Annotated Bibliography for Lit Review

Theme: Applying Play to Traditional Learning/Engagment

Arrow, J. (2019, April 11). How to use play for learning. Retrieved April 15, 2021, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-use-play-learning

In this article, Arrow describes her transition to play based learning in her kindergarten classroom. The author uses strategies such as "choice time" where practice if offered with academic content. The key to the choice time and centers is a sense of purpose. The play based learning established in this classroom has resulted in focused, motivated, purposeful, and happy students.

How To Use Play For Learning, written in 2019, makes good connections with showing the positivity aspects of using play with traditional learning. I believe there are valuable strategies and ideas that can be applied to any practice. While this article is positive and shows progress could be made with play based learning, I do wish it had more detailed information. I think it would have been helpful if the author shared a more detail process of how the play based learning was established. It feels that the article briefly skimmed the surface of play based learning.

Caper, R. (1996). Play, experimentation and creativity. The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 77(5), 859. Retrieved from http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/scholarly-journals/play-experimentation-creativity/docview/1298188197/se-2?accountid=9783

I was interested in this article because of the connections between play and experience of learning about one's world. Caper describes play as a type of project that "allows one to assess the impact of one's inner world on the external world...". The first sentence explains Caper's exploration in this article: the connections between the ability to play, create, and experiment and the nature of one's object-relationships. Themes found in this article include experimental investigation, learning about reality through fantasy, and learning about the external world. Play allows children and adults to learn about outcomes of actions through trial and error experiences in a setting that isn't serious enough to worry about the implications of those playful actions. They are testing the waters and and "externalizing their internal fantasies" (p. 861).

I found similar ideas in Caper's work that I found in Walker's and Kaprow's. These similarities include the use of externalizing vs. representing. Walker/Kaprow explain that play needs to be experienced, not represented and that these moments need control. Essentially, making the ordinary unordinary in small ways. Caper holds similar beliefs that play is "a way of getting something from the inside to the outside" - this happens through doing rather than representing. Caper quotes E.M. Forster's question: "How do I know what I think until I've had a chance to hear what I have to say?" This question is another driving force for my research. While this article focuses more on the psychological aspects of play, I am finding information and theory that is helpful to understand when using play as a learning tool. Knowing the backbones and foundations of a theory allows for better understanding and the ability to make richer connections in the classroom.

Mathes, K. (2017). The daily noodle-doodle: increasing engagement with elementary art students. Art Education, 70(1), 16–22.

This article describes a teacher's struggle with transitions, engagement, and time in the art classroom. They offer their solution as a technology driven " daily noodle doodle". This concept allows for higher thinking skills, creativity, and autonomy. The idea seems comparative to a bell ringer/ warm up activity, however I find this article to fit into my research of play within the art classroom. Mathes is taking a simple, ordinary task and making it just odd enough to be engaging. Mathes' noodle doodles introduce a question that students can answer on a white board at their seats. After students answer the question, they make a doodle based off of the question. Mathes took their idea and conducted a research study, specifically looking at why their 5th graders weren't as engaged with this activity as the rest of their students. Mathes involved her students in the study and found positive results through data collection. By student inclusion, Mathes was able to tweak a procedure to make it even better. This article is relevant to my research as I am looking at ways to incorporate play and allow students to make choices while being engaged in their experience.

O'Leary, W. (2019). Play-based learning: What it is and why it should be a part of every classroom. https://blog.edmentum.com/play-based-learning-what-it-and-why-it-should-be-part-every-classroom

This article shows the positive connections between play and learning while acknowledging the challenge of implementing and cultivating successful play in the typical classroom setting. Play needs to be child initiated and teacher supported. Play allows children to test out real situations in a safe space, engages in social practice, allows for first hand experiential learning, and allows for a positive experience with learning.

This article talks about the positive results of play based learning, however I am looking for more. I was disappointed to find that the article doesn't dive deeper into how. For example, O'Leary describes that a way to implement play based learning is through the environment, but doesn't explain how.

Pyle, A., & Danniels, E. (2017). A Continuum of Play-Based Learning: The Role of the Teacher in Play-Based Pedagogy and the Fear of Hijacking Play. Early Education & Development, 28(3), 274–289. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/10.1080/10409289.2016.1220771

Szekely, G. (1983). Preliminary Play in the Art Class. Art Education,36(6), 18-24. doi:10.2307/3192644

Though dated, this article still holds relevent and foundational information about children's play and artmaking. This article explains the possibiilties of play, while giving examples of how and what play can be used with. Play can be used as an introductory tool and a process that is conducted throughout making and learning. it inspires artworks, ideas, and encourages choices. Szekely describes play as the basis for early childhood learning. To be truly learning and engaged in their artmaking, students need to be involved in the process, not given a task with predetermined outcomes. To successfully incorporate play into the artmaking process, determine lesson objectives and determine what play experience will allow students to respond to the objectives. Preliminary play is described as "the initial research, the necessary investigation, the important shifiting of materials and ideas, the experiencing of movements and images through which most of the important decisions about the artwork are made" (p.18). Play is also involved through each step of the creative process. Preliminary play can be designed in a variety of categories: movement, sensory, building and construction, pretend, memory, and verbal. For students to be open and receptive to playful learing, the teacher also needs to have a playful mindset. Szekely states: "Teachers should strive to make all their action playful. [Their] playfulness, their ability to accept the fantastic, say the ridiculous, and think the unbelievable, sets the stage for the students' playfulness" (p. 20).

Walker, S.R. (2014). Naming Play for Artmaking.

This piece highlights and questions the amounts students can learn when play is implemented into the classroom - specifically in the art classroom. The audience is addressed to art educators, however I believe the theory of incorporating play can be incorporated across the curriculum. The key for play in the classroom is incorporating nonsense with sense (Deleuze 1990/1969). Walker discusses the importance of incorporating nonsense and how it breaks up the monotony of daily routines. In turn, the mix up allows for engagement along with authentic and meaningful learning experiences.

Walker has been an inspiration for my research. From the start of our program, I've been interested in playful learning. I've also begun to question: what is play? How can I categorize play and playfulness. Walker defines play as nonsense- a type of sense that is the mixture of sense and nonsense.

Walker, S.R. (2014). Everyday Play, pp. 1-18.

This piece explores the connections of the everyday, play, and Allan Kaprow's Happenings. The connections intertwine into contemporary art and art as experiential rather than object based. Walker uses the everyday as a tool to "probe for invisible complexities" (p. 4). This means as facilitators, we need to position the everyday as complex. Working with the everyday allows us to critique and explore how the micro affects the macro, along with social norms and practices. The practice of exploring these social issues, ,specifically through Kaprow's Happenings/activities and the exploration of the everyday, allows for trial and error and open ended practices, similar to playful practices. The key to making meaning from these moments is participation. Walker uses Kaprow's ideas and creates pedagogical implications to make connections in the classroom. These implications consist of representation vs. experience, content, context, and time. Authentic learning from everyday experiences need to happen in natural moments as experiences, not representations. By using play as a tool to experience the everyday, students should be making experiences, not products.

Walker's key points at the end of the pieces are great ways for me to recap on the wide range of content covered. I've been using these pieces as a guide for how to incorporate play, which is ultimately experiential learning. The information is relevant for teachers who are interested in tweaking their curriculum and offering authentic learning experiences that value process over product. It's also helpful that Walker summarizes a lot of Kaprow's work and ideas and incorporates it in this piece in an orderly, logical way that applies his knowledge to classroom practices.

Walker, S.R. (no date) Artmaking and Nonsense

Artmaking and Nonsense tackles the idea that I have been wondering: how can you implement play into the classroom? Walker discusses Deleuze’s theory that nonsense is the highest form of sense, and how to incorporate it not as “shock value” (p. 1). Our regular is now irregular, exciting, and therefore memorable. Walkers article highlights nonsense as an essential strategy in facilitating authentic new ways of learning but clarifying that it has to be enough to disrupt, not to be full out chaos. This piece introduces an overwhelming and potentially chaotic theory (when put into practice) in a way that highlights the logic and sense that is at the core of nonsense when introduced in a meaningful way.

Walker gives educators ideas and theories on how to use play and nonsense to disrupt our regular routine that still teaches students how to make. I believe Walker's intention is to inspire disruption in a meaningful way. The key is to not elicit shock from students, but inspire new ways of thinking and looking. Walker's work is a foundation for my research. It is a reminder not to go overboard with the idea of play, but to spark curiosity and new ways of learning and thinking.

Inappropriate Play

Bergen D. (1994) . Teaching strategies: Should teachers permit or discourage violent play themes? Childhood Education.70(5):300. http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/scholarly-journals/teaching-strategies-should-teachers-permit/docview/1290013545/se-2?accountid=9783.

This article explores the common theme of violent art found when play as used as a medium for learning. The author describes this theme at it's most basic: dominance and submission and "winning and losing" (p.300). Students are exposed to these themes through the everyday, whether that is play and fantasy, or real tragic incidents they experienced. Bergen describes having a different answer for questions revolving violent play pre- 1990(should it be permitted or discouraged?). This answer was based off of Bandura's social learning theory and Erikson's psychosocial theory. According to the social learning theory, violent play should be discouraged while the pyschocoial theory believed violent play is "natural and relatively harmless outlet for aggressive feelings within activities that the children control" (p. 300). The author has two answers depending on the teacher's viewpoints. If violent play - specifically gun play is discouraged by your institution or due to your personal beliefs, then it is okay to not allow it, but provide resolutions and model ways to resolve conflict. Bergen's second viewpoint explains that if you think violent play is natural, you can allow it but provide limits. Both viewpoints state there should be clear communication with parents with data/information provided so they understand the reason. The author adds a sort of caveat that times are changing (even when this was written in 1994) and questions what implications students are left with when violently playing and living in violent circumstances.

While I think this article has some informative bits of information, I think the information/opinon of the author and vocabulary is dated. The author states:

It is not reasonable to expect children to develop the ability to play richly, expansively, and comprehensivley if their primary models demonstrate dominance and submission, hate and fear, contempt and callousness. They need to have models of caring and commitment, joy and hope, and zest for life if they are to express these themes in play" (p. 301).

I agree that children model what they see, but I disagree that they are unable to richly play if they don't have those positive models at home (I am assuming that is what the author is describing as primary models). I believe the art classroom can provide a safe space where children can explore difficult themes through play in a controlled manner.

CINQUEMANI, S. (2014). “I Look Cool; He’s Dead Now”: Reconsidering Children’s Violent Play Art. Art Education, 67(3), 13–18. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/10.1080/00043125.2014.11519268

This article describes the author's experience with teaching a photography unit with k-5 students. Students had the freedom over their photographic content, which resulted in violent play photographs and videos. This violent play art is described as art students make for themselves, not adults. The ability for students to be given the freedom to choose in their art making brings up the discussion of power and control, and how the power relationships are often negative in the classroom (teacher holding power and control, students being passive/recipients). Analyzing the students chosen photos allowed the author to discuss gender roles, power roles, and social norms of masculine and feminine. Cinquemani describes their tension when observing the violent play. Is it allowed? Is it appropriate for school? The goal is to understand children through their art. The benefit of allowing this type of play/art in the classroom is that students will be validated and have their ideas supported. The author concludes with their analysis that these activities can be meaningful for students. It's important for students to have their inquiry, interests, and experiences validated and listened to. The author is not advocating for blind acceptance of these behaviors/types of play, but to analyze the behavior and situations as a way for students to make sense of the world around them. Cinquemani finishes with: "I aim to understand and recognize them as individuals with valid creative pleasures that exist outside of adult coercion and manipulation" (p.18). This article is important to my research because I have found students enaging in violent play/creating when given freedom of choice.

Play and Creativity

Bradshaw, M. (2018). Natural Connections: Forest Schools, Art Education, and Playful Practices. Art Education, 71(4), 30–35.

In this article, Bradshaw makes connections between possibilities and practices in forest schools (rooted in free play, experimental and experiential learning) and art classrooms. The author acknowledges that it is unlikely to fully adopt a forest school curriculum in a traditional school setting, these practices can be adapted to a more traditional setting for a student led curriculum. Bradshaw explains the fundamentals of forest schooling and how the environment is the third teacher. We have to look at our environment - is it fostering the learning we desire? Use the environment as a guide for learning, and incorporate adventure and risk. The adventure and risk come into play when using student interests to guide lessons. This gives students agency and responsibility for their education. Bradshaw gives examples of how she was able to weave qualities of forest schooling into her curriculum. The author describes practices, the environment, and creative challenges given in units.

The purpose of this article is to allow educators to make and apply connections that excite them and give students new and engaging opportunities. You can't necessarily take your students to a forest school, but you can apply forest school fundamentals to your classroom.

Salazar, S. M. (2015). Fiat lux: Creativity through play. In E. B. Zimmerman, Flavia (Ed.), Connecting creativity: Research and practice in art education. Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.

This chapter advocates for states of play being vital to creativity and these states of play can be constructed in art classrooms. Salazar focuses on three types of play that suggest to foster creativity: object play, story-telling narrative play, and transformative, integrative play. Salazar described these types of play with 5th, 9th, and 12th grade art classrooms with a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. It was found that experiencing play, is key to building creativity. Taking the risk to play may feel awkward, but the risk is worth the reward of children/students experiencing "the joy of conceiving ideas and the possibility of living creative lives" (p. 130).

Sawyer, J. E., & Goldstein, T. (2019). Can Guided Play and Storybook Reading Promote Children’s Drawing Development? Empirical Studies of the Arts, 37(1), 32–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0276237418777946

This article explores children's drawings and the clues they give to emotions, personalities, and cognitive development. Researchers also use children's drawings to make connections with their role in aesthetic systems. This article specifically explores three interventions (story time, block building, and dramatic pretend play games (DPPG)) that are described as guided play amongst preschool activities and how they impact children's drawings. There was a follow up analysis for the intervention that was most effective in promoting overall growth. The drawings were coded based off of creativity, talent, spatial complexity, use of color, and human content. The results showed story time to be more beneficial compared to DPPG in creativity, talent, and spacial complexity. Building blocks ranked more beneficial than DPPG in use of color. This study shows the benefits guided play can have on student creativity. I would be interested to see the results on elementary aged students and in a TAB like environment.

Szekely, George. Play and Creativity in Art Teaching, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/lib/ohiostate-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1982448.

In this book, Szekely uses personal observations as a methodology in this book. In the first chapter, Szekely (2015) states "leading and joining students in playing inspires artistic behavior for all involved". Throughout the book Szekely exports subjects like environment, materials, movement, themes, and practice as components that can facilitate play to inspire creative and innovative thinking in the art room. The purpose of the book is to make connections through play and development, exploration, autonomy, ownership, creativity, choice, and art. Szekely breaks down the fundamentals of play and art education through description of theory and purpose, inspiration and preparation of lessons, the classroom environment, playful themes and materials, and creative art teaching.

In chapter one, play for children is described as therapy, a means for social development, rehearsal for real life situations, life preparation, and as a means for cognitive and intellectual development. Szekely conducted studies of children's play. Szekely's (2015) describes play based art as a foundation for invention and change that links creativity to innovations and believes play focuses on the creative process. Play art is described as : the original, imaginative work of children" (p.8) He describes that school is typically a place where children learn how to act like adults, and that teaching in a play based art room gives students the opportunity to be trusted and for their suggestions to be listened to (p. 17). Instead of being taught elements and principles that teach children how to make art like adults, Szekely advocates that in an art class, "children need to grow not only in there knowledge of art, but in curiosity, confidence, independence, and there courage it takes to be a child, a player, and artist for the rest of their lives" (p.30).

Chapter 3 and 4 describe environment and materials as influential and powerful components to a play based art curriculum. In chapter 3, it is suggested that parallels should be made between the child's studio at home and the art room. How can the educator use the room as a tool to spark curiosity, motivation, fantasy, adventure and play? Szekely advises that there should be just as much emphasis on time and planning of the environment as there is on lesson planning. Szekely takes into considerations the type of lighting, shelves, windows, etc. in creating a play space. I was surprised to see that hiding places (p. 57) were even encouraged. On page 57, Szekely states "the point in creating space is simply to give children the room to work as they need, whether they seek to be undercover or simply find a shelf on which to crate an imaginative setting. There is also an emphasis on the opportunity of uncommon spaces have (such as being on the floor) that evoke possibilities from students. Along with the space comes specific materials in Chapter 4. The reader is encouraged to think beyond traditional materials. "Creative play supplies that are not prepackaged are more exciting, especially when they get to find and choose what they want to use for their creative endeavors" (p. 73). Chapter 4 is deeper than just a discussion about materials, it is to be used as a way to convey openness to what art is and what it can be (Szekely, 2015). Rethinking materials encourages artistic exploration and play.

Chapter 5-7 talk about ideas such as movement, themes, and creative art teaching. Szekely talks about the importance of movement in play. Szekely also talks about themes of play that can be used in art classes such as: adventure, store, building, and birthdays. Finally, in Chapter 7, Szekely describes creative art teaching and practices that can foster the attitude needed for successful play based art education. Art lessons are described as having the possibility to "be challenging questions, innovative experiences, and independent investigations to view art in open ways". For students to be able to do this, their attitude is important. Szekely suggests a way for educators to facilitate the openness and willingness to play in an art classroom is to greet them at the door. This greeting gives the students ownership over the space, and the encouragement to come with things from home (stories, artwork, toys, etc). When teaching students about materials, Szekely gives the advice "show, don't tell" (p. 152). When an educator feels the urge to lecture, switch to a performance (Szekely, 2015). Show the students the possibilities of a material, rather than telling them exactly what to do.

This resource has been valuable to my research and gives a basic roadmap for introducing play based learning into an art class.