Play qualities: Playful actions in learning processes in teacher education and social education

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the concept of play qualities with the aim of supporting, creating, analysing, and evaluating playful approaches to learning in teacher education and social education. Through a design-based approach, it explores how the concept of play qualities might create opportunities to conceptualise playful approaches to teaching and learning in higher education. The concept of play quality has the following characteristics: They are related to actions and always aimed at those engaged in concrete situations and those exercising concrete actions. They are dynamic and develop and transform over time. The main contribution of this paper is the creation of a concept that enables us to look at existing teaching approaches and ask about their play qualities, so that we can use the concept of play qualities as design principles for future playful teaching.

Keywords

• Play
• Playful learning
• Higher education
• Design-based research