Abstract
Welcome to this themed collection for Research in Learning Technology. These articles collate ideas and practices developed from workshops held at the second Playful Learning Conference in July 2017 (http://conference.playthinklearn.net). It is fair to say that this is an extraordinary conference, designed to explore the intersection between learning and play for adults. The approach and content of the event are intentionally playful, yet underpinned by robust research and exploratory practices. The workshops, keynote speakers, stands and activities are intended to disrupt the temptation to default to mainstream educational thinking. They also provide a space for academics from diverse backgrounds to play, learn and think together. Moseley (2017) curated examples from the inaugural 2016 conference for a previous special issue. Published : 9 May 2018 Citation : Research in Learning Technology 2018, 26 : 2079 - http://dx.doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v26.2079
Highlights
Welcome to this themed collection for Research in Learning Technology
The intention of this collection of articles is to provide an overview of current thinking about play and playfulness in tertiary education, share practices that generate enjoyment within scholarly arenas and challenge what technology is in a ‘digital age’
We appreciate that some of the articles stray from the path of what some may consider to be ‘learning technology’, but we suggest that by taking a wider and inclusive view of ‘technology’, readers will benefit from a small foray into these ‘desire paths’ (Nichols 2014)
Summary
Welcome to this themed collection for Research in Learning Technology. These articles collate ideas and practices developed from workshops held at the second Playful Learning Conference in July 2017 (http://conference.playthinklearn.net). Moseley (2017) curated examples from the inaugural 2016 conference for a previous special issue The intention of this collection of articles is to provide an overview of current thinking about play and playfulness in tertiary education, share practices that generate enjoyment within scholarly arenas and challenge what technology is in a ‘digital age’. Commercial organisations have been drawing on more playful activities for many years, to drive training and serve other purposes (Batko 2016; Michael and Chen 2005) Such approaches may reflect how organisations and society may be moving away from bureaucratic or hierarchical foundations towards flexibility in the processes that lead to decision-making and a drive to disrupt mainstream institutional processes (Kane 2004).Perhaps, it is the more constrained, ‘traditional’ approaches in business and educational sectors that need challenging most, and maybe these are the places that the innovative landscape of play could have the greatest impact. The following articles add a few more pieces to a growing puzzle that is, perhaps, being surreptitiously built into the higher education landscape
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