Thanks Dan. You’ve made me pause and think about my own PhD. For me, I think where I learned the most I was playing with possibilities, exploring my findings, and then playing with connections as I conceptualised the findings into models to make sense of them. Is that play? How do you define play?

Yes! And we’re seeing a correlation between lack of unsupervised play and higher rates of mental health challenges in children and young people. We’re well intentioned adults but sometimes we just need to let kids be kids. #EduSkyAU

That was fun! Thanks for the invite- and I got to play with BlueSky tonight! #EduSkyAU

Thanks for joining the chat everyone! Keep playing! #EduSkyAU

Yes I agree- we all need to play. I think if we had permission to play as adults, we might then offer the same permission to children and young people. Yes to more well-being, joy and innovation! #EduSkyAU

yes- imagine the difference this would make to learning and engagement! #EduSkyAU

Yay for play! #EduSkyAU

And I think we wonder why they struggle to get along? Many children and young people actually have few opportunities to develop strong social skills #EduSkyAU

Great point Anna! Thank you for the reminder. #EduSkyAU

"Pulse with possibility" I love this. Excited, engaged students who want to learn and have no limits placed on them! #EduSkyAU

I wonder how often we jump in too soon to avoid conflict and reduce the opportunities for genuine learning. Yes guidance is fine but we learn skills through practise not just being told what to do. #EduSkyAU

Thanks for all your insights! Here’s the final question…
Question 6: What would happen if we took play as seriously as we take productivity?
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@eduskyteam.bsky.social

I love the focus on more formative assessment and students showing their learning. A focus on the learning process, rather than product or performance! #EduSkyAU

Yes I agree- imagine the time we could spend going deep into topics of interest and inquiry and the focus we might have on the thinking and learning process! #EduSkyAU

Love this! Engagement in play is so powerful! It can also help induce flow- to go deeper, for longer #EduSkyAU

Totally agree. Play is generally a safe space for children though which is why it is powerful for deeper thinking and innovation- and they learn about collaboration while they're at it. I am coming from an early years perspective though. Maybe it looks different for older children. #EduSkyAU

Heck yes! #EduSkyAU

Keep the thinking coming...
Here is Question 5: If play were a design principle in schools, what would change?
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@eduskyteam.bsky.social

Yes- and those ideas generate collectively and over time! When we play with possibilities innovation emerges! #EduSkyAU

Love this! Yes, high challenge and that's where we stretch ourselves. We need challenge but when there is low threat we can embrace the challenge and the opportunities for learning and growth are endless! #EduSkyAU

Learning should be more than the academic. It should be about who we are as individuals and who we are collectively. Through play we can have both! #EduSkyAU

YES! There are no high stakes in play. I think this is where the power really lies. We can just be, and through play we become! #EduSkyAU

I love this. Play is so wonderful for connecting us as humans. There are (generally) no risks in play- everyone can show up as they are. #EduSkyAU

OK let's explore some of the possibilities of play...
Question 4: How might playful mindsets unlock innovation and collaboration in education?
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@eduskyteam.bsky.social

Totally agree! We lose curiosity and a true love of learning #EduSkyAU

A4 To me play offers opportunities for deeper understanding of content, and connection and application of ideas, concepts and constructions to different subject areas and contexts. When we remove opportunities for play I question how deep learning is, how engaged and meaningful it is #EduSkyAU

Oh to be 5! 😂 #EduSkyAU

What a great conversation! I could talk about play for hours. Let's turn our focus to play in education. I would love to hear your perspectives on this one…
Question 3: What is lost when we minimise opportunities for play in education?
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@eduskyteam.bsky.social

Super interesting. Can you think of an example where deep learning could happen without play, and what play then affords in terms of the unique, unexpected learning? #EduSkyAU

Love this! A lot of my play these days involves tech experimentation too. It's how I figure things out- like AI. What it can do and what it can't. I think a lot of what we do is a type of play, we just don't think of it necessarily as play. #EduSkyAU