Reflections from the Play Make Learn Conference
Tuğba Yıldırım Kumbasar
I recently had the chance to attend the Play Make Learn (PML) Conference at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the second time, and it was just as invigorating as the first. Each summer, this conference attracts a diverse group of professionals—educators, researchers, librarians, designers, developers, makers, and museum experts—creating a lively and collaborative atmosphere. While I’m always eager to engage in conferences focused on language teaching and learning, I find that these interdisciplinary gatherings provide a unique kind of inspiration. They offer a rich tapestry of ideas that not only enhance my language teaching practices but also foster my personal and professional growth. The unique blend of perspectives and insights is what drives me to seek out these experiences, and I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to participate once again. In this blog post, I’ll reflect on my experience presenting, share some of the ideas I gained from the conference, and explore how they can be applied to enhance our practices.
Our session “Reflective Dialogues: Museum Expressions Language Learning and Art Therapy Workshop” at the Play Make Learn Conference, co-presented with art therapist Seren P. İlkdoğan, explored the integration of language learning and art therapy. We outlined the workshop's goals, demonstrated the steps of each stage, and shared learner feedback to highlight their responses to this art-based learning experience beyond the classroom. Additionally, we included narrative reflections from both presenters, detailing our roles, collaborative processes, and the challenges faced during the planning and implementation of the workshop. Participants found our collaboration inspiring and applicable in museum settings. However, our discussions often centered on the repeatability of these practices and how to promote them effectively. One key reflection was the variability of stakeholders we need to convince, which changes depending on the context—whether it’s educational institutions or museum administrators. A recurring challenge across different settings was securing funding for these impactful practices. This realization indicated the need for a strategic approach to advocating for and sustaining art-based educational initiatives.
The conference featured a diverse array of presentations, workshops, and discussions on topics including arts integration, game design, playful learning, STEAM, and makerspaces. I had the opportunity to explore several of these areas, particularly those related to art education and playful learning, which align closely with my interests. One of the most engaging workshops I attended, which was particularly relevant to language teaching and learning, was "UW Arts Collab Practices: Arts and Identity, Agency, and Belonging," presented by Yorel Lashley, Erica Halverson, Tracey Bullington, and Stephanie Richards. In this workshop, the presenters addressed common fears educators may have about arts integration, such as concerns about not being creative or lacking artistic talent. I found the workshop successful in alleviating these fears by offering an arts-integrated practice where we experienced what students go through, understood their feelings in a regular classroom setting, and learned how an artful touch can transform classroom routines to bring more joy and creativity. We began by working in pairs using a set of questions provided on the wall, choosing one to answer deeply. Next, we created an artwork or symbol representing our responses using pipe cleaners. We then named our artwork and wrote a brief description for it, similar to what we see in an art gallery. Finally, we participated in a gallery walk to view each other's work, which represented our responses to the initial questions. It was fascinating to see the variety of answers and the creative ways participants represented them through their crafts. We concluded the session with reflections on the creative process and how we can apply such practices in our unique contexts. This reflection process has also inspired some ideas that I look forward to trying in my classes during the first week of the fall semester.
Another presentation that particularly resonated with me was “A Purpose for Playfulness: Theoretically Connecting Playful and Asset-Based Learning and Assessment” by YJ Kim. I was already familiar with playful assessment from one of her previous articles on meta rubrics, so I was eager to see how these concepts could further align with my work in arts integration. Kim’s approach to playful assessments as creating an environment that encourages creativity, experimentation, and engagement, struck me as a compelling way to rethink assessment in language teaching and learning.
Playful assessments, in their simplest form, can be described as creating an assessment environment that fosters creativity, experimentation, and learner engagement, similar to the principles found in play. In her presentation, Kim explained why assessment should be reframed by addressing issues such as the emphasis on standardized proficiency over meaningful learning, the flawed and rigid nature of objective measurement, the reinforcement of systemic inequities through assessment systems, and the challenges of validity and fairness in standardized assessments for diverse student populations. As a solution, she proposed a theoretical design framework for playful assessment that integrates playful learning with asset-based pedagogies through conjecture mapping, leveraging students' backgrounds and experiences to create a student-centered, engaging, and creativity-focused assessment environment. The framework includes three key design features to ensure playfulness in assessment: the first feature concerns the types of tasks and activities, emphasizing their authenticity, personalization, engagement, and continuity; the second feature relates to participation structures, advocating for active engagement and flexibility, and viewing assessments as partial reflections of the learner's progress; and the final feature highlights discursive practices, which are grounded in a growth mindset and asset-focused language.
Kim concluded by emphasizing that the elements of this map should not be interpreted as prerequisite skills or standards that students must meet but should guide the design of assessment materials and processes, fostering a new kind of engagement with and relationship to the concept of assessment. Reflecting on this, I believe that adopting playful assessment principles could bring a fresh perspective to how we approach assessment in our teaching context, making them more dynamic and responsive to learner needs.
Last but not least, the conference also offered a variety of making experiences in the PML Arcade, including a range of games, activities, and hands-on projects. I participated in several playful learning experiences that truly enhanced my PML experience. Among the activities I enjoyed were a needlepoint project that allowed me to apply my creative talents to my own artwork (though I didn’t finish it, I enjoyed the relaxing process); screen printing a tote bag with a PML design and further personalizing it into a unique piece of wearable art using watercolor techniques at a tote watercoloring station. These activities not only provided creative outlets as I moved between sessions but also added a personal touch to my conference experience, embodying the playful spirit the conference aimed to foster.