Tutoring, playing and learning (paper)

The features of playfulness in the pedagogical model of TPL – tutoring, playing and learning


Pirkko Hyvönen and Heli Ruokamo (2005)

Selected quotes:

In this article we define the pedagogical TPL model that represents the processes of tutoring, playing and learning. We also introduce the concept of playfulness and its six salient features.

Playing is understood to cover both playing and a variety of games, including digital games. The pedagogical TPL model interlinks with the Let’s Play project, where three doctoral thes es have examined how playing is utilised in the processes of learning and growing and what kinds of qualities playfulness requires of the learning environment.

We examined the concept of playfulness from different perspectives and have found six salient features. They are embodiment, collaboration, action, narration, creativity and insight. Our examination is based on theories of playing and learning and on our empirical data from: 1) creative sessions, 2) test playing and 3) story-crafting...

We have listened to children’s voice. Through this data, we get close to their unique culture that they construct through stories and playing...

Intentional tutoring can be called education that implies pedagogical and intentional actions whose aim is to influence a child...

Another view of tutoring deals with environments that afford tutoring.

Playing and games are creative processes where children may produce something else than imaginative things, e.g. handicrafts, piece of arts, posters, stories or songs. We see that playing is not limited to the actions that can be seen as playing, but also planning, preparing and ending are part of the activity of playing.

Event though the TLP model emphasises the significance of playing and games, they are not automatically beneficial processes.

The concept of embodiment refers to what a person experiences, knows and feels in her/his body and how she/he interacts through her/his body with other people and the environment...

In the context of playfulness, collaboration refers to different manners of social cohesion and cooperation and collaborative construction of knowledge.

Through language, an intellectual network is set up; in this network experiences and problem-solving processes become meaningful.

We define action primarily as physical activity that, in view of the other features of playfulness, invariably is experiential.

In playing and games, plotted stories are created and acted out, which allows a multiple means of creating narration, for example, with rhyming, gestures, music or pictorial collages.

As knowledge is constructed collaboratively… …creativity is similarly constructed according to our observations. Here one needs to pay attention to imitation and humour because they can free up thinking and imagination and generate an atmosphere conducive to creativity.

Insight refers to problem-solving situations and to making observations and conclusions.

I really like the way this study was conducted and I think this really does explore many facets of playfulness. There are heaps of references from this I would (and should) follow up.

This refines (reinforces?) my questioning on playfulness and I return to playfulness and freedom to learn, freedom to be playful, playfulness as freedom and freedom as playfulness.