GDC Festival of Gaming is part of the Informa Festivals Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

March 9-13, 2026
Moscone CenterSan Francisco, CA

Agenda

Teaching While Gamedev

Tyler Coleman  (Founder, Ludo Systems Inc.)
MJ Johns  (Game UX Researcher/PhD Candidate, University of California Santa Cruz)
Colleen Macklin  (Professor, Parsons School of Design)
Jo Cronk  (Assistant Professor, DigiPen Institute of Technology)
Graeme Devine  (Game Designer, GRL Games)
Ian Schreiber  (Game Designer, Independent)
Location: Room 3002, West Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 11
Time: 1:50 pm - 2:50 pm
Pass Type: Festival Pass, Game Changer Pass - Get your pass now!
Audience Level: All
Track: Educators
Format: Microtalks
Vault Recording: Video
Audience Level: All

This session explores how teaching and game development can work together to build sustainable, fulfilling careers. A panel of developers who also teach will share how this path supports both their creative work and their students’ growth.
Topics include how to start teaching, how to build a strong portfolio or CV, and how to find or propose the right courses or workshops to offer. The panel will also discuss hiring students, avoiding burnout, staying current with industry trends, and working on research projects.
Whether you want a steady income, a way to give back, or a new view on your own work, this session offers clear, practical advice for combining teaching and game development. No teaching background required.

Takeaway

Understand the skills and mindset for a dual role in development and academia while avoiding burnout; know more about career options that are game industry adjacent, while also staying at the front lines.

Intended Audience

Game developers who want to share their skills through teaching. Developers seeking alternative, game-adjacent career paths that keep their skills sharp and support long-term sustainability.