Blog Archive

Relevant Research

Exploring Play/playfulness and Learning in the Adult and Higher Education Classroom by David J. Tanis Professor at Play Kevin Kelly posted a link in our Google Group to David Tanins' 2012 disseration discussing play in higher educaton.  While I have not had a chance...

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I Heart Stickers

I ♥ Stickers by Lisa Forbes Sometimes simply playing games in a higher education class is all it takes to increase engagement. But sometimes you might need to provide a little incentive to get students actually invested in games and play. If you can spark engagement...

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A Reminder …

We all need a reminder sometimes. You want to play. You believe in the power of play. But the day gets away from you and you forget to play or you tell yourself you will play later. Well, just remember. It's OK to Play. Bring a smile to someone's face. Reignite their...

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The Power of Play

The Power of Play in Higher Education: Creativity in Tertiary Learning Edited by Alison James and Chrissi Nerantzi by Lisa Forbes If you value play in higher education, you need to read this book. If you don’t value play in higher education, you need to read this...

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Play Matters: Book Mini-review

Play Matters A book I found meaningful in my study of play and fun in teaching is Play Matters by Miguel Sicart. I began this teaching adventure by trying to make classes more “fun.” After I read Sicart’s book, my understanding of “fun” in teaching expanded. I...

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Virtual Symposium Announced!

Professors at Play Online Symposium Please hold the date for a virtual Symposium on Friday, November 6th, 2020 between 8 - 4 MST (10-6 EST, 7-3 PDT). We envision a single-track Zoom conference, with all of the sessions recorded and put on YouTube. We will set up a...

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Playfulness Matters

“Playfulness matters because it brings the essential qualities of freedom and personal expression to the world outside of play. Miguel Sicart, Play Matters p.30

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Dynamic and Unpredictable Online Learning

by Lisa Forbes Maybe it’s just me but if I do the same thing for too long, I get extremely bored. Maybe I’m projecting this issue onto my students but I assume they feel the same so I try to design classes so students never know what is going to happen next. I believe...

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Death to the Synchronous Lecture

by Lisa Forbes I don’t think that a lot of lecturing is a good idea for any class but even more so for a virtual course. I bet you’ve been on some Zoom meetings where someone was just talking AT you and I bet you found it difficult to stay present and engaged. With my...

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