Play And Enjoyable Experience: a Pedagogical Framework

Play is a very important activity – it is creative and exploratory; it is also an activity in which progress can be achieved. These ideas are supported by the theories of Huizinga(1959) and Bateson(1973). In play we enter the `play frame’ which is a psychological frame in which we treat the activities that are occurring as non-serious and therefore we are more at ease in our approach; we tend therefore to be more open minded. If we can organise our teaching such that our students enter the play frame then they will be more likely to consider new ideas and knowledge. Additionally, Csikszentmihalyi(1975) shows that enjoyable experience is achieved by matching skills with challenges and that we remember enjoyable experiences. Hence, if we provide students with the necessary knowledge (skills) and the problem solving exercises (challenges) they will have an enjoyable and memorable experience, and if it occurs within the play frame’ then they will progress in their learning and understanding and look forward to the next such experience of education.

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