of Weak Ties\"[41:57] On maintaining connections[43:49] On impostor syndrome[44:52] On \"fake it 'til you make it\"[45:28] On shaping your work[47:56] Anders Ericsson's \"Deliberate Practice\"[49:39] Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's \"Flow\"\n\u00a0\nConnect with STEAM Powered:\nWebsiteFacebookInstagramTwitterPatreonKo-Fi\n\u00a0\nMusic is Gypsy Jazz in Paris 1935 by Brett Van Donsel.","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/d68c0962-560b-4ae5-8e32-4f4d733e39ca/6ec32036fe80d0bbd645f397d5c5ad3f.jpg"}