Play! Capstone Press
Published on Jan 22, 2017
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
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Capstone Project
Allison Chatman
Heather Dean
Michelle Napoli-Cooley
Photo by Jeremy Brooks
Concordia University
EDUT 605
Spring 2017
Angela Dischinger
Photo by Jeremy Brooks
Problem
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problem
Play is losing to rigor in American classrooms
"Today, children play 8 hours less each week than their counterparts two decades ago"
~Rachel E. White
High-stakes, standardized testing = prioritizing trad learning methods over fun activities = "false dichotomy of reducing playtime in favor of more time to learn math & literacy...Play is losing to rigor in American classrooms." ~Wohlwend & Peppler, 2015
Results in a classroom environment that is too serious:
boring, students lose interest & detrimental to creativity
Teachers lose passion for their lessons
~Rachel E. White
High-stakes, standardized testing = prioritizing trad learning methods over fun activities = "false dichotomy of reducing playtime in favor of more time to learn math & literacy...Play is losing to rigor in American classrooms." ~Wohlwend & Peppler, 2015
Results in a classroom environment that is too serious:
boring, students lose interest & detrimental to creativity
Teachers lose passion for their lessons
Photo by cs272
problem
Can we justify bringing play back to the classroom?
Korobkin in study "Humor in the classroom: Considerations & Strategies": there are many benefits to humor in the classroom including increased retention, engagement, creativity, and decrease in student anxiety and monotony
Photo by cs272
Define "Play"
Definition of Terms:
Rachel White defined play in "The Power of Play"(2012) by asserting that play "is:
pleasurable,
intrinsically motivated,
process oriented,
freely chosen (spontaneous & voluntary),
non-literal,
actively engaged (physically &/or mentally involved)
Rachel White defined play in "The Power of Play"(2012) by asserting that play "is:
pleasurable,
intrinsically motivated,
process oriented,
freely chosen (spontaneous & voluntary),
non-literal,
actively engaged (physically &/or mentally involved)
Photo by KDL Photography | Lookin Cyril
attributes of play
- Humor
- Novelty
- Exploration
Attributes designated by David Sousa in "How the Brain Learns"
We tried to infuse all 3 attributes in our intervention plan
novelty - technology: apps/cell phones, videos
exploration - choice/freedom
We tried to infuse all 3 attributes in our intervention plan
novelty - technology: apps/cell phones, videos
exploration - choice/freedom
Photo by United Way of the Lower Mainland
Purpose
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Purpose
Determine Play's impact on student achievement
We assert that play can affect:
disparities in student achievement
student disengagement
social relationships & eliminate their
negative impact on learning
disparities in student achievement
student disengagement
social relationships & eliminate their
negative impact on learning
Photo by wuji9981
Purpose
- information retention
- classroom climate
- student focus & engagement
- interpersonal relationships
Can play improve all these things?
many of which are barriers to success
play should be an integral part of the learning experience -- no dichotomy between work (school) & play
many of which are barriers to success
play should be an integral part of the learning experience -- no dichotomy between work (school) & play
In a playful classroom:
- is there more information retention?
- positive classroom climate?
- increased student focus?
- more engaged students?
- constructive interpersonal relationships?
- limited negative emotional factors like anxiety?
These are the questions we asked ourselves as we were designing this study
What impact does play and humor have on information processing with secondary art students, especially in respect to long-term memory storage and retrieval?
What affect does a playful atmosphere have on promoting inclusive, risk-taking communities, student focus, and engagement?
academic quest/exploration = safe environment
Play is the foundation for lifelong learning
When you feel happy about something you want to spend more time devoted to it.
Play is the foundation for lifelong learning
When you feel happy about something you want to spend more time devoted to it.
How does forging relationships with secondary
students promote creativity and academic success in art classrooms? How can play foster healthy, working relationships between students when they collaborate and work individually?
What does the research Say?
Findings from our Literature Review
Info from Ch.2:
Literature Review
Literature Review
Photo by Jeremy Brooks
Findings: The Brain
- Emotions alter learning
- Physiological benefits
- Self-concept
- Thinking helps thinking
Sousa: "how a person 'feels' about a learning situation determines the amount of attention devoted to it"
Must feel safe & secure to learn
Play brings positive feelings = proper emo state for learning
Laughter = increased oxygen to brain (fuel) & reduce stress
kinestheic approach (blood pumping) more brain fuel
Releases endorphins (euphoria) & hormones (amygdala strengthens the memory)
playful risk-taking = failure without damaging self-concept
The more you think, the better your brain gets at thinking. More practice with complex tasks, the brain will build more dendrites/connections & be better equipped (exploration)
Must feel safe & secure to learn
Play brings positive feelings = proper emo state for learning
Laughter = increased oxygen to brain (fuel) & reduce stress
kinestheic approach (blood pumping) more brain fuel
Releases endorphins (euphoria) & hormones (amygdala strengthens the memory)
playful risk-taking = failure without damaging self-concept
The more you think, the better your brain gets at thinking. More practice with complex tasks, the brain will build more dendrites/connections & be better equipped (exploration)
Photo by tj.blackwell
Findings: The Brain
- Interdisciplinary content
- Information retention & recall
- Important for teens too
Info retention: sense & meaning increased via play; opp'ty to add personal experience. Emo associations effect memory (hippocampus converts working mem to long-term & amygdala does emo imput). More time with info=more retention
"Getting a joke operates on 2 levels, cognitive processing & emo processing" ~Slade
Play could strengthen academic connections across subject matters. ~Wohlwend & Peppler
Brain continues to change & grow into early adulthood. The limbic system & prefrontal cortex are becoming more interconnected = teens enjoy same benefits of play as kids. (Sousa) like increased engagement and the reduction of emotional stressors (anxiety & fear)
"Teens are especially sensitive to emotions & are still learning to self-regulate, persevere, & concentrate" ~Steinberg, 2015
Easily derailed by emotional stimuli
"Getting a joke operates on 2 levels, cognitive processing & emo processing" ~Slade
Play could strengthen academic connections across subject matters. ~Wohlwend & Peppler
Brain continues to change & grow into early adulthood. The limbic system & prefrontal cortex are becoming more interconnected = teens enjoy same benefits of play as kids. (Sousa) like increased engagement and the reduction of emotional stressors (anxiety & fear)
"Teens are especially sensitive to emotions & are still learning to self-regulate, persevere, & concentrate" ~Steinberg, 2015
Easily derailed by emotional stimuli
Photo by tj.blackwell
Findings: Class Climate
- Emotionally secure & safe
- Risk-taking
- Inclusivity
Emo input take high priority -- if feel unsafe (insecure, anxious, afraid) brain cannot absorb academic content (low-priority)
Play is the catalyst for academic quest, trial & error, and searching for info relevant to personal desire/experiences.
Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff: this kind of exploration must be done in a secure enviro where angst is eliminated & students have academic freedom to take chances
"play builds the foundation for a lifetime of learning" ~White
Humor can: bring back to the content, relieve stress, defuse tension, livens up the room, & creates a safe place for students to take appropriate risks.
"when people laugh together, they bond & a community spirit emerges -- all positive forces for a climate conducive to learning" ~Sousa
Play is the catalyst for academic quest, trial & error, and searching for info relevant to personal desire/experiences.
Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff: this kind of exploration must be done in a secure enviro where angst is eliminated & students have academic freedom to take chances
"play builds the foundation for a lifetime of learning" ~White
Humor can: bring back to the content, relieve stress, defuse tension, livens up the room, & creates a safe place for students to take appropriate risks.
"when people laugh together, they bond & a community spirit emerges -- all positive forces for a climate conducive to learning" ~Sousa
Photo by U.S. Pacific Fleet
Findings: Class Climate
- Focus
- Engagement
Use Intrinsic motivation to reap desired outcome -- focus
"the few minutes dedicated to humor in instruction will result in an hour of student engagement" ~McCartney Matthews, 2011
"Playful students are engaged students. Capitalize on the interest & build a bridge to the content," ~J. Rust, 2015
"the few minutes dedicated to humor in instruction will result in an hour of student engagement" ~McCartney Matthews, 2011
"Playful students are engaged students. Capitalize on the interest & build a bridge to the content," ~J. Rust, 2015
Photo by U.S. Pacific Fleet
Findings: Relationships
- Shared experiences
- Communication
- Support & encouragement
humor/play result in shared experiences that can forge positive relationships in the classroom with peers & teachers
Irvin Yalom: Facilitated play help with ability to work with others: builds universality, imparting info, altruism, forming interaction guidelines, group cohesiveness
humor is key to communication satisfaction -- "people consider themselves psychosocially closer to those who are liked or positive" (Brein & Ryback) = helps forge relationships
healthy relationships can help student success: support, encouragement as well as cooperation, conflict-resolution & communication skills
Irvin Yalom: Facilitated play help with ability to work with others: builds universality, imparting info, altruism, forming interaction guidelines, group cohesiveness
humor is key to communication satisfaction -- "people consider themselves psychosocially closer to those who are liked or positive" (Brein & Ryback) = helps forge relationships
healthy relationships can help student success: support, encouragement as well as cooperation, conflict-resolution & communication skills
Photo by UC Davis College of Engineering
Findings: Relationships
- Peer to peer
- Teacher to peer (mentor)
Novelty & exploration help forge relationships (eg: ice-breaker games or collab problem-solving activities)
positive peer relationships build long-term success in school
mentorship: humor helps assess kids, bond, catharsis, reframe maladaptive beliefs, replace self-absorbed behaviors
= therapeutic benefits
~Berg, Parr, Bradly & Berry
Students with positive teacher alliances are less likely to skip school, appear more self-directed, are more engaged in learning & are more cooperative
positive peer relationships build long-term success in school
mentorship: humor helps assess kids, bond, catharsis, reframe maladaptive beliefs, replace self-absorbed behaviors
= therapeutic benefits
~Berg, Parr, Bradly & Berry
Students with positive teacher alliances are less likely to skip school, appear more self-directed, are more engaged in learning & are more cooperative
Photo by UC Davis College of Engineering
Methodology
- Researcher A: Intervention Expert
- Researcher B & C: Data Analysts
We wanted to make sure our intervention strategies were replicable -- so we tried to construct things that did NOT depend on teacher personality
Photo by Nicolò Paternoster
Intervention Plan
We wanted to make sure our intervention strategies were replicable -- so we tried to construct things that did NOT depend on teacher personality
Photo by Icons For Now
Portrait Lesson
- Daily Videos/Media
- Hook: Portrait apps (Bitmoji, MSQRD, SnapChat)
- Keynote (info & jokes)
Start each class with funny/engaging/visually interesting videos or pictures -- relevant to the lesson.
Intro caricature & funny faces. Student then use an app to make funny self-portraits
Multimedia presentation to intro portraiture, photorealism, art vocab & technique tip -- all with embedded jokes & silliness (on topic)
Intro caricature & funny faces. Student then use an app to make funny self-portraits
Multimedia presentation to intro portraiture, photorealism, art vocab & technique tip -- all with embedded jokes & silliness (on topic)
Photo by Peter Kaminski
Portrait Lesson
- ChatterPix vocab recap
- Photo-shoot with teacher
- Teacher demos & worksheets
Novelty: freshness, unusual, original
Students use ChatterPix to summarize the lessons from the Keynote
While they are doing this, the teacher will have 1:1 photo-shoots with the students that they can use for their final portrait drawing
Teacher breaks down portraiture & leads students in using various drawing tools & drawing value scales, eyes, ears, noses, mouths, etc.
Students use ChatterPix to summarize the lessons from the Keynote
While they are doing this, the teacher will have 1:1 photo-shoots with the students that they can use for their final portrait drawing
Teacher breaks down portraiture & leads students in using various drawing tools & drawing value scales, eyes, ears, noses, mouths, etc.
Photo by Suzanne Schroeter
Portrait Lesson
- Grid drawing & make view-finder
- Studio time (music)
- Ribbon critique
Students draw grids on their portrait photos & on their final drawing paper.
They also make a view-finder to help them use the grid as a drawing tool
Give them plenty of studio time to explore portraiture & apply the previous lessons
End the unit w/a critique activity. Students create ribbons to present to each other based on various successful qualities of the drawings
They also make a view-finder to help them use the grid as a drawing tool
Give them plenty of studio time to explore portraiture & apply the previous lessons
End the unit w/a critique activity. Students create ribbons to present to each other based on various successful qualities of the drawings
Photo by subhadip87
Art 1
- 35 high school students
- 15 boys & 20 girls
- grades 9-12
- 2 with IEPs, 1 with a 504, 5 ELLs
Data Collection
- Journals
- Student survey
- Student work (compared to previous years)
Student Survey
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Assessment Tools
Project Rubric
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Student Work
Practices & Final Projects
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Facial Feature Portrait Practice
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Facial Feature Portrait Practice
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Facial Feature Portrait Practice
findings
- Humor is subjective
- Humor in classroom environments & step by step practice builds confidence and risk taking attitudes
- Outside influences can change class dynamics
- Teachers, students and artist intent on humor can be viewed differently: Wes Naman video tape and rubber band series
Value, Oh My Values and Additional Value Assignment help students "breathe a huge sigh of relief" - help engagement in a difficult task
4th period Fashion class difficulties, heavy turnover rate at semester, additional teacher stress
Value, Oh My Values and Additional Value Assignment help students "breathe a huge sigh of relief" - help engagement in a difficult task
4th period Fashion class difficulties, heavy turnover rate at semester, additional teacher stress
Are you more or less likely to participate after watching the intro videos?
Photo by Franck_Michel
Do the introductory videos help you get "your head in the game?"
Photo by Franck_Michel
Were you more or less excited to do work when it involved using apps?
Photo by Franck_Michel
Did you find the Keynote entertaining/engaging?
Photo by Franck_Michel
Did the Keynote help you remember the new information?
Photo by Franck_Michel
Portrait Final Project Grades
Photo by Mirko Panacek
conclusions
- Students and adults find different things amusing
- Jokes and puns are more universal
- Intro videos are inspiring but not necessarily funny but did put students in a more artistic frame of mind
- Humor, music, and technology encourage a lighter, more fun environment
Videos = inspiring, incredulous, full of surprise but not necessarily comical
**Videos did help them forget about prior classes and issues in their personal lives
**Videos did help them forget about prior classes and issues in their personal lives
Play & the Brain
Question 1: Conclusion
- More than 3 weeks of intervention is needed to more conclusively determine this question
- Short term results show students were more willing to embark on challenging tasks with the integration of humor
Play & Classroom Climate
playful students are engaged students
capitalize on interest and build a bridge to curriculum
capitalize on interest and build a bridge to curriculum
Question 2: conclusion
- Starting with videos rather than ELMO demonstrations helped put students in a creative head space
- Videos also sparked conversation between peers, enhanced moods, reinforced risk taking, experimentation, and open-mindedness
Teach making mistakes is part of learning
Let's take our work seriously but ourselves lightly
Laughter creates community spirit
Teachers as models - laugh at ourselves
Let's take our work seriously but ourselves lightly
Laughter creates community spirit
Teachers as models - laugh at ourselves
Play & Relationships
Question 3: conclusion
- Humor and choice in preparation work imparted self-confidence, enjoyable interactions with school mates and overall sense of well-being
- Cell Phone Apps and one on one feedback built confidence and allowed a space for laughter
Intervention allowed teens who are often moody/hesitant to show vulnerabilities
safe space to nurture creative talent
Cell Phones: ChatterPix, Bitmoji, Snapchat, MSQRD, Prisma
safe space to nurture creative talent
Cell Phones: ChatterPix, Bitmoji, Snapchat, MSQRD, Prisma
Further conclusions
- Although the intervention for this study is meant to be reproducible, embedding humor and play takes a certain teaching temperament.
- There is a necessary comfort with some organized chaos and a noisy classroom environment.
Humor is a skill that can be taught and acquired with proper materials:
multimedia, tech, games, debates
multimedia, tech, games, debates
Recommendations
- More time is needed to meet all standards and measure long-term retention results
- Research what is trending with students to tap into their style of humor
3 weeks is not enough time to meet all of the necessary standards and differentiation
Researchers such as Nasiri and Mafekheri (2015) agree that further research still needs to be conducted to determine optimum classroom strategies.
Students and adults don't always find the same things funny. ASK THEM: memes ADD Meme Generator to tech component of the project
Researchers such as Nasiri and Mafekheri (2015) agree that further research still needs to be conducted to determine optimum classroom strategies.
Students and adults don't always find the same things funny. ASK THEM: memes ADD Meme Generator to tech component of the project
The End
Wahooo!!!!
