I just came back from one week of learning conferences in Trondheim: first læringsfestivalen (the learning festival, a national conference for the higher education sector) then NKUL (the national conference on the use of ICT in education and learning).

I was very pleased to see several presentation on the theme of games and play in teaching and learning. The spillpedagogene recorded a live podcast on the use of video games in the classroom; NTNU, Peer Gynt as. and Sarepta presented a build for their incoming game based on Ibsen’s Peer Gynt (a classic of Norwegian literature taught at school all around Norway); the 2019 gold apple prize winner (Gullepleprisen), Lisa Stornes was described as using games and Classcraft in her class; and many stands were presenting coding games or other edutainment products.

I understand well that NKUL has more a focus on presenting examples and actual products to teachers and school leaders, but I missed a wider understanding of the use of play and games in the classroom. All examples were focused on artefacts: usually video games, but also boardgames. So my question is: where is play? Do we need a material support to introduce playful learning in the classroom? Why focus almost solely on video games?

I had my hopes up when I joined a presentation entitled ‘Læring gjennom lek’ (Learning through play). Unfortunately, even though it was interesting and the presenter introduced many good tips for using games in English and ICT courses, the whole presentation focused on boardgames and videogames.

Dividing play and games into two separate entities might sound like a researcher’s stunt, and most of us probably include play implicitly when talking about games. However, the constant focus on the artefact hides another thruth: we do take play for granted. We often assume that by presenting students with a video game playfulness will follow. But is it that simple? Is playfulness a characteristic of the artefact or an attitude taken by the player (Henriot, 1969). Or is it a mix of both?

But let us end this post on a happy note (the goal was not to sound like a grumpy old lady, but to wonder about the place of play at school): it is wonderful to see more focus on the use of games for learning and to hear so many passionate teachers present examples from their classrooms. The importance of games as cultural artefacts is also being recognised and highlighted as shown with the current ministry of culture’s computer game strategy plan for 2020-2022.

Many reasons to rejoice and a little shout out to game based learning researchers: do not forget play and playfulness.

To read more about playfulness, play and games:

References

Henriot, J. (1969). Le jeu. Presses universitaires de France.