Envisioning research through a lens of play

Abstract

In this paper, two higher education researchers – one, an experiencedplay researcher and practitioner; the other an experienced Law researcher whohas more recently engaged with the play literature – present their ideasconcerning what happens, or what could happen when research is envisionedthrough a lens of play.  They describehow, drawing on the literature and theories surrounding play and games, theyworked together to identify features that resonated with them as being relevantto research.  Through their discussion ofseven resonators (the significance of play, play is voluntary, play challenges,the uncertainty of play, accepting failure, community building and workingwithin constraints) they suggest a playful look at research might encourage a numberof positive changes to research practice and impact. They conclude by invitingreaders to critically examine their claims, and to test them out in thecontexts of their own research environments.@font-face{font-family:SimSun;panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;mso-font-alt:宋体;mso-font-charset:134;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;}@font-face{font-family:"Cambria Math";panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:roman;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face{font-family:"Palatino Linotype";panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 5 5 3 3 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:roman;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-536870265 1073741843 0 0 415 0;}@font-face{font-family:"\@SimSun";panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1;mso-font-charset:134;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0cm;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:none;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Palatino Linotype",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}p.Els-Abstract-text, li.Els-Abstract-text, div.Els-Abstract-text{mso-style-name:Els-Abstract-text;mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-parent:"";mso-style-next:Normal;margin-top:10.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:0cm;text-align:justify;text-justify:inter-ideograph;line-height:11.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm;font-size:7.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;mso-default-props:yes;font-size:10.0pt;mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;}div.WordSection1{page:WordSection1;}