by TeachThe staff of thought
We build lasting connections through play, but role of play in learning is an idea that continues to encounter resistance.
Part of the reason might be the tone. We like our learning to be serious, intentional, and academic. This is reflected by a parallel emphasis on a system of outcomes-based learning, in which learning objectives are determined and assessments are written in advance, and subsequent teaching is revised based solely on the data taken from said evaluations. (See “10 Ways Data Can Sabotage Your Teaching. “)
And the whole process itself relies on a set of industrialized and depersonalized “learning standards” which, although well-intentioned and designed to ensure a “common body of knowledge”, dictate the conditions for learning of the outside. pride must exist to determine in advance what a student will understand as a result of a learning experience! (I just pray Grant Wiggins doesn’t read this.)
As video games‘play’ suffers from a juvenile connotation it’s a shame. Even if the most “professional” adults continue to play, these efforts are often disguised or justified by ridiculous conditions and explanations. Why apologize for creating your own goals and conditions for interaction?
3 Factors That Make Gaming Exhilarating
Ultimately, gaming offers three essential elements for an engaged mind: independence, volitionAnd curiosity. None of this is to say that students should be given iPads, a box of Legos, and all the apps they want to download and play with. But it does suggest marked changes in the way learning occurs.
Charles Darwin’s teacher said he wouldn’t do much because he spent too much time “playing” with insects.
But as the video explains, it’s never just about playing.
Image attribution, Flickr user BobbyJames; A visual exploration of why play is necessary for learning
