Game, Creativity, and Learning
Weaving a Perfect Triangular Relationship of Games, Creativity and Learning
Introduction Creativity has been widely acknowledged as a crucial ability for learning. Many studies revealed that creativity is associated with and also facilitates divergent thinking, critical thinking, flexibility, and so forth which are the vital elements to promote learning. To spur creativity, games are the best media on account of dual functionality discussed as follows.
Dual Functionality of Games Games are not simply the activities which brings entertainment and fun, but the activities important to children’s development of diverse abilities such as cognitive, behavioral, mental, and so on (Vygotsky, 1933). Besides, games are also the activities applicable to other activities. In terms of education, for example, games together with learning and creativity shape a perfect triangular relationship in which they mutually interplay with one another.
Game Play vs. Learning Basically, game play and learning are two activities conflicting with each other. In essence, game play is an activity involving people into an entertaining, relaxing, enjoyable, joyful, and fun context and experience. However, learning is an activity requiring hardworking, patience, effort, fortitude, etc. Nevertheless, game play and learning are two activities interestingly sharing some processes in common. For instance, both activities experience exploration, discovery, risk-taking, problem-solving, trial and error, as well as involving imagination, curiosity, and creativity (Kemp, Smith, DeKoven, & Segal, 2012.). Since game play and learning are two activities with conflicting psychological and mental contexts but mostly overlapping behavioral processes, it is ideal to transform a pain-taking learning context into a fun learning context, making learners enjoy pleasure in learning and thereby effectively expanding learning effectiveness. Then, learning is no longer a burden but a
Introduction Creativity has been widely acknowledged as a crucial ability for learning. Many studies revealed that creativity is associated with and also facilitates divergent thinking, critical thinking, flexibility, and so forth which are the vital elements to promote learning. To spur creativity, games are the best media on account of dual functionality discussed as follows.
Dual Functionality of Games Games are not simply the activities which brings entertainment and fun, but the activities important to children’s development of diverse abilities such as cognitive, behavioral, mental, and so on (Vygotsky, 1933). Besides, games are also the activities applicable to other activities. In terms of education, for example, games together with learning and creativity shape a perfect triangular relationship in which they mutually interplay with one another.
Game Play vs. Learning Basically, game play and learning are two activities conflicting with each other. In essence, game play is an activity involving people into an entertaining, relaxing, enjoyable, joyful, and fun context and experience. However, learning is an activity requiring hardworking, patience, effort, fortitude, etc. Nevertheless, game play and learning are two activities interestingly sharing some processes in common. For instance, both activities experience exploration, discovery, risk-taking, problem-solving, trial and error, as well as involving imagination, curiosity, and creativity (Kemp, Smith, DeKoven, & Segal, 2012.). Since game play and learning are two activities with conflicting psychological and mental contexts but mostly overlapping behavioral processes, it is ideal to transform a pain-taking learning context into a fun learning context, making learners enjoy pleasure in learning and thereby effectively expanding learning effectiveness. Then, learning is no longer a burden but a
References: Harrington, D. M., Block, J., & Block, J. H. (1983). Predicting creativity in preadolescence from divergent thinking in early childhood