The impact of different play activity designs on students’ embodied learning

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to build on work that has demonstrated the value of play or game-based learning environments and to further unpack how different kinds of play activities can support learning of academic concepts. To do so, this paper explores how students learn complex science concepts through collective embodied play by comparing two forms of play labeled as Inquiry Play and Game Play. Design/methodology/approach This study builds off of previous research that uses the Science Through Technology Enhanced Play (STEP) technology platform (Authors et al., 2015). STEP is a mixed reality platform that allows learners to playfully explore science phenomena, such as the rules of particle behavior in solid, liquid and gas, through collective embodied activity. A combination of interaction analysis and qualitative coding of teacher and student interactions are used to examine patterns in the learning processes during embodied play activities. Findings Both forms of play led to similar learning gains. However, Inquiry Play promoted more emergent, flexible modeling of underlying mechanisms while Game Play oriented students more towards “winning”. Originality/value By contrasting play environments, this paper provides new insights into how different features of play activities, as well as how teachers orient their students according to these different features, support students’ learning in collective activity. As a result, these findings can provide insights into the design of future play-based learning environments that are intended to support the learning of academic concepts.