Interview Into How Play Affects Learning

Interview with PhD student Fiona Wood carried this morning carried out by myself and classmate Jonathan Robson. Fiona is researching into how outdoor play affects children’s citizenship understanding as well and sustainability and social awareness. Her work in supported by the Scottish Outdoor Education Centre.

key points raised here include:

• How children should be encouraged to develop the skills they will require later in life. This included aspects such as self reliance, risk assessment, identity, resilience, and independence.
• How play is essential as it allows children to develop these skills in a casual environment. It give children to freedom to act as children but also to exercise adult roles such as responsibility, professionalism and honesty.
• Play must be developmental, recreational and enjoyable.
• Teamwork allows children to work outwith their friend circles allowing them to find strengths in themselves and encourage strengths in others.
• Working within a new environment opens new opportunities for children.
• When working with children, casualness is key. You must not been seen as an authoritative figure and the environment must not feel like a formal class room. this will allow children to be more relaxed, honest and will allow for better insights.
• The problem with videogames is that they are primarily indoors and don’t allow for a great degree of movement or communication between players.

Thanks to Fiona for an invaluable morning of insights. Now Jonny and I have a 4pm deadline to get a proposal put together for a workshop at an afterschool club.