Summer School: Playful Experiments with Materials in Pedagogical Practices

This PhD summer school dwells into the role of play qualities and materials when doing experiments in pedagogical practice. When doing research and innovation in pedagogical contexts, experiments can be a fruitful way to co-create together with practioners ways to generate knowledge. We will explore the uncertain nature of experiments by grounding it in play theory, where participants will explore concepts of sensory, relationality and qualities.

The PhD summer school will draw on recent literature examining the concept of play quality, the role of materiality, understandings of the experiment, sensory experiments and co-creation and participation. It will propose tentative methodologies to be explored further through themes related to material practices, incorporating reflective perspective rooted in wonder and care.

The theoretical foundation leads to hands-on methodological perspectives, multimodal exercises, e.g. conducting field notes through sensory and visual participation, prototyping play experiments, artifact-based dialogues, playful writing and annotated portfolio.

This will also lead to meta reflections about ontological and epistemological questions and implications approaching the PhD projects with these methods, just as the PhD students will connect these methods to their own projects.

Details about program and preparation will be available medio June 2026.

The Summer School will be facilitated by Professor Helle Marie Skovbjerg at Kolding School of Design.

Appliction deadline 24 April. Application forms will soon be available.