This is my second episode with Dr. Ian Borton. Ian is a professor of communications at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich. Ian, as worded on his Linkedin profile is, "Currently researching gamification, conflict, restorative justice, and the use of roleplay in education. Currently teaching courses in interpersonal communication, communication ethics, humanities, and social media." He is also the author of the book Creating Restorative Justice: A Communication Perspective of Justice, Restoration, and Community which he co-authored with Gregory D. Paul. Prior to playing, we discuss a D&D camp he is running this summer. In this episode we talk his game of The Sidekick, his D&D camp, teaching 10-year-old's how to game master, loteria, and our shared irritation with some people's inability to have an opinion on something. 

In this episode

Introduction (00:00:00)

Conversation begins (00:00:45)

Rapid Fire Questions 

Things mentioned in this episode

• Middle Earth Roleplaying

• Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

• Escaping Prison with Dungeons and Dragons

• Watch the Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons and Dragons

• 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die

• Lost Mine of Phandelver

Thoughts from the Host

It was a pleasure to sit down and talk with Ian. I enjoyed our conversations and learning a little bit more about the study of communications. In terms of my first guest that I haven't know for 20-plus-years, I found talking to Ian to be for the most part an easy experience. Although, I can't help be a bit nit-picky about my skills as an interviewer. I relied to heavily on my career as a reporter to carry myself through the interview, and I probably would have been better off having a few questions or bullet points on hand for our discussion.