The Call for Sessions for PL20 in 2022 is now open!
Playful Learning is back with a vengeance 😊
This year we will be attempting to squash three years of conference into three days – a feat never before attempted. We’ll be including many of the original planned sessions from 2020 as well as new sessions capturing the best of playful learning that has happened since.
As always, our ethos is to break the traditional conference mould, and programme a range of different types of talks and activities, from new research and theoretical explorations through to playtests and creative workshops. In turn, this means we are open to everyone who has something to say, present, create or think about – regardless of background or experience.
We are looking for submissions in all areas relating to the use of play or playfulness in relation to adult learning, including – but not limited to – higher and further education, playful workplaces, and lifelong learning.
We have a range of indoor and outdoor spaces that you can use, and positively encourage sessions which make good use of space as well as taking an interactive and collaborate approach to audience participation.
In addition, this year we will be complementing the physical conference with a suite of online challenges, so that if you are unable to attend in person, you can still take part in Playful Learning. If you would like to curate an online challenge, this is now an additional submission category (and you don’t need to attend in person).
For all the categories below, we need an abstract of up to 300 words (this is a maximum, not a condition, fewer words are good too). You can include citations, or not, as you feel appropriate (but do include them in the word count). Please also tell us how you plan to present your work (keeping actual ‘presentation’ to a minimum, and interaction to a maximum, please).
Note that presenters (except online challenge curators) will need to register to attend the conference in person, so please only submit a session if at least one presenter will be able to attend. Note that we will have reduced fees for presenters and – this year – special low rates for students.
Abstracts will be published online.
Research paper/Case study
30 minutes. Exploration of research or analysis of playful learning in practice: the session should keep presentation to a minimum and focus on facilitated discussion or debate around key concepts/questions/results of the research.
Workshop
30, 60, 90 or 120 minute interactive session. Explore project outputs, work in progress, learning activities, creative tasks, etc. Attendees should come out of the session having created and/or experienced something of use for their own contexts. The longer 90 or 120 minute sessions should be fully active sessions, ideally leading to the creation of something new together.
Game/playful activity session/playtest
60 or 90 minutes. Introduce your own game or playful learning activity by playing it with attendees, and discussing its effectiveness as you play. Can use indoor, outdoor or foyer space. This might also be an opportunity to test a prototype for a game or playful activity that you’d like some feedback on.
Note that there is also an opportunity to run such sessions outside the normal programme (as early morning or evening activities, for example) – for all or a subset of the attendees. Let us know if you’re interested in this.
Online Challenge
A playful task, problem, or activity that participants can carry out wherever they are. You need to explain what the task is, how participants might evidence that they have completed it, any support required by the Playful Learning team, and how you will award points. Challenges that link to a useful learning outcome are good, but then challenges that are simply fun are good too.
Other
Don’t be restricted by categories or times! If you have a great idea that doesn’t fit any of the above, please submit it.
Submissions
Submit your session idea through our submission form.
Timescale
Call for sessions opens: 3rd December 2021
Deadline for submissions: 18 February 2022
Notification of acceptance to authors: around 14 March 2022
Booking deadline for presenters: 31st March 2022
Publication of conference timetable: Spring 2022
