Digiplay - play is encouraged in students, but not in teachers... Why?

Michael Green

In child's play, young people use their imagination, invent multiple characters and solutions, explore new places and possibilities and push the boundaries of their knowledge. Why is it then, that as educators, we don't approach IT in the same way. This session will explore the unwritten laws of IT and look at alternative solutions. Methods will include:

1. direct instruction
2. visual referencing
3. object orientated - conceptual
4. collaborative.

During this session, we will also take a look at an example of real time interactive media. The program Keeping It Clean went to air on 15 October 2001, and involved a video conference with Sydney, Melbourne, and groups of students from Ararat and Horsham North. The conference was then broadcast via satellite to Government schools throughout Victoria, with students encouraged to interact via phone, fax or email. This session looks at the notion of play within the digital environment and explores the "boundaries" of technology. Additionally, participants get to make some pretty cool stuff with Lego!