APA: Ejsing-Duun, S., & Karoff, H. S. (2015). Creativity and Playfulness: Producing Games as a Pedagogical Strategy. Paper presented at European Conference on Game Based Learning, Steinkjer, Norge. Creativity and Playfulness: Producing Games as a Pedagogical Strategy Stine Ejsing-Duun, Helle Skovbjerg Karoff Aalborg University Copenhagen, Department of Communication, IT and Learning Design, Copenhagen, Denmark sed@hum.aau.dk karoff@hum.aau.dk Abstract: This article explores how student behavior and interactions change when teachers use pƌoduĐiŶg gaŵes as a primary pedagogical strategy (Papert, 1980; Ejsing-Duun and Karoff, 2014). Based on student and teacher actions and responses, as well as on students pƌoduĐtioŶ—observed during fieldwork—this paper emphasizes the importance of understanding how students explore creativity and playfulness while producing in learning situations. This paper is based on a large research project called Children as Learning Designers in a Digital School (2013– 2015), funded by Denmarks Ministry of Education. The study includes fieldwork in five Danish public schools, involving about 500 students, and it is based on six interventions in the first, second, fifth, sixth, and tenth grades. The aƌtiĐles eŵpiƌiĐal data ĐoŶsist of oďseƌǀatioŶs, paƌtiĐipatoƌLJ oďseƌǀatioŶ, and productions students created during the interventions. This paper presents an analysis of how students are creative and playful while producing learning material as games, during two interventions in the research project. The study is based on a specific understanding of the creativity (Boden, 2004) and playfulness (Karoff, 2013) that occur in learning situations. We want to approach creativity and playfulness as new ways of playing it safe when using material, through six areas of change that inforŵ hoǁ todaLJs kids plaLJ aŶd leaƌŶ, aŶd, ŵoƌe geŶeƌallLJ, hoǁ theLJ see theŵselǀes, ƌelate to otheƌs, dǁell iŶ plaĐe, aŶd tƌeat thiŶgs ;AĐkeƌŵaŶŶ, ϮϬϭϯ, p. ϭϭ9Ϳ. As a ƌesult, this papeƌ ĐoŶtƌiďutes to the field by analyzing and discussing how educators deal with ĐhildƌeŶs pƌoduĐtioŶ pƌoĐesses iŶ a sĐhool setting and how teachers can conceptualize and nurture play and creativity as drivers for learning. We further argue that playfulness is necessary for creativity to occur. From this point of view, understanding how learning activities can support creativity—an essential twenty-first century skill—becomes more accessible. Keywords: Production of games, creativity, playing, learning. 1. Introduction This paper addresses the question of how creativity and playfulness inform and qualify learning processes in schools. More specifically, it explores how student behavior and interactions move toward creativity and playfulness when teachers use pƌoduĐiŶg gaŵes ǁith digital tools as a primary pedagogical strategy (Papert, 1980; Ejsing-Duun and Karoff, 2014). Based on student and teacher actions and responses, as well as on students production—observed during fieldwork—the papers goal is to emphasize the importance of understanding how students can explore playfully and be creative while producing in learning situations and how teachers can facilitate this process. Production as a pedagogical strategy shows good learning results. Previous research has elucidated how children learn through production (Papert, 1980). Here, the focus is on how teachers can frame production as a way to work toward learning objectives by creating an environment that allows children to explore a subject matter (Papert, 1980). Cebeci and Tekdal (2006) have also shown how production has a positive learning potential when young people are making podcasts about relevant academic subjects. Students need to be actively engaged in creating products that are personally meaningful to themselves and others. Kress (2010) points out that the abstract aspects of teaching become tangible through different materialities. When producing games, students translate abstract aspects into tangible and interactive dynamics in environments that, if carefully framed, allow students to explore the subject matter through meaningful productions. Making games is not a new idea in education. However, according to Kafai (2006, p. 36), Faƌ feǁeƌ people haǀe sought to turn the tables: by making games for learning instead of playing games for learning.