#508: The Significance of Narrative Creation for Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: A Tale of Redesigning the Game Forbidden Island

This study examines how junior high students engage in narrative creation through analog game redesign. Using narrative analysis, we analyze two student-redesigned games to explore how storytelling fosters cultural expression, ethical reflection, and curricular connection. Findings suggest that student-led game redesign supports culturally sustaining pedagogy by positioning youth as creators of meaning. Narrative analysis reveals how collaborative tensions, thematic choices, and design decisions reflect deeper engagement with identity, community, and academic content.