2010
Kangas, Marjaana
Kasvatustiede, Lapin yliopisto, 2010, ISBN: :978-952-484-418-5.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Avainsanat: creative and playful learning, creativity, englanninkieliset väitöskirjat, pedagogical model, playful learning environment, playfulness, technology
@phdthesis{Kangas2010,
title = {The school of the future: Theoretical and pedagogical approaches for creative and playful learning environments},
author = {Marjaana Kangas},
url = {https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:ula-2011291055},
isbn = {:978-952-484-418-5},
year = {2010},
date = {2010-01-01},
urldate = {2010-01-01},
school = {Kasvatustiede, Lapin yliopisto},
abstract = {This qualitative study investigates how learning and a learning environment can be defined and how the school learning environment should be designed to accommodate the potential of an innovative playful learning environment. Conceptually, the playful learning environment (PLE) refers to an indooroutdoor technology-enriched play and learning environment that has been developed for pre-primary and primary education. The five empirical studies comprising the thesis represent a continuum describing the development of the PLE, its pedagogical foundation, and its evolution. The study draws on two methodologies: grounded theory (GT) and design-based research (DBR). Both provide a researcher with the opportunity to generate theory and develop novel educational practices.
The particular focus of the research is on pre-primary and primary-aged children, their ideas, views, experiences and activity processes in various playful learning environments. The first study provides insights into the central features of the environment and the related learning activities. Among other findings, the research indicates that feelings are an essential part of children’s play and learning activities. The second study analyzes children’s creative collaboration in playful co-design activities and provides tools for defining learning. Here, the research yields insights into narrativity, creativity, and imagination in children’s collaborative activity. The third study illustrates children’s ideas and expectations regarding their ideal school and learning environment. It shows how primary school children’s expectations resonate in many ways with the arguments advanced in the current educational debate on what kinds of learning environments might best support children’s learning and well-being.
The fourth and fifth studies examine experiences of the PLE in authentic curriculum-based play and learning settings. These studies mark the beginning of a series of innovative design experiments. The results of the research indicate that various forms of creative and playful learning in the playground context can serve children’s learning in a multifaceted way. The two studies provide a strong underpinning for further research and design experiments relating to the PLE.
As defined in the thesis, learning is creative and playful learning that comprises mind-on, hands-on and body-on activities. It encompasses two slightly different learning processes: creative learning and playful learning. The former takes place mostly in classrooms, using various technology and media affordances, whereas the latter, as a physical form of learning, typically takes place outdoors, on a technology-enriched playground. The theoretical approaches to creative and playful learning elaborated in the thesis culminate in a pedagogical model for creative and playful learning. The model provides educators with a pedagogical foundation and tools for applying creative and playful learning in innovative environments and for approaching learning in ways that might contribute to the school of the future. The study captures the ideal creative and playful learning environment through a vision of a learning environment that encourages the use of various formal and informal learning places and spaces, novel technologies and technology-enriched learning environments, creativity, playfulness, physicality and children’s overall well-being.},
keywords = {creative and playful learning, creativity, englanninkieliset väitöskirjat, pedagogical model, playful learning environment, playfulness, technology},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
This qualitative study investigates how learning and a learning environment can be defined and how the school learning environment should be designed to accommodate the potential of an innovative playful learning environment. Conceptually, the playful learning environment (PLE) refers to an indooroutdoor technology-enriched play and learning environment that has been developed for pre-primary and primary education. The five empirical studies comprising the thesis represent a continuum describing the development of the PLE, its pedagogical foundation, and its evolution. The study draws on two methodologies: grounded theory (GT) and design-based research (DBR). Both provide a researcher with the opportunity to generate theory and develop novel educational practices.
The particular focus of the research is on pre-primary and primary-aged children, their ideas, views, experiences and activity processes in various playful learning environments. The first study provides insights into the central features of the environment and the related learning activities. Among other findings, the research indicates that feelings are an essential part of children’s play and learning activities. The second study analyzes children’s creative collaboration in playful co-design activities and provides tools for defining learning. Here, the research yields insights into narrativity, creativity, and imagination in children’s collaborative activity. The third study illustrates children’s ideas and expectations regarding their ideal school and learning environment. It shows how primary school children’s expectations resonate in many ways with the arguments advanced in the current educational debate on what kinds of learning environments might best support children’s learning and well-being.
The fourth and fifth studies examine experiences of the PLE in authentic curriculum-based play and learning settings. These studies mark the beginning of a series of innovative design experiments. The results of the research indicate that various forms of creative and playful learning in the playground context can serve children’s learning in a multifaceted way. The two studies provide a strong underpinning for further research and design experiments relating to the PLE.
As defined in the thesis, learning is creative and playful learning that comprises mind-on, hands-on and body-on activities. It encompasses two slightly different learning processes: creative learning and playful learning. The former takes place mostly in classrooms, using various technology and media affordances, whereas the latter, as a physical form of learning, typically takes place outdoors, on a technology-enriched playground. The theoretical approaches to creative and playful learning elaborated in the thesis culminate in a pedagogical model for creative and playful learning. The model provides educators with a pedagogical foundation and tools for applying creative and playful learning in innovative environments and for approaching learning in ways that might contribute to the school of the future. The study captures the ideal creative and playful learning environment through a vision of a learning environment that encourages the use of various formal and informal learning places and spaces, novel technologies and technology-enriched learning environments, creativity, playfulness, physicality and children’s overall well-being.
The particular focus of the research is on pre-primary and primary-aged children, their ideas, views, experiences and activity processes in various playful learning environments. The first study provides insights into the central features of the environment and the related learning activities. Among other findings, the research indicates that feelings are an essential part of children’s play and learning activities. The second study analyzes children’s creative collaboration in playful co-design activities and provides tools for defining learning. Here, the research yields insights into narrativity, creativity, and imagination in children’s collaborative activity. The third study illustrates children’s ideas and expectations regarding their ideal school and learning environment. It shows how primary school children’s expectations resonate in many ways with the arguments advanced in the current educational debate on what kinds of learning environments might best support children’s learning and well-being.
The fourth and fifth studies examine experiences of the PLE in authentic curriculum-based play and learning settings. These studies mark the beginning of a series of innovative design experiments. The results of the research indicate that various forms of creative and playful learning in the playground context can serve children’s learning in a multifaceted way. The two studies provide a strong underpinning for further research and design experiments relating to the PLE.
As defined in the thesis, learning is creative and playful learning that comprises mind-on, hands-on and body-on activities. It encompasses two slightly different learning processes: creative learning and playful learning. The former takes place mostly in classrooms, using various technology and media affordances, whereas the latter, as a physical form of learning, typically takes place outdoors, on a technology-enriched playground. The theoretical approaches to creative and playful learning elaborated in the thesis culminate in a pedagogical model for creative and playful learning. The model provides educators with a pedagogical foundation and tools for applying creative and playful learning in innovative environments and for approaching learning in ways that might contribute to the school of the future. The study captures the ideal creative and playful learning environment through a vision of a learning environment that encourages the use of various formal and informal learning places and spaces, novel technologies and technology-enriched learning environments, creativity, playfulness, physicality and children’s overall well-being.
2008
Hyvönen, Pirkko
Affordances of playful learning environment for tutoring playing and learning Väitöskirja
Kasvatustiede, Lapin yliopisto, 2008, ISBN: 978-952-484-262-4.
Abstract | BibTeX | Avainsanat: affordance, curriculum, englanninkieliset väitöskirjat, grounded theory, pedagogical model, playful learning environment, playfulness, pre-primary and basic education
@phdthesis{Hyvönen2008,
title = {Affordances of playful learning environment for tutoring playing and learning},
author = {Pirkko Hyvönen},
isbn = {978-952-484-262-4},
year = {2008},
date = {2008-01-01},
urldate = {2008-01-01},
school = {Kasvatustiede, Lapin yliopisto},
abstract = {This study investigated the affordances of playful learning environments (PLE) for tutoring, playing and learning in the context of pre-primary and basic education. A PLE is an outdoor construction that provides an additional informal learning environment, with or without technological solutions. Theoretically, this study draws on the sociocultural tradition and ecological psychology, in which the environment is perceived as an intrinsic element of individual psychology. A salient concept in ecological psychology is ‘affordance’, a term coined by James J. Gibson. Affordances are the elements within a given situation that allow a human or animal to perform specific actions. In this study, affordances describe the “action possibilities” (Gibson, 1979) of PLEs that support tutoring, playing and learning. In Study I, a pedagogical model of Tutoring-Playing-Learning was designed, and the quality of play was defined. Study II investigated what children desire from a play environment. It was found that the ideal play world includes physical activity, nature, and animals, with rich and varied emotional components that vary slightly for girls and boys. Both genders seek excitement and amusement in their play experiences. Study III explored teacher’s expectations of PLEs. The results revealed that teachers expect PLEs to offer activities beneficial to understanding and learning that cannot be implemented in classrooms. Study IV explored teacher’s views on play in the school context. Different types of play used in schools were distinguished. The role of teachers in play can be as a leader, allower, or afforder. Study V explored collaborative play (ColPlay) between genders in the school context. The data indicated that the most effective forms of ColPlay are role-play and outdoor play, but gender collaboration needs to be practiced. The overall purpose of this research was to consider the results of the studies from a higher theoretical level, using the concept of affordance. The most significant results were as follows: (1) The use of PLE with the pedagogical models presented in this study encouraged the integration of play and the curriculum with formal and informal learning environments. (2) For children, PLEs afford playful learning through physical activities that provide various emotional experiences in a natural environment. Affordances included an increase in learning outcomes, social interaction, and school enjoyment. Playfulness in learning provides embodiment, emotion, collaboration, action, narration, creativity, insight, authenticity, and concretization. (3) PLEs afford meaningful ways to use technology in teaching and learning. (4) Preventing affordances included teacher’s concerns that they may become overloaded and require additional technical skills. Playful learning environments in which children interact with teachers provide various possibilities for perceiving hidden affordances. Complex environments can provide hidden affordances and thus, learning through play. Teacher training should consider these results when teaching pedagogical methods.},
keywords = {affordance, curriculum, englanninkieliset väitöskirjat, grounded theory, pedagogical model, playful learning environment, playfulness, pre-primary and basic education},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {phdthesis}
}
This study investigated the affordances of playful learning environments (PLE) for tutoring, playing and learning in the context of pre-primary and basic education. A PLE is an outdoor construction that provides an additional informal learning environment, with or without technological solutions. Theoretically, this study draws on the sociocultural tradition and ecological psychology, in which the environment is perceived as an intrinsic element of individual psychology. A salient concept in ecological psychology is ‘affordance’, a term coined by James J. Gibson. Affordances are the elements within a given situation that allow a human or animal to perform specific actions. In this study, affordances describe the “action possibilities” (Gibson, 1979) of PLEs that support tutoring, playing and learning. In Study I, a pedagogical model of Tutoring-Playing-Learning was designed, and the quality of play was defined. Study II investigated what children desire from a play environment. It was found that the ideal play world includes physical activity, nature, and animals, with rich and varied emotional components that vary slightly for girls and boys. Both genders seek excitement and amusement in their play experiences. Study III explored teacher’s expectations of PLEs. The results revealed that teachers expect PLEs to offer activities beneficial to understanding and learning that cannot be implemented in classrooms. Study IV explored teacher’s views on play in the school context. Different types of play used in schools were distinguished. The role of teachers in play can be as a leader, allower, or afforder. Study V explored collaborative play (ColPlay) between genders in the school context. The data indicated that the most effective forms of ColPlay are role-play and outdoor play, but gender collaboration needs to be practiced. The overall purpose of this research was to consider the results of the studies from a higher theoretical level, using the concept of affordance. The most significant results were as follows: (1) The use of PLE with the pedagogical models presented in this study encouraged the integration of play and the curriculum with formal and informal learning environments. (2) For children, PLEs afford playful learning through physical activities that provide various emotional experiences in a natural environment. Affordances included an increase in learning outcomes, social interaction, and school enjoyment. Playfulness in learning provides embodiment, emotion, collaboration, action, narration, creativity, insight, authenticity, and concretization. (3) PLEs afford meaningful ways to use technology in teaching and learning. (4) Preventing affordances included teacher’s concerns that they may become overloaded and require additional technical skills. Playful learning environments in which children interact with teachers provide various possibilities for perceiving hidden affordances. Complex environments can provide hidden affordances and thus, learning through play. Teacher training should consider these results when teaching pedagogical methods.