David Simkins is a Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin—Madison in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Before joining the program, David worked for over a decade in instructional design, computer aided instruction, and videogame journalism. In his Ph.D. work, David focuses on the skills that participants develop through high-level participation in role-playing games, both offline and online. Through role play, he argues, participants practice management, negotiation, critical thinking, and critical ethics.