Experiencing playful learning in theory and practice with students in higher education

Abstract

This paper argues that action-oriented teaching and playful learning benefit not only younger learners but also students in higher education, reflecting a fundamental connection between people and play. Effective integration of games into university courses requires instructors to understand and communicate their complexity. Playful learning must extend beyond theory through continuous practice, experimentation, and reflection. Students need opportunities to experience and design games to internalize their educational impact. The article presents a course for prospective elementary teachers that combines theory, gameplay, development, and reflection, aiming to highlight analog educational games as effective pedagogical tools for subject-specific learning across educational levels.