Toward lifelong learning and play

Abstract

Research has examined the relationship between play and learning across all ages, beginning with early childhood and through old age. This research spans major views of learning, including behaviorist/empiricist, cognitivist/rationalist, and situative/pragmatist-sociohistoric perspectives. This paper presents an argument for why, given the diversity and depth of play and learning research, a field of play and learning across the lifespan should be organized. It presents this work in terms of current criticisms of lifelong learning, especially its tendency to narrowly focus on learning that supports economic preparedness and argues that better organizing play and learning research into a field would help to advance its societal impact.