Play or How I Learn Best

(img credit: https://pixabay.com/en/playground-children-kids-game-417615/)

"Here you go. Make it work."

Those were the instructions I gave to the algebra students when I showed them the 3d printer our school recently acquired. I hadn't opened it. I didn't want to do anything with it until I knew what it would mean to the instructional lives of our students. There's no point in having something for the students unless there's a plan for how the tool will build on their experiences.

So that became the plan. I gave the unopened box with a laptop to a small group of students, who - through a glitch in scheduling (read: a mistake I made) - have an empty period in their day. They unpacked, explored, Googled, watched videos, made mistakes, aligned pieces, and printed a little heart pendant. The looks of satisfaction on their faces were priceless, and it was a result of their freedom to play with a goal.

Play is not about a lack of direction. It's about sampling, poking, prodding, and finding ways to fail and ways to succeed within parameters. Games are designed with ends in mind. So is learning that utilizes play. Assessments are done along the way. You understand how much a participant is capable of grasping of the play while observing them in it. When one skill is mastered, it generally opens the door to more sophisticated opportunities.

It's been a while since we have had #slowchated, and I've missed it. Discussing one question across the span of a day allows for richer connection and reflection. We're capable of transcending the challenges of injecting nuance into 140 characters. So let's slow chat this week about play. How we use it for our own learning, how we use it to get our students to learn, and ways that we can expand its use.

Question by day:
11/16: What was one thing you learned by playing that has stayed with you? Why does this stand out to you?
11/17: What types of play do you allow for your students, or do you find there isn't enough time for play?
11/18: Are video games useful educational tools? Which ones? How so? OR Why not?
11/19: Think of person with whom you work who views play as an "out of school" activity? How can you bring them to play? If it's you, what would it take to get you to play to learn?
11/20: We've talked a lot about playing and learning - How can someone who is using play use assessment (formative, summative, authentic) to provide feedback?
11/21: I always end with a challenge: Tell us one way you'll try to use play next week in your school/classroom.