More Than a Score
“During play, we are more at ease. Our inhibitions are often set aside while we give way to the flow that is exploration and discovery. This is in direct contrast with traditional modes of learning that are predicated on single opportunities to know the right answer and move along.”
In play, the process is the product. Remember Caine, the child in California whose homemade arcade inspired the nation? He demonstrates how otherwise siloed content can be put to more purposeful use through play.
Sure, creating his games required traditional math and literacy. Not for rote worksheets but for estimating probabilities and creating signage for a homemade arcade. And what about Caine’s ability to navigate difficulties, communicate clearly, and rally support from his community?
If you ask me, the magic of Caine’s arcade is in the application of oftentimes rote content with what folks may call ‘soft skills’ that are perhaps the most complicated to teach. These are the skills Caine showed in spades from stretching your thinking, seeking support, and showing up ready to try again tomorrow.
“ When you’ve worked with kids for years, you know children are innately capable of so much more than we give them credit for. Their latent creativity lies dormant while traditional schooling pushes worksheets and notebooks.”
The research is clear, learning through play is a win for everyone. So now that you’re in, how can YOU invite more play into each day?
It’s time to enter boss level territory in Level Up 21. But beware, this is not for the faint of heart.
Let your students be your guide as you bravely embark on a new way of learning through purposeful play.
Use these prompts as you set out on your own journey of game design and development, breaking content free from the textbooks and worksheets and into the hands and hearts of our learners through play.
“In play, a score is never set in stone, and the goal is often to be better than you were the last time. Isn’t this also how school should be?”
Play a Game, Make a Difference
Can your play have an impact on the world around you? The answer is a resounding yes when playing the “Impact Points Challenge” posed by iCivics.
During this particularly trying time in world history as we battle a pandemic and a decaying democracy, you can now learn about the three branches of government while also contributing to an organization in need.