Play

Psychology in ordinary lives

by Sardar Anwaruddin

(It Will) Never Work: A critique of the Situationists’ appropriation of Johan Huizinga’s theory of play

by Tom Tenney

The Situationist International (1957-1972), or SI, was an intellectual avant-garde collective that used Homo Ludens, a... more The Situationist International (1957-1972), or SI, was an intellectual avant-garde collective that used Homo Ludens, a text written in 1938 by the Dutch historian Johan Huizinga, as a key source informing much of their writing and key tenets of their philosophy. In this paper, I will first look at key elements of Huizinga’s theory of play as outlined in his seminal work, followed by the ways that these ideas were absorbed into the Situationists theories and practices. I will examine the ways that ludic principles were appropriated for, and played out in, the Situationist practices of dérive, détournement, situations, and unitary urbanism. I will argue that while the SI rightly believed that a rediscovery of man’s instinct to play could be used to inform revolutionary praxis, the way in which they utilized ludic ideals in practice tended to ignore essential elements of Huizinga’s theory.

A Tgarden as a Phenomenological Experiment

by Xin Wei Sha

Leg som stemningspraksis

by Helle Karoff

Med afsæt i et empirisk studie af børns leg og hverdagsliv og med det socialanalytiske perspektiv som teoretisk ramme... more Med afsæt i et empirisk studie af børns leg og hverdagsliv og med det socialanalytiske perspektiv som teoretisk ramme søger afhandlingen at komme med svar på spørgsmålet: Hvad er leg?

Kameraet som redskab i forskning i børns leg

by Helle Karoff

I den skandinaviske børneforskning bruges kameraet i stort omfang som redskab i etnografisk inspireret arbejde med... more I den skandinaviske børneforskning bruges kameraet i stort omfang som redskab i etnografisk inspireret arbejde med børn.. Med udgangspunkt i en række konkrete eksempler fra et længere etnografisk arbejde blandt 17 danske børn og deres familier reflekterer artiklen over brugen af kameraet i forskningen i børns leg. Artiklen peger på tre områder, hvor brugen af kameraet er betydningsfuld i forhold til feltarbejderens vidensproduktion: Kameraet giver børnene en stemme, kameraet spiller en afgørende rolle i forhold til frembringelse af feltnotaterne og dermed også i adgangen til vidensproduktion, ligesom det forstærker interaktionen mellem deltagere og forsker. Perspektivet i artiklen er rundet af det såkaldte nye barndomsparadigme, og i det perspektiv forstås børn som aktører i deres egen ret, og barndommen besidder en selvstændig værdi, der rækker ud over forberedelsen til voksenlivet.

Language Gaming : SLA and concepts of play

by Gregory Bornmann

Studies in Language and Literature, Matsuyama University Research Center, 10(2), 49-63. November 1990.

As Wittgenstein notes, "We can also think of the whole process of using words as one of those games by means of... more As Wittgenstein notes, "We can also think of the whole process of using words as one of those games by means of which children learn their native language." Washburn (1973) in his studies of primate behavior observes how play, which is both pleasurable and repetitive, leads to the attainment of adult skills. Bateson (1972) postulates that the ability to play--to recognize signs as signals which can be trusted, falsified, mimicked, and so forth--represents a crucial evolutionary stage. This paper gives a survey of concepts in play and examines the implications such concepts have for the study of second language acquisition (SLA). Current methodologies for the teaching of English as a second language are then examined, with special attention paid to Gattegno's Silent Way which, according to Gattegno (1983), creates a "serious gamelike situation."

"Why Do You Write Your Name Long Like That?" Language and Literacy In a San Francisco Kindergarten

by Espen Helgesen

Unpublished Master's Thesis, University of Bergen 2008

In this thesis I investigate the role of language awareness in early literacy, and argue that skills acquired when... more In this thesis I investigate the role of language awareness in early literacy, and argue that skills acquired when becoming literate can provide resources for manipulating social as well as textual relations. Based on ethnographic research among a group of 5- and 6-year old kindergartners in a San Francisco public school, I describe how the kids' personal names provided them with stable landmarks with which to explore both oral and written language. The capacity of names to facilitate communication was, however, countered by the equally powerful capacity of names to obstruct communication. Presenting the kids' personal names as examples of how language is often polysemic, or ambiguous, I argue that, even if the words they used did not have a singular meaning, they were often treated as if they did. I argue that there was a mismatch between two dominant perspectives on names among the kindergartners. Whereas some of the kids primarily used names as markers of identity, others challenged this stability by manipulating names in what I refer to as name joking; the playful manipulation of phonemes or letters for humorous effect. The assumed fixity of names seemed to make them particularly suitable for joking purposes, and a tension could often be found between the kids who considered names to be attached to individuals, and those who considered names to be detached or detachable from individuals. I argue that metalinguistic awareness, understood as the ability to attend to elements of language as objects, was a prerequisite for name joking. Rather than emphasizing this single skill, however, I argue that the kids' different perspectives on language was the product of a difference in communicative flexibility. As such, the kids who were able to switch between considering names to be attached and to be detached from people had a distinct advantage both in conversation and play among the kindergartners. Although teachers encouraged the kids to consider language to be a fluid and flexible tool, they also treated language as a direct reflection of reality by responding with sanctions when the kids used what was referred to as "bad words".

A Child's World in the City: An Ethnography of an East London Adventure Playground

by Daniel Bigler

2010 thesis for the MA in Child Studies program at King's College London

Juhus, intuitsioon ja loovus kui õppimise pärisosa (Chance, intuition and creativity as the essential part of learning)

by Evelin Tamm

Education is much more than the teacher-led rationally planned activities. In this critical article I write about... more Education is much more than the teacher-led rationally planned activities. In this critical article I write about chance, intuition and creativity as something that every teachers can embrace instead of pretending as if it is not there. How to change your educational practices according to the changes that happen in the society?

I am currently thinking of translating some of my articles to English. If you are interested about the topics of this article, let me know so I have more motivation.

SHADOW IN THE NIGHT SIGIRIYA’S SHINY LADIES - L’OMBRE DE LA NUIT LES DAMES DE LUMIÈRE DE SIGIRIYA

by Jacques Coulardeau

Jacques COULARDEAU
Diyakapilla, October 5, 2005
Olliergues, December 27-31, 2005

A play composed from the Sigiri Graffiti translated both in English and in French with a long French Introduction.more A play composed from the Sigiri Graffiti translated both in English and in French with a long French Introduction.

Meet the myth and the light of the 9th century on Sigiriya Rock

Opening up the playground: supporting library staff to learn through play

by Kim Tairi

Co-authored with Helen Reid. Peer reviewed paper for the VALA2012 conference.

Technology is the backbone of our libraries. Keeping up with the pace of change in emerging technologies is the... more Technology is the backbone of our libraries. Keeping up with the pace of change in emerging technologies is the challenge. It's time to reassess how we spread emerging technologies throughout our workplaces. The success of the 'Learning 2.0' programs around the world points to informal learning as being the way forward. Staff are increasingly being told to 'go and play' with emerging technology. This paper will explore the barriers and enablers of informal learning in libraries. It provides real-life examples of how to overcome barriers and create an environment conducive to spreading emerging technologies.

Play, enaction and the dialectics of worldmaking (abstract)

by Ezequiel Di Paolo

Di Paolo, E. A., (2007). Play, enaction and the dialectics of worldmaking in Toward a Science of Consciousness 2007, Budapest, Hungary, July 23-26, 2007.

Horizons for the enactive mind: Values, social interaction and play

by Ezequiel Di Paolo

Di Paolo, E. A., Rohde, M. and De Jaegher, H., (2010). Horizons for the Enactive Mind: Values, Social Interaction, and Play. In J. Stewart, O. Gapenne and E. A. Di Paolo (eds), Enaction: Towards a New Paradigm for Cognitive Science, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 33 - 87.

Religion, Neuroscience and Emotion: Some Implications of Consumerism and Entertainment Culture

by Rebecca Sachs Norris

This is a chapter in Religion and the Body: Modern Science and the Construction of Religious Meaning, David Cave and Rebecca Norris eds., Brill, Numen Book Series: Studies in the History of Religions, forthcoming 2012.

Interpretation as Action : The Risk of Inquiry

by Jon Awbrey

Awbrey, J.L., and Awbrey, S.M. (Autumn 1995), “Interpretation as Action : The Risk of Inquiry”, Inquiry : Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines 15(1), pp. 40–52.

“We hope you will find these thoughts of ours both interesting and useful.” These are words spoken to express an... more “We hope you will find these thoughts of ours both interesting and useful.” These are words spoken to express an intention, a bearing in the mind of a person toward an object which is yet to be achieved. The readiest moment of human life involves the interplay of signs, ideas, and objects — more explicitly, the interrelation of signifying expressions, states and dispositions of the mind or person, and objects or objectives either actual or potential. Our work designing instruments to enhance the play of inquiry has attuned us to the themes of interpretation and intentionality which every inquiry seems to involve. We hear what sounds like familiar strains reaching us from the hermeneutic quarter. The purpose of this essay is to trace to their sources a few of these potentially common themes, to draw out one line of their historical development, and to gather what consequences they inspire for educational practice and continued inquiry.

The Edge of Recalcitrance: playwork, order and chaos

by Arthur Battram

Desarrollo de los significados compartidos en el juego entre adultos y niños con síndrome de Down

by Adolfo Perinat

1994. In colaboration with José Luis Lalueza. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 65, 133-146.

En este artículo se discuten algunos de los resultados obtenidos en una investigación longitudinal sobre el juego... more En este artículo se discuten algunos de los resultados obtenidos en una investigación longitudinal sobre el juego manipulativo de niños con Síndrome de Down y niños sin disminución. Los registros utilizados fueron grabaciones de vídeo realizadas en las casas de los niños, cada dos meses, y durante un año y medio. El análisis no se limita a la actividad del niño, sino que se sitúa en el marco interactivo en el que se desarrolló el juego de estos niños, acompañados por sus madres y por otras personas desconocidas para ellos. A partir de los resultados, se intentan explicar algunos rasgos propios del desarrollo de los niños SD, el papel de los adultos y las implicaciones que ello pueda tener en el diseño de la intervención en el área de la estimulación precoz.

Play in the Grade One Classroom: An Exploration of Teacher Beliefs, Classroom Organization, and Obstacles to Implementation in Quebec

by Joanne Lehrer

Playing in the Sand with Picasso: Relief Sculpture as Game in the Summer of 1930

by David Getsy

in David Getsy, ed., _From Diversion to Subversion: Games, Play, and Twentieth-Century Art_ (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2011), 80-93.

The essay discusses an often overlooked group of works made by Pablo Picasso over the span of two weeks in the summer... more The essay discusses an often overlooked group of works made by Pablo Picasso over the span of two weeks in the summer of 1930. These "sand reliefs," as they are called, engaged with the medium of relief sculpture and used its parameters as rules of a game Picasso played. Across the eight works that make up this set, Picasso toyed with questions of two- and three-dimensional imaging. In particular, the essay focuses on the role of shadow as a central component of relief sculpture and on Picasso's allegorization of it through the introduction of the silhouette in the early reliefs. By discussing the importance of the silhouette for Picasso in these years, I show how an undirected process of play around it and in the framework provided by relief sculpture generated new ways of thinking about sculpture. Throughout, I attend to the open-endedness of Picasso's play and the back-and-forth testing of rules in the sand reliefs in order to demonstrate how the perspective of Game Studies can bring to light new ways of considering artworks and artistic process.

R. Willett, M. Robinson and J. Marsh, Editors, Play, Creativity and Digital Cultures, Taylor & Francis, New York, NY (2009)(243 Pages, hardcover).

by Marjaana Kangas

This extremely interesting book brings together many important views of the digital cultures of children and young... more This extremely interesting book brings together many important views of the digital cultures of children and young people to enable a better understanding of the new forms of literacy and agency that have emerged in the digital age. Using research-based evidence, the book considers how children and young people participate in today’s multifaceted digital culture, which allows them to engage in a variety of playful and creative forms of activity. Today, young people interact with new media both as consumers and producers and participators; they are on-line bloggers, digital text makers and users, and communicators and gamers in various local and global digital forums and communities. The book presents several illuminative cases that reveal how diverse, complex and interactive media can be and what kind of affordances this context creates both for young people’s culture and their development. The fundamental aim of the book is to suggest ways that notions of play and creativity might inform analyses of digital cultures. The book also aims to provide examples of these kinds of analyses, and to engage with the continuing debates about child and youth participation within digital cultures.