Playful Learning in Schools Across Cultural Contexts: Implications for Teaching and Teacher Education

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Eight
  In Roundtable Session: Modeling and Analyzing Teacher Practices and Perspectives in Teacher Education (Table 9)

Abstract

Learning through play is a powerful resource for learners of all ages yet is underutilized in most school contexts. This cross-cultural qualitative research project explored learning through play in 15 schools across four geographies (Denmark, South Africa, U.S., Colombia) through two questions: 1) What does playful learning in schools look and feel like across different cultural contexts? 2)How can educators and teacher educators promote playful learning in schools? Collaboration with educators in each geography led to several findings: identifying culturally-specific indicators of playful learning for each context; capturing a model of cross-cultural playful learning indicators; and distilling a set of five teaching practices and related strategies to promote learning through play. Implications for teaching and teacher education are discussed.

Author

• Megina Baker, Boston Public Schools
  Presenting Author