Enhancing student understanding through playful learning using Playmobil pro

John Parkin

Abstract


A growing body of evidence shows the value of playful learning and using playful approaches such as Lego Serious Play. However, little research has investigated the effectiveness of Playmobil pro to support higher education teaching and learning. This case study investigates how Playmobil pro can be used to support final-year Primary Education Studies undergraduates to deepen understanding through a playful approach. Methods used are the analysis of Playmobil pro representations and exit tickets completed by participants. Playmobil pro supported student understanding by providing a play-learning tool to assist the construction of models in order to create meaning and support rich discussions about concepts. The implications of this research include the potential of Playmobil pro to be a tool used in higher education to support student learning and engagement.


Keywords


Playmobil pro, playful learning, exit tickets

References


Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) ‘Using thematic analysis in psychology.’ Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa (Accessed: 5 January 2022).

Chayaratanasin, O., Rattananan, S. and Schafer, D.M. (2020) Tools for Ideas: Making Conceptual Information More Tangible. RSU Research Conference 2020. Available at: https://rsucon.rsu.ac.th/files/proceedings/inter2020/2627_20200817143806.pdf (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Coffey, Y., Bhullar, N., Durkin, J., Islam, M., Usher, K. (2021) ‘Understanding Eco-anxiety: A Systematic Scoping Review of Current Literature and Identified Knowledge Gaps.’ The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 3, 1-6. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2021.100047 (Accessed: 3 February 2023).

Dann, S. (2018) ‘Facilitating Co-Creation Experience in the Classroom with Lego Serious Play.’ Australasian Marketing Journal, 26(2), 121-131. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2018.05.013 (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Lefevre-Scelles, A., Barege, V., Roussel, M., Gachet, F., Sibert, L., Clavier, T. and Damm, C. (2022) ‘Development and evaluation of a mass casualty medicine simulation method using figurines.’ British Journal of Anaesthesia, 128(2), 210-212. Available at: https://www.bjanaesthesia.org/article/S0007-0912%2821%2900749-2/fulltext (Accessed: 26 April 2023).

Department for Education (2014) ‘The National Curriculum in England: primary curriculum.’ Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-primary-curriculum (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Garden, C.L.P. (2022) ‘Lego Serious Play: Building engagement with cell biology.’ Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 50(2), 216-228. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21608 (Accessed: 10 July 2023).

Goyel V., Mathur S., Dhingra, N., Nair,, U., Singh S. and Phukan, A.H. (2022) ‘Evaluation of different pre-treatment behaviour modification techniques in 4-7-year-olds: A randomised controlled trial.’ Indian Journal of Dental Research, 33(1), 58-62. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4103/ijdr.ijdr_373_21 (Accessed: 26 April 2023).

Haymarket Media Group (2012) ‘Playmobil.’ Marketing, 18. Available at: https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=anglia_itw&id=GALE|A295202396&v=2.1&it=r (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Heljakka, K. (2023) ‘Building playful resilience in higher education: Learning by doing and doing by playing.’ Frontiers in Education, 8. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1071552 (Accessed: 6 July 2023).

James, A. (2019) ‘Making the case for the playful university.’ In: James, A. and Nerantzi, C. (eds.) The Power of Play in Higher Education. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 1-19. ISBN: 9783319957807

Leigh, S.R. (2012) ‘The Classroom Is Alive with the Sound of Thinking: The Power of the Exit Slip.’ International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(2),189-196. Available at: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ996265 (Accessed: 10 July 2023).

McCarthy, M. (2011) ‘The Playmobil Hamlet.’ NATE Classroom, Collection 5, 33-35. Available at: NATE-Collections-5-Shakespeare-studies-1.pdf (Accessed: 10 July 2023).

McCusker, S. (2014) ‘Lego®, Serious Play™: Thinking About Teaching and Learning.’ International Journal of Knowledge, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2(1), 27-37. Available at: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/32497/ (Accessed: 13 March 2023).

McCusker, S. (2020) ‘Everybody’s monkey is important: LEGO® Serious Play® as a methodology for enabling equality of voice within diverse groups.’ International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 43(2), 146-162. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/1743727X.2019.1621831 (Accessed: 16 July 2023).

Papert, S. (1986) Constructionism: A New Opportunity for Elementary Science Education. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Media Laboratory, Epistemology and Learning Group. Available at: https://dailypapert.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Constructionism-NSF-Proposal.pdf (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Papert, S. (2000) ‘What’s the big idea? Toward a pedagogy of idea power.’ IBM Systems Journal, 39(3-4), 720-729. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1147/sj.393.0720 (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Papert, S. (2002) ‘Hard Fun.’ Bangor Daily News. Bangor, ME. Available at: https://dailypapert.com/hard-fun/ (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Piaget, J. (1999) Play, dreams and imitation in childhood. London: Routledge. ISBN: 9781315009698

Raimundo, C.A. (2020) ‘Managing relational conflict by closing the intention and behavioural gap through the use of a 3-dimensional visualisation and simulation model.’ Cogent Psychology, 7(1), 1729592. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2020.1729592 (Accessed: 26 April 2023).

Roos, J. and Victor, B. (2018) ‘How It All Began: The Origins Of LEGO® Serious Play®.’ International Journal of Management and Applied Research, 326–343. Available at: https://doi.org/10.18646/2056.54.18-025 (Accessed: 26 April 2023).

Shulman, L. (1986) ‘Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching.’ Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X015002004 (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Warburton, T., Brown, J. and Sandars, J. (2022) ‘The use of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® within nurse education: A scoping review.’ Nurse Education Today, 118, 105528. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105528 (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Wheeler, A. (2020) ‘Using Lego® Serious Play® in Higher Education with Law Students: Encouraging Playfulness and Creativity within Library Workshops.’ Legal Information Management, 20(4), 222-226. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1472669620000523 (Accessed: 18 July 2023).

Whitton, N. (2018) ‘Playful learning: tools, techniques, and tactics.’ Research in Learning Technology, 26. Available at: https://doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v26.2035 (Accessed: 26 April 2023).

Whitton, N. and Moseley, A. (2019) ‘Play and learning in adulthood.’. In: Whitton, N. and Moseley, A. (eds.) Playful learning events and activities to engage adults. New York: Routledge. ISBN: 9781351021869




DOI: https://doi.org/10.21100/compass.v16i2.1436

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2023 John Parkin

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.