Games Research Lab

Through an understanding of play, the CMLTD Games Research Lab seeks to gain knowledge of human cognition, collaboration, media effects, modern culture, creativity, improvisation and other factors within games that have implications for education. Faculty and students involved with the Games Research Lab have broad-ranging interests, and the lab has resources allowing the study of video games, traditional board and card games, role-playing games, games for teaching and learning, "serious" games, media literacy, the psychology of games, and related topics.

In addition to research, the lab (informally known as the EGGPLANT Lab, for Educational Games Group: Play, Language, Avatars, Narrative, and Technology) serves as an internal resource on games. The lab focuses on helping faculty and students discover the richness of game-based play, with a particular emphasis on introducing non-gamers to games beyond the mainstream.

As a part of Teachers College, Columbia University, the Games Research Lab was founded in Fall 2004 and is housed in the Program of Communication, Media and Learning Technologies Design. At present, students from CMLTD and other Departments (such as the Department of Human Development) are active users of the lab.

The Games Research Lab is open to Teachers College, Columbia University students and practicing researchers in the field.