ESRC seminar series
Seminar 4: Play and learning
9 September 2004, Edinburgh
This seminar considered a number of related topics, including how 'play' is taken into account in the design process, and the benefits and/or problems of using game design to inform educational materials.
Outcomes
Dr Lydia Plowman, University of Stirling
This fourth seminar was on the theme of play and learning. Presenters adopted different approaches, including focusing on just one stage of the design process or giving an overview of project development from the perspective of the relationship between play and learning. Olga Timcenko described how LEGO commissions, conducts and integrates research into the process of concept development, design and planning. Kevin Carey provided a thought-provoking critique of some of the products available today and the culture in which they are used, and Angela McFarlane drew on her research in this area to provide an overview of the issues involved in playing to learn and learning to play.
Prompted by the presentations, discussion groups made up of representatives from different sectors of education, government, media and industry considered a number of related topics:
- what are the benefits and/or problems of using game design to inform educational materials?
- how meaningful are the concepts of 'edutainment' and 'serious fun' for learning?
- what is the nature of the relationship between
- is there a tension between the educational content and encouraging or supporting play?
- to what extent does play provide motivation, enjoyment or distraction?
- what are the differences between play with screen-based artifacts and play with
- what are the implications for learning of the convergence of games technologies (ie use of web, games consoles, PCs, TVs)?
Supported by:
