Playful Learning: Using Technology to Enhance Engagement

1. Want to play around while you’re waiting for the webinar to start? Use the whiteboard’s drawing tools to adapt the circles into different objects (see example). Source: Experiences in Visual Thinking by Robert McKim 1

2. The Role of Play in Learning with Technology ELI Webinar5/4/09

3. Gail Matthews-DeNatale Associate Director, Academic Technology, Simmons College Barbara Draude Assistant Vice President for Academic and Instructional TechnologiesMiddle Tennessee State University

4. Objectives • Discuss theoriesof “playful learning” • Share examples of faculty-developed, play-based learning experiences • Provide advice and guiding questions for the development of play-based learning experiences on your campus • Link to additional resources on play-based learning • Together, use technology to experience play

5. Let’s Play! 5

6. What do the “Experts” Say? Koster – Fun = Challenge at Edge of Ability Osterweil – Four Freedoms of Play Sutton-Smith – The Ambiguity of Play Nat’l Institute of Play – Seven Patterns Strong Museum – Six Elements of Play Read more athttp://playfullearning.pbworks.com/Theoretical-Models-for-Play 6

7. What’s Going on While at Play? Open-ended Emergent collaborationand group process “Convergent” processfor multimedia composition Youth directed, Youth generated Deep engagement and personal investment ImprovisationRisk-taking Bricolage (Tinkering) ImitationFantasy ExperimentationMultiple drafts/iterations

8. Question Break

9. MTSU Faculty Examples Dr. Carolyn Hopper, English (Study Skills) “Play builds on a student’s intent to learn, strengthens synaptic connections and allows students to learn from their mistakes without the stakes being too high” PRACTICE AND LOW STAKES ASSESSMENT – activities to review content and knowledge-based information, as with computer games, students can “level up” when ready 9

10. MTSU Faculty Examples DATA MANIPULATION – activities to provide opportunities to apply content to situations Dr. Don Roy, Marketing Play “blends content learning with process learning,” playing this simulation gives the students the “chance to apply principles to give them a feel for marketing.”

11. MTSU Faculty Examples Dr. Scott Seipel, Computer Information Systems (Authored a multiplayer online decision making game called The OPEC Game) When playing the game “the students are engaged, involved and really feel it;” “by the end of the semester, the students will beg to play the game.” ROLE PLAY, SIMULATIONS, IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENTS – activities to provide opportunities to apply content to “real-life” situations and allow for higher order problem-solving and analysis applications 11

12. Designing for play-based learning Dr. Mary Jane TracyHonors ProgramSimmons College Author of the educational game entitled "Greenwich Village, 1913, Suffrage, Labor, and the New Woman" NOTE: This clip is an excerpt from a longer interview. Hear it all at http://playfullearning.pbworks.com/Designing+for+Play-Based+Learning

13. What About You? Use the chat to share examples of playful learning at your own institutions

14. Guiding Questions for successful play-based learning experiences • What learning objectives are you trying to accomplish? • What timing and resources constraints do you face? • What resources do you have available to “play the game”? • What support do you have available to help you in the design and implementation?

15. Resources • http://playfullearning.pbworks.com/Theoretical-Models-for-Play • http://playfullearning.pbworks.com/BibWebliography • http://playfullearning.pbworks.com/Play-Quotes

16. Final Comments and Questions 16

17. Thanks • Gail Matthews-DeNatale • gmdenatale@simmons.edu • Barbara Draude • bdraude@mtsu.edu