#PlayHack – an experiential case study
Corresponding Author: Janina Dewitz
All authors: Geraldine Foley, geraldine.foley@ucl.ac.uk
Length: Other (please specify below)
Location:
Description:
This session will be an experiential case study of #LearnHack, our playful UCL community hackathon. Conference attendees who wish to participate will be randomly allocated to a team on day 1. Their task for the conference’s duration will be to create “something”. Details of the “something” will be revealed via an envelope on sign up. There will be a session on the final day of the conference for sharing outcomes.
Background
#LearnHack has been running at UCL since 2015. Every edition provides a playful space for students and staff to come together, learn together, and collaborate on projects and prototypes that enhance teaching, learning and university life for our community.
The event is entirely organised by volunteers and without corporate sponsorship that might come with its own agenda. #LearnHack incorporates games wherever possible, and all Learning Sessions should have a playful element. #LearnHack treats every participant as both a teacher and a learner and encourages a healthy dose of creative anarchy.
#LearnHack demonstrates what can be accomplished when strangers come together and tackle challenges collaboratively and creatively. The altruism of volunteering time and/or resources adds to the positive community vibe. The diversity of attendees ensures that we can learn from each other in a safe environment where, for the duration of the event at least, barriers of institutional hierarchies and silos don’t exist.
#LearnHack is normally a weekend event, and with this tweaked conference version, we would like to spread some of the the fun to other educators and provide a flavour of what our weekend events are like. We hope that participants will take away some of the benefits of #LearnHack, such as making new connections through collaboration, and, in the safe space of a playful conference, create something of value to the community.
References, web links and other resources:
For more information about #LearnHack, we recommend the FAQ section of the event website: https://bit.ly/LearnHack-FAQ