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PLAYFUL LEARNING SPACES - THE ROLE OF ARTEFACTS AND IMAGINATION IN DESIGNING FOR INCLUSIVE AND IMMERSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Aalborg University (DENMARK)
About this paper:
Appears in: ICERI2013 Proceedings
Publication year: 2013
Pages: 4311-4314
ISBN: 978-84-616-3847-5
ISSN: 2340-1095
Conference name: 6th International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation
Dates: 18-20 November, 2013
Location: Seville, Spain
Abstract:
Most learning spaces in the school systems are standardized environments with single layers of connotations that do not appeal to the imagination. This lack of the richness of experience which we often find in real life, does not support the immersion of the learners in joyful and interactive activities. Standard classrooms are mostly designed as arenas for cognitive acquisition that prioritize addressing one aspect of the learning process that is cognitive based, without equally engaging the affective or psycho-motoric aspects.

This paper will present and discuss a research intervention in a Danish School, in which 5 classes ranging from grade 6 to grade 9 for a 6-week period redesigned their learning space into a playful learning environment.
In this action-research project the teachers recreated their classrooms by adding artifacts, sounds and costumes that were used in a narrative game-based approach that framed the curriculum.

A narrative introduction was carried out as an event in a local historical building, and this story-based setting of the learning created an experiential learning space with roles for teachers and students, that allowed for imaginative interactions.
The use of a frame-narrative as well as the use of artifacts and costumes, did add potentials to the meaning making process in the learning space. This approach also helped engaging learners at an affective and psycho-motoric level, in a more embodied way of learning that appealed to many learners.

The paper presents results from the project based on observations, qualitative interviews and a survey.
Keywords:
Learning space, joy of learning, immersion, embodied learning, redesign, immersion, story-based, interactive learning, artifacts, game.