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Background: Unstructured play has also been found effective on promoting positive emotions and emotional competence among children and adolescents with special educational needs (SEN). Unstructured Outdoor Play coupled with Mindfulness-based Interventions via 'Supporting Wellness in E-Child Learning Environments' (SWELE) program can foster the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents with SEN. Currently there is a lack of the unstructured play with mindfulness-based interventions in the special schools in Hong Kong. Thus, aim of the SWELE program is to examine the effects of unstructured play with mindfulness-based interventions—(SWELE) program combining unstructured outdoor play activities with mindfulness-based interventions to promote mental wellbeing among SEN children and adolescents. Methods: This 16-week SWELE program focuses on combining unstructured outdoor play activities with mindfulness-based interventions to promote mental wellbeing among children and adolescents with SEN. Training workshops for schoolteachers, school principals, parents and student mental health ambassadors in each special school together with a 16-week SWELE program and each last 45–60 min. Unstructured play allows students the freedom to explore, create and discover without predetermined rules or guidelines. Outdoor unstructured play activities include naturally run, jump and move on a playground, riding a bike, climbing trees, playing tag, playing with blocks, colour, water play, and boxes. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design both with a quantitative measure using a single group pre- and post-tests quasi-experiment behavioural observational method to preliminarily evaluate the impact of SWELE Program on SEN children's and adolescents' mental wellbeing; and with a qualitative design to conduct eight focus group discussions including schoolteachers, school principals, parents, SEN students, school nurses from six selected special groups and to explore their perceptions and experiences after participated the SWELE program. Discussion: The purpose of this protocol is to examine the effects of a 16-week SWELE program on the mood, anxiety level, social skills and playfulness behaviours among children and adolescents with SEN in the special schools in Hong Kong. From the evaluation and observation, the pre-set aim and objectives on the improvement of mental wellbeing in children and adolescents with SEN can be confirmed. Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT06112483. Registered on 31 October 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots such as ChatGPT has sparked a transformation in the dynamics of human–machine interactions. However, little is known about the psychological mechanisms underlying generative AI chatbot–human relationships. Building on the investment model, this study examined the influence of generative AI user-friendliness and playfulness on ChatGPT commitment and continuance usage intention. The results of an online survey conducted in the United States (N = 446) indicated that user-friendliness and playfulness positively affect satisfaction, investment size, and perceived quality of alternatives. Both satisfaction and investment size positively affect commitment to ChatGPT, thereby influencing the intention to continue using generative AI chatbots. However, the quality of alternatives did not significantly affect user commitment to ChatGPT. The findings of this study contribute to our understanding of building user relationships with generative AI chatbots by identifying user-friendliness (representing utilitarian value) and playfulness (representing hedonic value) as key factors in determining generative AI continuance usage intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do play and playfulness contribute to adult mental health? We evaluated empirical evidence from 20 psychological interventions through a lens emphasizing playfulness in participants and playing processes as a putative change agent. We found (1) preliminary evidence supporting play as a causal agent of positive changes in adult mental health, likely via two mechanisms—as a mediator and as a medium, and (2) limited, unclear evidence surrounding the moderating effect of participant playfulness on intervention effectiveness. Our findings highlight the need for more rigorous quantitative assessment of play-related processes and health outcomes, and a clearer trait-state distinction when examining playfulness as an intervention outcome. We call for greater theoretical integration and a more holistic, developmentally-sensitive approach, emphasizing understanding boundary-crossing change mechanisms to harness play's transformative, therapeutic power for improving adult health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Playfulness describes individual differences in (re)framing situations in a way that they are experienced as interesting, intellectually stimulating, or entertaining. We extended the study of playfulness to groups of middle- and higher age and examined the relations of four facets of playfulness (Other-directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, and Whimsical) to indicators of positive psychological functioning. Method: We collected self-report data from 210 participants aged between 50 and 98 years. Results: The playfulness expressions in this age group were comparable to younger adults. We found that playfulness relates to life satisfaction, the PERMA domains of well-being, and character strengths with small-to-medium correlation effect sizes. The OLIW facets showed differential associations, with regression analyses revealing that particularly Other-directed is positively associated with positive psychological functioning. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of playful relationships across the lifespan. We discuss the findings regarding the role of playfulness for healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This practice report investigates the role of humor in enhancing cross-cultural learning and group cohesion in virtual education settings. Most collaborative international learning training focuses on structuring content, co-teaching, and managing coursework for specific outcomes (Rubin & Guth, 2015). Beyond including time for icebreakers for students to become acclimated with each other, often much of the rest of the experience emphasizes task completion; this serious focus may contribute to discomfort and reduced engagement among diverse students. After witnessing this our first year working together in a collaborative online international learning experience connecting North American students with those from Muslim-majority countries, we explored how modeling and creating opportunities for shared laughter in synchronous group exercises might better promote a relaxed and engaging learning environment. Our findings, derived from qualitative feedback and quantitative surveys, demonstrate that humor enhances group cohesion and cultural exploration. Students reported increased comfort, enjoyment, and willingness to engage and humor-driven activities consistently rated as the most impactful and enjoyable aspects of the course.

Abstract Adult playfulness describes individual differences in (re)framing situations so that they are experienced as entertaining, and/or interesting, and/or intellectually stimulating. There is increasing interest in its role for romantic life. Using the OLIW model of playfulness, we localized its facets Other-directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, and Whimsical playfulness into systems of attachment styles and romantic jealousy. We analyzed data of 332 mixed-gender and 139 same-gender couples (N total = 942). We found no robust mean differences between same-gender and mixed-gender couples (exception: same-gender couples are lower in emotional jealousy). Actor-Partner Interdependence Model analyses showed that Other-directed, Lighthearted, and Intellectual playfulness yielded negative relations to attachment insecurities in actors, but no partner effects. For jealousy, all types of playfulness related negatively to emotional jealousy, but Whimsical playfulness showed positive inclinations to cognitive and behavioral jealousy in actors. Partners reported greater cognitive jealousy when their partner was high in Lighthearted, whereas partners from Whimsical high scorers reported lower emotional jealousy. The findings are invariant between same-gender and mixed-gender couples. Our study extends the knowledge on how playfulness relates to experiences in close relationships in mixed-gender and same-gender couples. We discuss implications (e.g., Signal Theory of Playfulness) and future directions.

Abstract Background After societal change in Kyrgyz Republic, the pattern of parent–child interaction in the changing parenting culture is an important factor influencing the positive development of Kyrgyz children. This study is aim to assess the quality of parent–child interactions in Kyrgyzstan by analyzing the interaction patterns and playfulness of children during free play at home. Methods This was a descriptive pilot study using video-recorded observations to explore parent–child interactions. The Dyadic Parent–Child Interaction Coding System and a playfulness instrument were used to assess the patterns and quality of the interaction. A total of 20 dyads of children aged 24 to 58 months and their parents, living in migrant communities of Kyrgyzstan, participated in this study. Results Major parent–child interaction patterns included 731 turns of parent–child dyads during 1040 episodes. Verbal as well as nonverbal behaviors of parents were observed while interacting with their children. Parents used direct and indirect commands most frequently, while praise was used the least in interactions. Children frequently used compliance as well as noncompliance when they interacted with their parents. Children had low playfulness scores while interacting with their parents. Cognitive spontaneity was the component with the lowest score among all subdomains of playfulness. Conclusion Future studies are recommended to develop strategies to facilitate parents’ active interaction with their children, promote children’s playfulness, and improve the quality of their mutual interaction.

In this qualitative study, preservice early childhood education teachers created block-based code to control robots and used the robots in field experience at local preschools. The study is grounded in a conceptual framework that weaves together playful programing and resilience, interlocking concepts that can explain sustained engagement during times of challenge. We investigated how and why preservice early childhood teachers exhibit resilience during collaborative programing. We analyzed their debugging processes, reflections, and interviews using a phenomenological lens. We conducted open and axial coding and analysis of discourse and actions during debugging episodes. Results suggest that teachers exhibited resilience due to the following three reasons: through playful coding, preservice early childhood teachers (a) learned that computer science is approachable and fun, (b) engaged in adaptive attribution, and (c) engaged in joint celebration when they observed each other's successes during collaborative tinkering. These findings provide potential insights for teacher learning of computing but also for novices learning to program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identity labels like "woman", "Black," "mother," and "evangelical" are pervasive in both political and personal life, and in both formal and informal classification and communication. They are also widely thought to undermine agency by essentializing groups, flattening individual distinctiveness, and enforcing discrimination. While we take these worries to be well-founded, we argue that they result from a particular practice of using labels to rigidly label others. We identify an alternative practice of playful self-labelling, and argue that it can function as a tool for combating oppression by expressing and enhancing individual and collective agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Les dernières années ont vu émerger les concepts de ludo-éducatif, ludo-pédagogique et de serious games. La crise sanitaire, et plus spécifiquement les confinements successifs, ont eu pour conséquence de remettre les jeux et des temps de jeux dans les familles, d'une part, et de modifier leurs pratiques ludiques, d'autre part. Aujourd'hui, le jeu peut être sérieux et à destination des adultes. Il a acquis ses lettres de noblesse, et a trouvé son public. Dans cet entretien avec Jean-Pierre Bouchard, Olivier Sorel et Marie Sebag discutent du statut particulier du jeu d'échecs dans une ludothèque. Dans un deuxième temps, ils décrivent à la fois les conditions nécessaires à être un bon joueur, et les bienfaits à tenter d'en devenir un, en termes de compétences cognitives et émotionnelles. Enfin, ils questionnent la place du jeu dans la psychothérapie et décrivent les motivations à l'utiliser avec un patient, et listent les éventuelles précautions à prendre pour le thérapeute afin de ne pas sortir de son cadre de travail. Recent years have seen the emergence of the concepts of edutainment, edutainment and serious games. The health crisis, and more specifically the successive confinements, have had the effect of bringing games and playtime back into the family, on the one hand, and modifying their play practices, on the other. Today, play can be serious and aimed at adults. It has acquired its letters of nobility, and has found its audience. In this interview with Jean-Pierre Bouchard, Olivier Sorel and Marie Sebag discuss the special status of chess in a toy library. Secondly, they describe both the conditions required to be a good player, and the benefits of trying to become one, in terms of cognitive and emotional skills. Finally, they question the place of play in psychotherapy, describe the motivations for using it with a patient, and list the possible precautions to be taken by the therapist to avoid stepping outside his or her framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the direct and indirect relationships between playfulness (social and cognitive spontaneity), executive functions, convergent thinking, divergent thinking, and academic skills in Hong Kong Chinese kindergarten children. Participants were 181 second‐year (4 to 5 years) kindergarten children (45.9% boys) and their parents. Parents reported demographic information and children's playfulness and executive functions through a questionnaire. Children were administered behavioral assessments of convergent thinking, divergent thinking, Chinese word reading, and number word comparison at their kindergarten. Results from a path analytic model revealed the mediating roles of convergent and divergent thinking in the relationship between playfulness and number word comparison. In contrast, convergent thinking mediated the link between playfulness and Chinese word reading. Executive functions were positively related to playfulness but unrelated to children's academic skills. The findings suggest that playful children might develop better creative thinking processes, supporting their academic skills. Practically, the findings underscore the importance of play‐based learning in developing children's creativity and academic skills in the early years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Playful immunization promotion helps to approach persuasive efforts and raise vaccine acceptance. However, playful promotion in the field of HPV immunization has not been explored. (2) Methods: To address this gap, we analyzed data gleaned from 73 short videos posted by state media and from semi-structured interviews with 37 Chinese stakeholders using thematic analysis. (3) Results: The analysis revealed that state media promoted HPV immunization using celebrity endorsement, anthropomorphism techniques and entertainment performance strategies. Additionally, state media engaged in circle mobilization and livestreamed on Douyin to reach wider audiences. Although playful strategies increased the popularity of HPV vaccine promotion, insufficient multi-stakeholder partnerships and homogeneous message delivery decreased the efficiency of HPV immunization promotion campaigns. (4) Conclusions: The strengthening of multi-stakeholder partnerships and the optimization of the public service provision of HPV vaccination are expected. Our research will not only deepen the global audience's understanding of Chinese immunization promotion campaigns, but also offer insights for implementing future global health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Young children are increasingly provided with opportunities to interact with digital technologies in their homes. Despite an accumulating body of research on children's digital interactions, little is known about how these are situated within the social and cultural context in which they take place. In this exploratory study, we aim to extend existing knowledge by offering a contextualised understanding of children's digital experiences. To do this, we draw on Activity Theory as a conceptual framework to explore how various social and cultural factors influence and interact to shape children's opportunities and interactions with digital technologies. Method: This study draws upon ethnographic and 'day in the life' methodologies to gain rich insight into children's situated digital experiences. Along with other traditional ethnographic methodologies, children aged between 3 and 6 years from 5 families were provided with wearable chest-mounted video cameras to capture their usual daily play activities at home - which included, but was not limited to, digital activities. Results: Data on digital interactions is presented for the five participating families, and through the presentation of two purposively selected in-depth illustrative examples, we demonstrate how children's digital interactions are part of a larger activity system situated within the social and cultural contexts of their homes. We also elaborate on children's natural inclination to interact playfully with digital technologies. Discussion: This study extends on current knowledges about the contextual influences of children's digital experiences and has important implications for parents and families trying to navigate the complexities of their children's digital lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's education it is essential to assume the playful activity in the teaching-learning process so that it can contribute greatly to the strengthening of calculus, generating spaces for participation and motivation. A research process based on the mixed approach with an explanatory scope and pre-experimental design was developed with the objective of designing and validating a playful strategy for the teaching-learning of addition without regrouping with numbers up to four digits, in the second year of the General Basic Education School "Ciudad de Tena", Ecuador, in the school year 2023-2024. The initial characterization of the teachinglearning process of addition, in the defined sample context, evidenced insufficiencies referred to the identification of the practical meaning of the operation, limitations of the students to identify the digits that, according to their position, correspond to the units, tens, hundreds, and units of thousand and to arrive at a result of the sum with correction from the integration of the partial sums. A ludic strategy was designed for the teaching-learning of addition configured from the systemic conception of a didactic sequence. The validation of the designed ludic strategy makes it possible to sustain that this scientific result contributes significantly to the improvement in the academic performance of second year students to solve written calculation exercises of addition without regrouping with numbers up to four digits, which proves the formulated hypothesis and demonstrates the fulfillment of the research objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 990 preschool children of 3- to 6-year-old were selected as participants to explore the influence of shyness and unsociability on peer play behavior in preschool children, focusing on the mediating and moderating roles of playfulness. The study employed the Child Social Preference Scale, Children's Playfulness Scale, and Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale to assess the variables. The findings indicate that preschool children's shyness and unsociability negatively predict their play interaction and positively predict their play disruption and play disconnection. Playfulness partially mediates and moderates the relationships between shyness and unsociability with peer play behavior. To promote the social development of shy and unsociable preschool children, it is imperative for teachers and parents to respect and accept the characteristics of children, guide them in adopting positive problem-solving strategies, and improve their playfulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly adapts to diverse audience engagement modes in Digital Arts, either interactive or non-interactive forms. These engagements create potential alliances for intelligent eco-didactic environments in the public realm. Studies show that interactivity positively affects the learning experience; hence, the coalition between AI and Digital Art has the potential to result in enhanced eco-art experiences. This collaboration could augment the eco-message and lead to behavior shift. This paper explores the interactive engagement modes in different art mediums to identify their eco-didactic potential. The study adopts a mixed methods approach, engaging with causal-comparative qualitative content analysis research. We collected secondary data from various mediums to define the characteristics of the engagement modes in eco-art, digital art, and AI artworks. Finally, we interviewed mixed-media artists to explore the technologies used in these art mediums, the different engagement modes they adopt, and eco-didactic possibilities. As a result, we found that incorporating aspects such as interactivity, coherence, aesthetics, playfulness, and meaning, can increase the impact of eco-didactic experiences. In addition, AI creates new possibilities for these experiences with its popularity and features such as real-time data utilization, personalization, and generative reciprocal dialogues which facilitate the understanding of complex environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pamukkale University Journal of Education is the property of Pamukkale University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Even though playfulness has been found to be highly relevant to the development and wellbeing of young children, hardly any longitudinal findings are available on stability and changes in children's playfulness. This study examined developmental trajectories of children's playfulness in two- to six-year-olds over a two-year period and analyzed whether individual and family characteristics and transition to primary school explain these trajectories. The sample included 839 children (47.3% girls, MAge = 4.87 years, SDAge = 1.39) from 38 childcare centers and 47 kindergartens in Switzerland. Children's playfulness was assessed at three measurement time points at one-year intervals using the multidimensional Children's Playfulness Scale to gather parent and teacher reports. Second-order linear growth curve models showed significant interindividual differences in children's playfulness at initial baseline. These differences correlated with effects for age, migrant background, and maternal education. The growth-related processes varied depending on children's age, and the individual dimension of children's playfulness whether an increase, stability, or decline was observed. In particular, social components of playfulness were found to change. On average, children's playfulness increased in early years but decreased from school age onwards. However, closeness in parent–child relationships proved to be supportive of children's playfulness at all time points. The results indicate the significance of positive parenting to children's playfulness, but they also draw attention to how playful qualities can be maintained and more highly valued in the school environment. In general, the study can contribute to a better understanding of the construct of playfulness in childhood.

In Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962), laughing out loud is the most common act shared by all the characters. This laughter often surfaces during moments of tension, failure, or encounters with death. The tragicomic nature of this laughter, arising from such circumstances, mirrors a postmodernist playful stance towards assertions of singularity and unquestionable truths, operating on both structural and thematic levels. The laughter characters produce may seem as inappropriate in certain situations. However, seen from a postmodernist perspective, it can be defined as an expression of scepticism towards diseased metanarratives and absolute foundations. The postmodern tendency to question and revise claims to ultimate truth finds resonance in the loud laughter of pain and relief. Within the postmodernist context, laughter transforms into an anti-foundational nonverbal expression against constraints and oppression. This paper asserts the postmodernist nature of laughter, frequently heard in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, emphasising its playful yet serious tone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open Education Resources (OER) may support students in the Global South, who experience high cost of educational materials. This research aims to understand how students from the Global South adopt OER using the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with the concept of playfulness. In addition, we also explored the effect of cultural factors, such as long-term orientation (LTO) and indulgence versus restraint (IVR) on OER adoption intention. 1527 students from 27 higher education institutions in eight countries in the Global South participated in the study. Multilevel linear modeling was used to test the individual-level and cross-level hypotheses. The results suggested that perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), and playfulness had a significant impact on students' intention to adopt OER. Furthermore, playfulness also strengthened the relationship between PU and the intention to adopt OER. Although the two cultural factors did not have a direct impact on students' intention to adopt OER, IVR moderated the relationship between PU and students' intention to adopt OER. Our research contributes to the theory of technology adoption and culture as well as the practice of OER in the Global South. institutions in eight countries in the Global South participated in the study. Multilevel linear modeling was used to test the individual-level and cross-level hypotheses. The results suggested that perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), and playfulness had a significant impact on students' intention to adopt OER. Furthermore, playfulness also strengthened the relationship between PU and the intention to adopt OER. Although the two cultural factors did not have a direct impact on students' intention to adopt OER, IVR moderated the relationship between PU and students' intention to adopt OER. Our research contributes to the theory of technology adoption and culture as well as the practice of OER in the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-oriented and other-oriented empathy dimensions may have different relationships with playfulness. However, a scarcity of research exists on the association between empathy and playfulness. The present research contained two studies. Parents of 386 preschoolers (Mage = 4.89, SDage = 0.79) attended Study 1, and teachers of 369 preschoolers (Mage = 4.16, SDage = 0.83) attended Study 2. The parents and teachers completed the Chinese versions of the Children’s Playfulness Scale (CPS-C) and the Chinese Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue-C). The results of these two studies revealed the pattern of associations between empathy and playfulness: while the self-oriented empathy dimension (i.e. emotion contagion) negatively predicted preschoolers’ playfulness, the two other-oriented empathy dimensions (attention to others’ distress and prosocial behaviour) positively predicted playfulness. Moreover, gender moderated the association between empathy and playfulness. These findings enhanced our understanding of the social and emotional traits of playful children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic created high levels of stress that negatively affect mental health and well-being. The stress and coping process is influenced by individual difference factors, such as personality, that impact perceptual processes and emotional reactions. Adult playfulness is a personality characteristic that may lead to better mental and physical health outcomes. We test a theoretical model to determine whether the two factors of perceived stress, perceived self-efficacy (PSE) and perceived helplessness (PH), mediate the relationship among playfulness and coping in adults (N = 694). Scores on the Perceived Stress Scale were high indicating high levels of pandemic-related stress. The SEM model demonstrated direct effects of playfulness on PSE, PH, adaptive, maladaptive, and supportive coping. Both dimensions of perceived stress were partial mediators in the relationship among playfulness and coping outcomes. Findings illustrate the pathways by which adult playfulness can amplify or attenuate the impact of stress perceptions on coping strategies. The importance of building psychological resources such as playfulness to boost adaptive outcomes in stressful situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript is a conceptual article that intends to address 'playful creativity' as an underexplored but potentially insightful component of TESOL programs. To this aim, playful creativity is first defined under a critical purview of traditional and recent conceptualizations of creativity. Afterward, 'creative TESOL' is briefly addressed. 'Pedagogical humor' is next put forth as a practical outlet for playful creativity in language education. To further elaborate on (and operationalize) such creative TESOL, 'humor-integrated language learning' (HILL) is outlined. HILL is argued as an innovative pedagogical approach with far-reaching effects. The article anchors the contention for humorizing creative TESOL in a) the literature-informed benefits of pedagogical humor, b) new directions in creativity programs, and c) the criticality of creativity. Several instructional designs and a sample activity are also outlined to better familiarize readers with this approach. The paper finally addresses practical considerations and further developments in HILL within the framework of playful creative TESOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionYoung children are increasingly provided with opportunities to interact with digital technologies in their homes. Despite an accumulating body of research on children’s digital interactions, little is known about how these are situated within the social and cultural context in which they take place. In this exploratory study, we aim to extend existing knowledge by offering a contextualised understanding of children’s digital experiences. To do this, we draw on Activity Theory as a conceptual framework to explore how various social and cultural factors influence and interact to shape children’s opportunities and interactions with digital technologies.MethodThis study draws upon ethnographic and ‘day in the life’ methodologies to gain rich insight into children’s situated digital experiences. Along with other traditional ethnographic methodologies, children aged between 3 and 6 years from 5 families were provided with wearable chest-mounted video cameras to capture their usual daily play activities at home – which included, but was not limited to, digital activities.ResultsData on digital interactions is presented for the five participating families, and through the presentation of two purposively selected in-depth illustrative examples, we demonstrate how children’s digital interactions are part of a larger activity system situated within the social and cultural contexts of their homes. We also elaborate on children’s natural inclination to interact playfully with digital technologies.DiscussionThis study extends on current knowledges about the contextual influences of children’s digital experiences and has important implications for parents and families trying to navigate the complexities of their children’s digital lives.

This article reflects on the contours of the public policy - “Full Time School” (FTS), looking at its operationalization over 15 years of implementation in mainland Portugal. The article considers the interconnection between FTS, equality of opportunities of other activities - teaching of music (Primary Education) and highlights the articulating state’s role. Methodologically, the article analyses a set of legislative/specialized documentation as well as scientific studies to understand the implications of music education in curricular enrichment, in articulation with the author experience. We consider how this policy has been applied in the Autonomous Region of Madeira and we draw a parallel with Brazilian FTS, in order to understand the approach in artistic-musical education. We conclude by outlining how to approach the transposition of the FTS policy to other study cycles, examining the time spent on AEC/its playfulness, allied to the powerful tools of public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present games as a playful tool in teaching History. Enabling students to learn and connect with subject matters in a dynamic and attractive way. Games in History teaching aim to integrate the content of the discipline and, consequently, the student's knowledge skills. This article contemplates an experience report lived as a teacher. The proposal to play and "play" is intended to propose a practical way of learning History, thus completing the teacher's cycle when finishing a theme in his/her class. Establishing, however, a connection between teaching and learning, promoting the construction of a new didactics based on games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative ratings are increasingly used to assess animal welfare. We investigated the associations between daily caretakers' ratings of individuals' behavioral style, behavior during free time, participation during training sessions, and environmental variables in captive Yangtze finless porpoises, East-Asian finless porpoises, and bottlenose dolphins. Associations between caretakers' ratings and behavior were found, including social swimming, fast swimming, play, interaction with humans, and agonistic and socio-sexual interactions. Ratings were also associated with participation during training sessions and food intake. Social separation, transport to a new pool, high visitors' density, and holding of a sick conspecific were associated with ratings indicating a deteriorated human–animal relationship, a lower interest/fear of the environment, and/or a higher social cohesion depending on the group. Through principal component analyses, new variables that represented both caretakers' ratings and behavior and that could be used for an easier interpretation of the data for welfare monitoring within each group were extracted. Caretaker ratings and behavior should be used as a complement to previously validated indicators to detect changes in welfare state and understand the potential causes of these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Miradas is the property of Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Escena: Revista de las Artes is the property of ESCENA. Revista de las Artes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Intercontinental Journal of Sport Management / Revista Intercontinental de Gestão Desportiva is the property of Revista Intercontinental de Gestao Desportiva and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Children's playfulness refers to children's enjoyment, motivation, and engagement in play and has been predominantly assessed from an adult perspective. To assess children's perspectives on their own playfulness, we adapted and modified the Children's Playfulness Scale (CPS) for children from 3 years and used a two-level response format with a total of four answer options. We tested the self-report scale with 564 children between 3 and 8 years of age who attended childcare center or kindergarten. Results indicated that the adapted version of the CPS identified the five distinct domains of playfulness: social spontaneity, cognitive spontaneity, physical spontaneity, sense of humor, and manifest joy; furthermore, results showed invariance across multiple groups for gender, age, and language skills. A highly significant positive correlation was found between children's selfreported playfulness and children's self-reported social self-concept (r = 0.54, p < 0.001), which demonstrates convergent validity. No association was found with teacher proxy report of children's playfulness (r = 0.03, p = 0.92). Overall, our study confirmed first indications of the validity of the modified CPS as a reliable instrument for assessing children's self-reported playfulness. This enables children as young as 3 years old to be assessed on their own playfulness, which is a valuable supplement to the adult perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to demonstrate the importance of playfulness in the child development process, seeking to reveal its contributions to the educational and social scenario. When applying learning to a more playful method, it can help the child feel like participating, and thus develop their skills. In addition to adding knowledge that will be developed during classes, thus promoting a pleasant and interactive environment. Play can also stimulate the development of cognitive skills, where the student can use their imagination and creativity, thus contributing to the construction of knowledge, where the teacher will use materials and games as a tool to attract students' attention, so that they can participate and thus contribute to their teaching-learning process. Proposing a more dynamic and creative method can help both the students and the teacher, which will involve the class, leaving them increasingly excited, interested and participating in classes. Showing that play related to learning is an important factor, which makes it clear that play has its value in contributing to learning and it is not just a form of fun, you just need to define its objective in the classroom, if it is used in a way that contributes to students' learning, it will increasingly favor the performance of the class, thus favoring a welcoming environment, where children can have a good relationship with their classmates, where in this way everyone can always be in contact with each other, helping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging empirical evidence supports play's potential to stimulate and foster scientific creativity. Focusing on how play relates to scientific creativity in adulthood, this review synthesizes the current state of knowledge in four areas: the play element in scientific research, the playfulness of scientists, mechanisms through which play affects scientific creativity, and environmental factors key to the play‐to‐create process in scientists' work. The review highlights several limitations hindering further research development in this area. Specifically, existing studies: (a) are largely qualitative and focus on descriptive analysis of the forms and/or select aspects of play, (b) do not sufficiently consider the unique characteristics and processes of scientific research, and (c) decontextualize the creative process by separating the player‐creator from the environment. Building on this analysis, the author clarifies the conceptualization of play, playfulness, and scientific creativity, differentiates between creative and recreative play in relation to core scientific activities, and identifies useful conceptual and measurement tools to facilitate future domain‐specific empirical studies of play and scientific creativity. Collectively, these insights advance a new integrative theoretical framework—the play‐to‐create model—to encourage and guide systematic and contextualized investigations of how play, playfulness, creative processes, and the environment interact to generate creative scientific outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the rapid growth of the mobile game market worldwide, how intrinsic, and extrinsic, motivation factors affect user loyalty and in-game purchase intention across genders remains unknown. To address this research gap, this cross-sectional study examined the antecedents of loyalty and in-game purchase intention through the theoretical lens of the motivation theory and investigated the gender effects in the Chinese mobile game environment. Using a survey method, this study collected data from 605 experienced players of King of Glory in China. In addition, the proposed research model was examined by the partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Our findings reveal that perceived playfulness, a competitive price, and virtual rewards, significantly affect user mobile game loyalty and in-game purchase intention. We confirmed the moderating effects of gender on the relationship between motivational factors and mobile game loyalty, offering a better understanding of how males and females vary in the development of mobile game loyalty. Our findings offer valuable insights for mobile game practitioners to develop more effective design and strategies for motivating user loyalty and in-game purchases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Apotheke is the property of Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article concerns how the normative matter of body hair is playfully encountered within a theatre practice for teenage girls. By working with Deleuzian-inspired theories, playfulness is understood as embodied doings, interwoven with the local context. The article explores how playfulness is enacted in relation to the everyday, in particular body hair removal. The analysis shows how playfulness is an ambiguous feature enacted together with bodies, affects and materialities. Moreover, playfulness became both a restricting and a transformative force reproducing the already known while also opening up a critical approach of playing with the violent aspects of hair removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers on what grounds contemporary photography may be understood as play. This is done by tracing the common characteristics of play that are revealed in the constant photographing and photo sharing among young friends through the camera-based social media application Snapchat. The arguments are built by presenting qualitative data, consisting of saved snaps and interviews, together with existing theory of play. Snapping, as it emerges from the article's data, aptly fits in with the theoretical notion of play mainly adopted from Winnicott's Playing and Reality (2005[1971]) and Huizinga's Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture (1998 [1949]): the aim of snapping resides in itself; it is limited in terms of time and space; it is executed according to shared rules; it is fun, playful and enjoyable; and it is different from 'ordinary life'. Further, it reinforces friendships through indices of togetherness, intimacy and trust. The article concludes with a discussion on the advantages of understanding current photography as play and the affordances that photographs provide for that play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]