1. Enhancing Learning Opportunities
and Student Success with
Play-Based Learning
at the Secondary Level
Hawaii International Conference on Education
January 6-9, 2013
Drs. Alicia Wenzel & Cindy Ryan
Western Oregon University, OR

2. • What do you first
think of when you
hear the word
“play”:
– As teachers?
– As parents?
– As humans?

3. Play Theory
• Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, and other theorists have studied play
and its importance on children’s development in the following
areas:
– Social-Emotional - Cognitive
– Language - Physical
– Creative - Cultural
Or, of big
This is a common kids
image when many “playing.”
think of little kids
“playing.”
BUT, isn’t there more???

4. Benefits of Play
• It is through play that children grow and develop - individually, with
others, and as part of a larger community.
Wordle.net

5. Unfortunate state of affairs
• Play has changed dramatically over the last half century, and has been
virtually eliminated in many schools at all levels.
• HOWEVER, children of all ages need to:
• engage in play to build executive functioning,
• learn how to interact socially and to work as teams,
• put theory to practice
• problem solve, critical think, risk, learn to fail and win (graciously)
• have opportunities to develop in all areas of their being
• Removing play is hazardous to one’s health (Isenberg & Quisenberry, 1998; Hurwitz,
2002/2003; Pellagrini, 2005)

6. Necessary or not?
• As educators we know that play is vital to the
development of young children, but how
important is play in the development for
middle and high school students?
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/3/prweb9293984.htm

7. Guiding Research Qs:
 What does play-based learning mean and look like for
secondary students?
 How can facets of play in early childhood effectively translate to
a secondary learning environment so that help young
adolescents have greater success in school?
 What are specific, successful play-based practices that can be
incorporated into secondary classrooms?
 What are barriers or challenges related to incorporating play-
based learning opportunities and how can we positively address
each?

8. Play in adolescence
• The maturation of the frontal lobe continues in adolescence.
– increase in speed and efficiency of thought
– spatial working memory improves,
– emotional regulation becomes greater,
– planning and problem solving skills increase,
– scientific reasoning and ability to understand one’s own thinking develops
• Play & pastimes often are a group production
– equipment for organized sports or activities
– electronic games
– complex head games
• At the same time, preteens lavish lots of time and concentration
on individual interests.
– books
– music
– elaborate construction

10. Generalizing Play Theory & Practice
to other levels
• ‘Play’ at the MS & HS levels:
Students garden at Scarsdale MS
Gaming teaches HS students
problem-solving skills Balsa Bridge Building Contest
for all Physics 11 &12
students
Kids creating murals Debate
Theatrical & musical
productions Team competing at FIRST

11. More play-based opportunities
• Incorporating activities through & with T.V., movies, songs they know
• Online gaming
• Robotics & Lego Design
• Role-Playing
• Music
– Singing
– Playing instruments
– Creating lyrics
• Art
– Collage
– Sculpture
– Photography
– Graphic design
• Video-Movie Making
– Commercials
– Videos
– News reports
• Mobile Technologies
Ways to use iPads in the classroom

12. More examples of play, games, and
problem/project based learning
• White Plains School District
– http://newlearninginstitute.org/digital-media-programs/school-b
• Middle School Example-D3 Lab
– http://newlearninginstitute.org/d3-lab-nightingale-middle-schoo
• High School Example-Project & Standard Based Learning
School
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovkW8M8vD5o

13. Play based resources:
• Brown, S. (2009). Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul.
London, England. Penguin Books, Inc.
• DeKoven, B. (2005). Junkyard Sports. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
• DeKoven, B. (2002). The Well-Played Game: A Playful Path to Wholeness. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse.
• Hurwitz, S. C. (2002/2003). To be successful: let them play! Child Education. 79:101–102.
• Isenberg, J. & Quisenberry, N.L. (1998). Play: a necessity for all children . Child Education. 64:138 –145.
• Kemp, G., Smith, M., DeKoven, B., & Segal, J. (2012). Play, creativity, and lifelong learning: Why play
matters for both kids and adults.
– http://www.helpguide.org/life/creative_play_fun_games.htm
• McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the
World. Penguin Books.
• Nash, R. (2010). The active classroom field book. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.(Includes numerous
success stories from active classrooms K-12, and lots of ideas of how to incorporate active learning into
the classroom).
• Nash, R. (2010). The active classroom: Practical strategies for involving students in the learning process.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.(Promotes classroom experiences that engage students at all levels in active
learning. Shares research to back up the need for active learning).
• Pellegrini, A.D. & Bohn, C.M. (2005). The role of recess in children’s cognitive performance and school
adjustment. Educ Res. 2005;34:13–19
• Sheldon, L. (2011). The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game. Course Technology
PTR.
• Vygotsky, L.S. (1978, original essay published in 1933). “The Role of Play in Development,” in M. Cole, V.
John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman (Eds.). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher
Psychological Processes, 92-104.

14. The benefits of play based learning
• 10 Reasons Play Can Make You Healthy, Happy, and More Productive – Top ten list of the many
ways play contributes to mental and physical health. (U.S. News & World Report)
– http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/childrens-health/articles/2009/03/09/10-reasons-play-can-make-yo
.
• Play Science: The Patterns of Play – Learn about the different ways human beings play, the roles these
different patterns of play serve, and how we benefit from them. (National Institute for Play)
– http://nifplay.org/states_play.html.
• The Value of Play I: The Definition of Play Provides Clues to Its Purposes – Psychologist Peter Gray
discusses the purpose and benefits of play. (Psychology Today)
– http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/200811/the-value-play-i-the-definition-play-provides-clues-its-pur
.
• The Value of Play II: How Play Promotes Reasoning in Children and Adults – Learn how playfulness
can improve reasoning and problem-solving skills. (Psychology Today).
– http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/200812/the-value-play-ii-how-play-promotes-reasoning-in-childre
.
• Leisure Play Is Important for Human Collaboration – Article describes how play teaches human
beings to cooperate and curbs tendencies towards aggression and dominance. (PsychCentral).
– http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/04/17/leisure-play-is-important-for-human-collaboration/5398.html
.

15. Play and problem/project based
learning activities
• FIRST-lego & robotics activities and competitions for ages 6-18
– http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms
• Problem and project-based learning activities.
– http://www.mrsoshouse.com/pbl/pblin.html
• More problem and project-based learning activities. Search for projects developed by
others or contribute your own. Many list the standard/s addressed.
– http://www.pbl-online.org/.
• ‘Electronic’ posters- seeks to bring the poster into the 21st century by allowing users to
create a digital poster, or glog, with multimedia and hyperlinked elements.
– http://edu.glogster.com/
• Ed Tech Teacher Recommended iPad Apps, Links, & Ideas
– http://www.edtechteacher.org/index.php/teaching-technology/mobile-technology-apps/ipad-apps
• Future Problem Solving Program International-To develop the ability of young people
globally to design and promote positive futures using critical, creative thinking.
– http://www.fpspi.org/
• Using mobile phones in the classroom
– http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/2012/sep/10/mobile-phones-classroom-teaching-
• 100 Ways to use iPads in the classroom
– http://edudemic.com/2012/09/100-ways-to-use-ipads-in-your-classroom/

16. Serious games:
•26 Learning Games to Change the World
– http://www.missiontolearn.com/2008/04/learning-games-for-change/
•Foldit -computer game enabling you to contribute to important scientific research.
– http://fold.it/portal/info/about
•Filament Games-beautiful, educational games for most subject areas including 21 st century skills
– http://www.filamentgames.com (Youtube clip on some games on the site:
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_73na0SiRE (Youtube clip showing some of the games)
•iCivics-prepares young Americans to become knowledgeable, engaged 21st century citizens with 16
educational video games as well as standards-aligned teaching materials.
– http://www.icivics.org-
•Mike Farley (MS & HS teacher)-webpage with serious games and accompanying curriculum
– http://mikefarley.weebly.com/serious-games.html
Other ideas for play, problem, & project based learning:
•Mobile technology: Combines 21st century skills with many interests of students
•Plays: Students create their own or use a pre-made one. So many options!
•Internships: local-international
•Service Learning: local-international

17. "What do most Nobel Laureates, innovative
entrepreneurs, artists and performers, well-
adjusted children, happy couples and
families, and the most successfully adapted
mammals have in common? They play
enthusiastically throughout their lives."
~ Stuart Brown, Institute of Play

18. Qs?