Back to Play again...talking about Susan Codone's Report

Technology based play can be elaborative and promote deeper processing by serving as an exploratory and investigative device (Codone, 2010).  Play within interactive multimedia can be open, voluntary, pleasurable, and non-goal oriented.  Play has such significant value and has become connected to many other psychological constructs, such as language formation, symbolism, abstraction of intellectual prototypes, acquisition of tool use, social skill development, perspective or role taking, and the development of creativity (Sutton-Smith, 1979; Christie & Johnsen, 1983). Technology can be created as guided play where educators structure an environment around a general curricular goal that is designed to stimulate children’s natural curiosity, exploration, and play with learning-oriented objects/materials(Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 2003). 

Trying to define “Play” is a construct in itself.  There are so many definitions out there as I shared in my Creative piece.   Johann Huizinga (1951) defined play as a free activity standing quite consciously outside ordinary life as being not serious, but at the same time absorbing the player intensely and utterly.  Christie and Johnsen describe play as an activity that is pleasurable, voluntary, spontaneous, devoid of imposed tasks or regulations, intrinsically motivated, undertaken for process rather than expected outcomes and that requires active participation.  Gitlin-Weiner (1988) describes play as pleasurable, the antithesis of work, free of extrinsic goals, and an absorbing process involving the temporary loss of awareness of one’s surrounds.   In all of the many definitions I read, one common theme was enjoyment, fun, creativity,  and a sense of timelessness due to intense immersion.

Constructivist instruction, with its emphasis on student-centered learning, the active construction of knowledge, subjective meaning, and learning situated in authentic, real-world environments, provides an open and acceptable place for play in instruction (Codone, 2010).  Play can consist of problem solving, exploration, and an opportunity to try things out without risk or evaluation.  Play can allow a student to explore what could happen by trying out a variety of actions and observing the consequences.

Play is consistent with the developmental principles of how children learn.  Play is active, has meaningful context, and uses a whole child approach to learning (Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 2003).  Play also fosters strong learning through interest, engagement, attention, and intrinsic motivation.

Gagne, Briggs, & Wager (1992) state that instruction is a human undertaking whose purpose to help people learn.  They list five assumptions for the design of instruction.

1.      Instructional design must be aimed at aiding the learning of the individual

2.      Systematically designed instruction can greatly affect individual human development

3.      Instructional design has phases that are both immediate and long-term

4.      Instructional design should be conducted by means of a systems approach

5.      Designed instruction must be based on knowledge of how human beings learn

There is not a lot of research out there, and since there are so many definitions a long-term goal will be to identify the conditions of play to prescribe them for use by instructional designers (Codone, 2010).  These studies will give us a better understanding of play and the ability to train designers on how to “design play” (Codone, 2010).  The W.I.R.E. Indicators of Play aids us in determining what “Play” is.  The W.I.R.E. model is defined as: Way to use play, an Indicator of play, the Result of using play and the Elements that are necessary for play to occur.  This model can be used by instructional designers as a way to “WIRE” their instruction with play, embedding elements into the environment that will stimulate the indicators of play, while at the same time providing designers with specific tactics (ways) to deliver instruction through play (Codone, 2010).

Codone, S. (2010). The Effectiveness of Play as an Instructional Strategy on Procedural Learning, Learner Enjoyment, and Instructional Design.  Raytheon Interactive Technologies. Pensacola, FL. Retrieved from: http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=susan+codone+the+effectivenes+of+play&d=4685130859089411&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=87d35d0,914e414f

Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff. (2003) A Mandate for playful learning: Framing the definitions and the evidence. Retrieved on November 15, 2010 from: http://www.researchconnections.org/files/childcare/pdf/KathyHirsh-PasekPresentation.pdf