Chapter 6: Learning Through or Learning To?

Playful approaches to teaching are a powerful way to strengthen generic competencies, such as the motivation to learn, the willingness to engage in learning activities, the courage to try and fail and creativity. This chapter, however, explores how play-based learning can be used in higher education (HE) to teach curricular content. For preschool teacher students, education is not simply a matter of learning the curriculum but also of becoming professionals who apply their knowledge and act in specific ways. Play-based learning is therefore more than just a method to teach the curriculum; it is also a Bildung process that shapes them as professional caretakers who interact with children in respectful and accommodating ways. Through a case study, this chapter demonstrates how the Bildung process is inherent in playful learning activities, while acquiring curricular content seems to be more challenging. Preparing the students for play and ensuring they have neither too little nor too much knowledge of the topic is crucial to the success of play-based learning activities. The different activities in the play-based learning session must be interconnected to make both play and learning meaningful. Thus, play-based learning can be seen as a triad of play, curriculum and Bildung. Each of these elements may stand alone or in pairs, but integrating all three can create powerful learning experiences.