I recently had the pleasure of chatting to Frank and Peter from Drawn to the Flame, a podcast about Fantasy Flight’s Arkham Horror Living Card Game.
We talked about our histories with board gaming, why we enjoy Arkham Horror, and how it plays with the idea of the ‘magic circle’, which plays a significant role in my research.
Given the massive impact of the videogames industry on the UK economy, computing in schools is still catching up to a large extent. Prior to 2014 the ICT curriculum in schools focused on the use of Microsoft Office software and little else; the creative programming skill required to grow a huge games industry was developed by individual hobbyists in their bedrooms rather than through the school system. Acknowledging that our children need to be ready for a digital future, recent curriculum changes have attempted to address this, with coding being described as ‘the new Latin’ by many reformers since 2010 . However, this in turn has landed a mass of new curriculum initiatives on the plates of teachers, many of whom only studied the old ICT curriculum if they studied ICT at all.
After last year’s inaugural event, Playful Learning conference, run in conjunction with the ALT Games and Learning SIG, returns 12 to 14 July 2017 at Manchester Metropolitan University. Playful Learning is pitched at the intersection of learning and play for adults. Playful in approach and outlook, yet underpinned by robust research and working practices, the conference provides a space where teachers, researchers and students can play, learn and think together. A space to meet other playful people and be inspired by talks, workshops, activities and events.
The Faculty of Education at Manchester Metropolitan are delighted to invite you to spend a day with the renowned play theorist, Bernie DeKoven (see his TED talk here). The event will be an exploration of play in adulthood and promises to be a compelling mixture of theory, action, and play.
Places are free, but limited, and are available here. Book now to avoid disappointment!
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