A wide variety of creative, innovative teaching and learning practices fit under the Play Make Learn umbrella. Playful learning encompasses using games, creating games with or for learners, and adopting game-like elements for the classroom (gamification). In addition to making games and other digital artifacts, makerspaces offer a variety of ways for learners to build their knowledge while creating physical items. Strengths of this approach include giving learners more agency and a setting to safely experiment and fail, plus the ability to explore identities, locations, and systems they normally couldn't. This page serves as a jumping-off point for those interested in these pedagogical tools and techniques.
Wisconsin Connections
Wisconsin is fortunate to be a growing hub for these topics and resources. Here is a short list of some free example resources. Find or share more in WISELearn Resources.
Field Day
This UW-Madison lab makes games and game-making platforms to enhance learning through play, technology, and creativity.
- Explore physics, earth, and life science with standards-aligned mini-games/simulations in The Yard Games.
- Make augmented reality (the Pokémon Go genre) experiences with ARIS.
- Use Atom Touch to virtually get hands on with molecules.
- Detect neutrinos at the South Pole in virtual reality with IceCube.
- Introduce students to the social studies inquiry process in Jo Wilder and the Capitol Case.
- More at fielddaylab.org
Gear Learning
This game development studio at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research provides dynamic game development for researchers, outreach groups, and external educational partners.
- Experience the gravity of various planets/moons in our solar system on Newt's Voyage.
- Learn about implicit bias through role-taking in Fair Play (K12 version in progress).
- More at gearlearning.org/projects
Filament Games
Filament's mission is to "create playful experiences that improve people's lives." Although most of their content has a cost, free resources include:
- Explore iCivics - a suite of games for inspiring and learning about civics.
- Experience how Marie Curie, Grace Hopper, and Jane Goodall worked in Breaking Boundaries VR.
- Read how educators in WI and beyond use games to improve learning in the ebook How to Teach with Games.
- Check out the Smithsonian Science Education Center Game Center, featuring select games from Filament.
- Find research roundups like this K12 one on their blog.
News
More resources coming soon...
Check back soon for specific resources for different content areas!
Play Make Learn Conference - August 8-9, 2019
Want to dive deeper and connect with peers? Check out the Play Make Learn conference in Madison every August: playmakelearn.org
Union South, UW-Madison 1308 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53715
playmakelearninfo@gmail.com