Learning inside the magic circle: An interview with Curious Chimeras

Abstract

Gaming cultures, much like Rodney Dangerfield, don’t get no respect. Instead they are commonly blamed for a range of ill effects, from juvenile delinquency to moral panics around Satanism and gambling. This is part of a broader cultural constellation that devalues the place and importance of play in our lives. One of the key impetuses in organising the “Pedagogy & Play in Teaching Today” symposium was precisely to argue against these pre-conceived negative associations with play, instead exploring the ways that play is integral to learning and teaching. How can we find ways to draw from the engaging dynamics of play, and bring them into the classroom environment? With that idea in mind, we invited the members of gaming consultancy and design house Curious Chimeras to deliver the symposium keynote session. This interview with the Curious Chimeras was held the week after the symposium as a way to follow up and expand upon the materials presented.