Playing board games for learning at uni, really?Dr Chrissi Nerantzi (FSEDA, SFHEA, CMALT, NTF), @chrissinerantzi,

CELT, Manchester MetSeminar series SEED “Teaching matters”, University of Manchester, 7 December 2017

“If you don’t feel like an idiot at least once a day, you need to work less and play more. Dumb errors force us to learn, progress and innovate.” (Kessels, 2016, 129)

https://get.pxhere.com/photo/play-recreation-red-color-cone-board-game-fun-sports-games-shape-entertainment-voltage-parchesi-up-not-indoor-games-and-sports-tabletop-game-english-draughts-game-stone-1160644.jpg

Nerantzi, C. (2016) Learning to play, playing to learn: the rise of playful learning in higher education – Digifest 2016, 25 February 2016, available at https://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/learning-to-play-playing-to-learn-the-rise-of-playful-learning-in-he-25-feb-2016 interviewed by Michelle Pauli

Rea

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g

@chrissinerantzi

The playshop plan

• Introduce each other, play and board games

• Discuss board games through play and adapt one

@chrissinerantzi

Evolutionnew ideas from existing ideas

Synthesiscombination of existing ideas

Revolutionbrand new ideas

Re-applicationexisting ideas in new light

Changing directionnew path when old doesn’t work

Cre

ativ

ity

rem

ind

er

@chrissinerantzi

Q1: Which board games have you played/do you like playing? Speed dating and sharing.

Q3: What bothers you about board games?

@chrissinerantzi

“Only when we care about

experimentation, play, and questionsmore than efficiency, outcomes, and answers do we have a space that is truly open to the

imagination. And where imaginations play, learning happens.” (Thomas & Seely

Brown, 2011, 118)

@chrissinerantzi

Creative reflection: James & Brookfield (2014, 54)

Criticality Creativity

Playfulness Imagination

Reflection

“Blending creativity and reflection, and infusing them with qualities of imagination and play, creates a powerful cocktail that enhances learning”. James & Brookfield (2014, 55)

@chrissinerantzi

• Capture something you did recently in one of your sessions that didn’t work.

• Make a ball out of this.

• Add it to the bin.

image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Paperball.pnghttp://www2.psd100.com/ppp/2013/10/0401/recycle-bin-empty-icon-1004144319.png

Bin it! 1/2

@chrissinerantzi

https://get.pxhere.com/photo/play-recreation-red-color-cone-board-game-fun-sports-games-shape-entertainment-voltage-parchesi-up-not-indoor-games-and-sports-tabletop-game-english-draughts-game-stone-1160644.jpg

@chrissinerantzi

Educational benefits of traditional games (Whitton & Moseley, 2012, 139)

• “They require no technical knowledge to create or play.

• They can be produced cheaply and easily using readily available materials.

• Inspiration and working gameplay approaches can be readily sourced from existing board, card or other games.

• They can encourage group working and discussion.

• They can be reproduced and amended easily.”

@chrissinerantzi

Play oneare you ready?

“Play sets the stage for cooperative socialization. It nourishes the roots of trust, empathy, caring, and sharing.”

(Brown, 2009, 197)

Adapt one… let’s give it a go

Res

ou

rces

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3224/2922628098_f08feee91a_z.jpg?zz=1

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/09/21/16/27/toys-950148_960_720.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Set_of_roleplaying_dice.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Lolly_sticks.jpg/960px-Lolly_sticks.jpg

@chrissinerantzi

• Pick somebody else’s “binned idea”.

• Come up with an idea to take the idea forward!!! Could a (board-) game help? Share with the originator.

image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Paperball.pnghttp://www2.psd100.com/ppp/2013/10/0401/recycle-bin-empty-icon-1004144319.png

Un-bin it! 2/2

@chrissinerantzi

Playground Pedagogy Three main theories of teaching

(Ramsden, 2008)

Playground 1.0 supervised > feeling safe,

developing trust

Theory 1: Teaching as telling, transmission

or delivery - PASSIVE

Playground 2.0 participatory > gaining

playful confidence through guided

playful learning

Theory 2: Teaching as organising or

facilitating student activity - ACTIVE

Playground 3.0 self-determined >

autonomy, developing and sustaining

play-active practice

Theory 3: Teaching as making learning

possible – SELF-DIRECTED

Nerantzi, C. (2015) The Playground Model for Creative Professional Development, In: Nerantzi, C. & James, A. (eds.) (2015) Exploring Play in Higher Education, Creative Academic Magazine, Issue 2A, June 2015, pp. 40-50, available at http://www.creativeacademic.uk/

Play one

Adapt one

Create one

@chrissinerantzi

Create one… homework

Online help

http://www.boardgamesmaker.com/http://boardgames.lovetoknow.com/Create_Your_Own_Printable_Board_Game

Templates Create your own

@chrissinerantzi

Access and contribute creative and playful teaching ideas!!!

https://101creativeideas.wordpress.com/

@chrissinerantzi

Online athttps://plus.google.com/communities/110898703741307769041

#creativeHE community online + local #creativeHE meet-ups

@chrissinerantzi

References

Brookfield, S. (2017) Creative approaches to stimulate classroom discussions, in: Watts, L.S. & Blessinger, P. (2017) Creative learning in higher education. International perspectives and approaches, London: Routledge, pp. 159-176

Brown, S. (2010) Play. How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul, New York: Penguin.

James, A. & Brookfield S. (2014) Engaging Imagination. Helping Students become creative and reflective thinkers, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Kessels, E. (2016) Failed it! How to turn mistakes into ideas and other advice for successfully screwing up, London: Phaidon press.

Nerantzi, C. (2015) The Playground Model for Creative Professional Development, In: Nerantzi, C. & James, A. (eds.) (2015) Exploring Play in Higher Education, Creative Academic Magazine, Issue 2A, June 2015, pp. 40-50, available at http://www.creativeacademic.uk/

Whitton, N. & Moseley, A. (2012) Designing low-cost games for learning, in:Whitton, N. & Moseley, A. (eds.) Using games to enhance learning and teaching. A beginner’s guide, Oxon: Routledge

@chrissinerantzi

Playing board games for learning at uni, really?Dr Chrissi Nerantzi (FSEDA, SFHEA, CMALT, NTF), @chrissinerantzi,

CELT, Manchester MetSeminar series SEED “Teaching matters”, University of Manchester, 7 December 2017

Share with care

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