Matthew Farber

Associate Professor of Educational Technology and Co-Director of the Gaming SEL Lab 

Dr. Matthew Farber is Associate Professor of Educational Technology and Co-Director of the Gaming SEL (social and emotional learning) Lab at the University of Northern Colorado. He earned his Ed.D. from New Jersey City University, researching how games can be leveraged as tools for learning and social development. He is a leading scholar in game-based learning and play theory. His research examines how games foster empathy, perspective-taking, and social and emotional learning. He has co-developed curriculum for Walden, a game EDU with Tracy Fullerton, and contributed to Origin101, the learning companion to Ava DuVernay’s film Origin. 

Publications:

• Farber, M. (2017). Gamify your classroom: A field guide to game-based learning (Rev. ed.). Peter Lang. https://www.peterlang.com/view/product/32043 

• Farber, M. (2018). Game-based learning in action: How an expert affinity group teaches with games. Peter Lang. https://www.peterlang.com/document/1055721 

• Farber, M. (2021). Gaming SEL: Games as transformational to social and emotional learning. Peter Lang. https://doi.org/10.3726/b18044 

• Farber, M., Merchant, W., & Zamboni, C. (Eds.). (2024). Roll for learning: 51 micro tabletop role-playing games to use in the classroom. Play Story Press. https://doi.org/10.17613/crhvk-jwe98 

• Fullerton, T., & Farber, M. (2025). The well-read game: On playing thoughtfully. MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552233/the-well-read-game/ 

Websites:

• matthewfarber.com 

• X/Twitter: @MatthewFarber

• Google Scholar Profile