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At 03:37 17/11/2006, Paul Orselli wrote:
>Ah, not so fast, Ian.
>:
>Some of my favorite playful/APE/constructivist/Museum 2.0  exhibit
>experiences do seem to share some subtle framing mechanisms, that
>increase visitors' engagement.  That sets these types of exhibit
>experiences apart from someone just tossing a pile of sticks and
>crayons on the floor and calling it a "visitor-directed creativity
>exhibit"

More wonderful stuff. I didn't mean my tongue-in-cheek comment about 
APE and play in any negative sense!

I believe exploratory play is the profoundest aspect of the human 
intellect. It can work wonders with that cheap pile of sticks and 
crayons but, yes, to approach its full potential it really needs the 
best exploratory environments and 'framing mechanisms' we can 
provide. It thrives and learns in such environments, but it's still play.

And 'play' is still marginalised, because it's seen as what little 
kids do with sticks and crayons. Big money continues to invest in 
'single-specific-learning-outcome' exhibits which broadcast a worthy 
'message' yet achieve only superficial Engagement, that is more 
passive than Active, and seldom Prolonged.

Suggesting that projects like APE are tapping into the power of play 
was my highest compliment.


[log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
*
Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
*
Ian Russell 

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