Chapter 2 Literature Review
2.3 Enabling conditions for the transformation of dispositions
2.3.2 Conceptualising ePlay as a unique form of play and the ePlay MakerSpace
ePlay is conceptualised as a distinct form of play. ePlay is both an inculcation process and a mechanism to create the enabling conditions for the transformation of dispositions through the transformative integration of ET. This conception of play, referred to as ePlay, is
distinguished through the commonly used e-prefix to indicate a focus on play with ETs. While acknowledging that an ePlay TPD/4ETs model may achieve the transformation of dispositions in a more general sense, for the purposes of this study, the focus remains on the transformation of dispositions to create, innovate, take risks and explore.
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A defining characteristic of ePlay is its emphasis on developing dispositions of creativity and innovation. Similar to Bateson and Martin’s (2013) conception of playful play, ePlay
represents an orientation to play that generates radical and novel approaches to challenges by fostering creativity and innovation through the transformative integration of ETs. This conceptual development of ePlay aligns with evolutionary processes that enable organisms to rapidly adapt to changing environmental conditions by generating novel or uncommon approaches to challenges in their physical and social context (Bateson and Martin, 2013; Bennet and Moriarty, 2016). As noted in 2.2.1, creativity and innovation draw on different thinking processes (Guilford, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1966). Creativity employs divergence to generate novel forms of behaviour and ideas, while innovation employs convergence to identify and develop worthwhile interventions in a practical way (Bateson and Martin, 2013). ePlay is thus conceptualised as a process that develops dispositions of creativity and innovation, accompanied by divergent and convergent thinking processes.
ePlay takes place within a purposefully designed context to create the enabling conditions that support teachers emotionally and carries their weight of change within the liminal zone. The context of ePlay is characteristically playful, free-spirited, light-hearted and pleasurable, encouraging humour and laughter, joking, humorous exchanges and joyous, pleasurable interactions (Bateson and Martin, 2013). This context is also nurturing and supportive, freed from the fear of failure, negativity and pessimism, and encouraging of risk- taking and experimentation. As teachers engage in the ePlay context, playing and
manipulating, experiencing and discovering online, cloud-based or office-related ET tools and structures, their minds are “thinking, manipulating, changing and adapting rules” (Sicart, 2014, p. 9). In an intuitive freedom to experience, without the fear of failure, teachers may experience a greater openness to new experiences and ideas (Meyer, 2010; Sicart, 2014) and willingness to break rules and habitual ways of thinking, and may enter the liminal zone possibly without conscious thought or action. Within the liminal zone they may start create novel and unconventional thoughts and behaviours supported by the safe and nurturing conditions that carry their weight of change.
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The purposefully-designed contexts for ePlay supports dynamic, emergent and active learning, such as that in a MakerSpace. Although the concept is relatively new in the field of educational technology, scholars particularly in Library Sciences, are increasingly
researching MakerSpaces as incubators of innovation and creative problem solving (Hlubinka et al., 2013; Forest et al., 2014; Morocz et al., 2015; Adams Becker et al., 2016). MakerSpaces offer conducive conditions to transform how, when and why learning occurs, who participates in the active learning process, and how this participation is framed. Emergent and organic collaboration and interactions are encouraged in MakerSpaces, as well as cross-disciplinary problem solving (Johnson et al., 2016) and the erosion of strict boundaries between ‘learner’ and ‘teacher’ (Kurti, Kurti and Fleming, 2014). Since MakerSpaces provide contexts for participants to manipulate and experience tools, both physical and virtual, and emphasizes inquiry, exploration and discovery using imagination, creativity and innovation, they align with the goals of ePlay.
The ePlay MakerSpace is thus conceptualised as a purposefully designed context in which teachers experience transformative ET integration in a fun-filled and playful atmosphere, where risk-taking, exploration and discovery (Hughes, 2001; Hohmann, 2005; Chesbrough, 2006; Meyer, 2010; Bateson and Martin, 2013), are encouraged, and teachers often rely on intuition and improvisation (Hughes, 2001; Meyer, 2010; Reid and Wood, 2016) to create and invent pedagogic solutions to transformatively integrate ETs. Players in the ePlay MakerSpace pursue their own interests and curiosities, bringing their own enthusiasm and energy (McArdle et al., 2016) in an autotelic, autonomous manner that is intrinsically self- motivating (Sutton-Smith, 2001; Fullerton, 2014; Sicart, 2014). They are actively engaged in experiencing, interpreting, solving problems and taking risks, designing, experimenting, building and rebuilding structures, processes or techniques, whether to solve an authentic, immediate and pressing problem (McArdle et al., 2016) or to simply enjoy playing. The ePlay MakerSpace thus provides an opportunity for teachers to develop and practice new skills and competencies, thoughts and thinking processes, often exposing teachers to possibilities that may seem beyond their existing experiences, skills or capabilities.
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Players in the ePlay MakerSpace are typically from diverse contexts and range in skill, competencies and the command of different kinds of knowledge. Hence, novices may play side-by-side with experienced players, each deriving pleasure from their engagement in the ePlay MakerSpace. Similarly, a more experienced player may coach a novice player, or observe the other’s play, get thought-seeds from behaviours or designs, and try out new ideas or skills in different ways (Reid and Wood, 2016), inculcating and potentially
transforming dispositional structures in both parties. Therefore, interaction between players is encouraged, teachers are frequently reminded of their experience and professional
standing, and empathy rather than condemnation is leveraged to understand the contexts in which they operate. It is suggested, that the greater interpersonal, relational learning nurtured between players, may carry the weight of change beyond the capacities of the facilitator(s) and disperse this between participants.