Harnessing ‘play’ (beyond games) to enhance self-directed learning in VET

Harnessing ‘play’ (beyond games) to enhance self-directed learning in VET

Harnessing ‘play’ (beyond games) to enhance self-directed learning in VET

By Luke Butcher and Graham Ferguson

Abstract

“Vocational education and training (VET) is faced with thechallenge of developing 21st century learners for rapidlychanging workforces. As the industry is impacted by external market forces, greater digitalization, and access to learning,learning must evolve. In this research, we propose VET can be enhanced by harnessing self-directed learning (SDL) through‘play’ (beyond games). Through phenomenological investigation, a diversity of learners’ experiences of SDL and players’experiences of ‘play’ are unearthed. The former throughfocus groups and interviews, the latter thematic analysis ofonline discussion boards. Results make numerous contributions to scholarship and practice through extending cognitive, emotional, and environmental dimensions of the‘fundamental processes of learning’ into the domain of SDL in VET. These dimensions are synthesized with a diversity ofcompelling experiences of ‘play’, to provide six ‘learner-centered’ tenets of harnessing play in self-directed VET and 11VET examples situated at specific stages of learning.”

Reference

Butcher, L., & Ferguson, G. (2021, October 17). Harnessing 'play' (Beyond games) to enhance self-directed learning in Vet. Retrieved February 23, 2022, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13636820.2021.1989621

Keyword

Games, play, self-directed learning, vocational education and training, research