25.02.2025
Playful Learning, Data Literacy and Wellbeing: A New Approach to Education
Hjøllund, a senior consultant and researcher, has worked extensively on technology comprehension and playful learning, while Schrøder, an assistant professor, focuses on designing digital learning environments that integrate movement, play, and inclusion. She is also investigating playful activities for data literacy education in the Agile EDU project. Together, they explore how schools can rethink digital education to balance innovation with student well-being.
The Role of Playful Learning in Digital Education
While digital tools offer new opportunities, many students report lower motivation and increased distraction in school. In response, playful learning provides a more flexible, student-centred approach that encourages:
- Exploration and risk-taking – Learning is open-ended, allowing students to experiment and embrace failure.
- Active engagement – Instead of passively consuming information, students interact with concepts through movement, creativity, and collaboration.
- Critical thinking about digital tools – Playful learning helps students understand how technology shapes their experiences, rather than just teaching them to use it.
Technology Comprehension: Moving Beyond Digital Literacy
The discussion highlights how Denmark has shifted from digital literacy - which focuses on using technology - to technology comprehension, which helps students understand the systems, ethics, and societal impacts behind digital tools.
| Digital Literacy | Technology Compehension |
|---|---|
| Learning how to use digital tools | Understanding the mechanisms behind digital platforms |
| Focused on coding and media use | Encourages critical thinking about AI, algorithms, and data |
| Often skill-based | Examines ethical and societal impacts of technology |
This approach ensures students can critically assess the technology they use daily, from social media algorithms to AI-driven platforms.
Playful Learning and Data Literacy
One example discussed in the episode is a classroom experiment on mobile phone use. Danish students explored the impact of phone-free learning by:
- Tracking their focus and social interactions over a week.
- Collecting and analysing data on their experiences.
- Presenting findings to teachers and parents.
Rather than simply being told about screen time effects, students engaged in real-world data collection and critical analysis, making learning more meaningful.
Challenges and Implementation in Schools
Despite its benefits, integrating playful learning requires a shift in teaching methods and mindset. Teachers may be hesitant to embrace open-ended learning, while students accustomed to structured lessons may need time to adjust. Gradual implementation, teacher training, and clear frameworks can help overcome these challenges.
Findings from the Play@Heart project, where Hjøllund played a key role, show that playful learning enhances student engagement and helps educators integrate digital tools more effectively.
More Information
University College Copenhagen is one the partners of the EU funded project Agile EDU. A project looking at current practices and challenges in using educational data across Europe and building a knowledge base through a literature review, a set of Learning Stories and case studies that are all reviewed and validated through expert workshops and Dialogue Labs. The resource pack will be made publicly available will also be run as a massive open online course (MOOC) on the European Schoolnet Academy platform launching on the 21st of April 2025. One of the case studies of this project offers an in-depth explanation of playful learning and data use in education, including its obstacles, enablers and decisions affecting these phenomena. Semi-structured interviews, focus groups and desk research have been conducted to gather data for the development of this and other case studies to be published soon in 2025.
Agile EDU is a project coordinated by European Schoolnet and with partners from the University College Copenhagen (Denmark), University of Oslo (Norway), Portuguese Ministry of Education (Portugal), Foundation Empieza por Educar (Spain), and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (Sweden); with the French and Slovenian Ministries of Education are associated partners.
