Muskingum University’s English Department Chair and Associate Professor of English, Dr. Kekoa Kaluhiokalani, is developing a new course based around video game narratives.
According to a 2023 report by the Entertainment Software Association, 65% of Americans play video games. Kaluhiokalani is one of those people and sees how video games video games have become part of the way students interact with art and culture.
“And so I kept thinking there must be a way. There must be a way to integrate that kind of, I don’t know, cultural processing,” said Kaluhiokalani. “You know, it sounds really super technical but, you know to it’s…something that’s enjoyed. It’s something that’s all over the place…”
Kaluhiokalani believes video games are an exciting medium for exercising critical thinking and enjoyment. He personally enjoys games like the Sims series, “Baldur’s Gate 3,” and “Minecraft.“
The course is still in the research stage which currently has volunteers play test games like “Unpacking” and “Venba.” The volunteers then fill out journals describing their experience with the games and the stories they tell.
They journal about their experience throughout their time with the game and once they have finished the game reflect on the overall experience. After the game is finished, the volunteer is asked if they would enjoy learning about that game in class and what makes it stand out.
“…because that’s what I’d like the class to be is introducing people in the class to new kinds of gaming experiences,” said Kaluhiokalani.
This class is being created thanks to a faculty development grant. These grants financially help with research, creative endeavors, production and writing, plus related travel, along with other professional activities that further develop Muskingum University faculty and the wider university community.
Kaluhiokalani’s original intent was to have the course fully developed into it’s own class in the course catalog.
“For now, however, what I’m going to do is I’m going to start, we have kind of a halfway point and it’s we have in English, we have these open-ended topics courses, English 385, English 386 and English 387,” said Kaluhiokalani.
If all goes according to Kaluhiokalani’s plan, the course will be available in the Spring 2025 semester.
