Students in higher education who played at the beginning of class retained more information and were happier.
It is expected that in 2021-2022 scores of adults will be heading back to school. According to a survey conducted by Student Loan Hero, over 40% of all Americans under the age of 40 inquired about getting back in the classroom during the coronavirus pandemic. The reasons for this are multifaceted. Some people have been let go from their jobs, and others are looking to increase their income. Others still are wishing to fast-track their careers. (Hey, there’s nothing like huge chunks of time spent reflecting on life at home in lockdown to push you further out the door).
While learning is said to be possible at any stage in life, most of us imagine recess, games of dodgeball, and hula hoop sessions to be something reserved for the young. Elementary school kids need a break to play. They need to let all that high energy out in order to focus at a desk, right? Yes, and so do adults.
Lisa Forbes, a counseling researcher from the University of Colorado Denver has this to say about it.
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“As we grow older, we’re conditioned to believe that play is trivial, childish, and a waste of time.”
Because of this, Forbes notes, play tends to be excluded from higher education. But perhaps it shouldn’t be.
“A more interactive learning approach leads to a deeper and more rigorous connection to the material,” she notes.
Positive Emotions and Better Connections
Forbes conducted a study in her own classrooms during the spring 2020 semester that led her to her conclusion. In three of her university courses with students aged 23 to 43, Forbes included games, competitions, and play at the start of each class. Some of these activities were designed for students to practice their counseling skills in relation to the course content, and others were not tied in. These games were just for fun. The results were positive. Students said they were better able to retain the course content when classes started playfully, and better able to acquire new skills. Overall, students also said they felt better about class. They had increased positive emotions, better connections with other students, and a better relationship with the course professor.
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In light of this, Forbes says that more play should go on in post-secondary courses. It would result in better learning outcomes, she says.
“I also saw that when I introduced play, it helped students let their guard down and allowed them to reduce their stress, fear, or anxiety,” Forbes said. “Play even motivated students to be vulnerably engaged, take risks, and feel more connected to the content.”
Forbes says she feels that play in post secondary education is more in tune with the humanistic values of higher education, unlike the basic lecture method that is more often presented.
Should high school teachers take note? Certainly. A bit of fun, like a compliment, can go a long way.
For more on how to engage students in learning, check out these tips for teaching from the American Psychological Association.
photo credits: Standret/Shutterstock.com
