How to Change the Gravitational Constant of Your Universe (without breaking the Laws of Physics)

Abstract

The discourse on teaching and learning includes work on anti-racist education, decolonization,
trauma informed pedagogy, universal design for teaching and learning, feminist, and queer
pedagogies, etc. While each of these frameworks represents a different set of interests, they
vibrate in harmony around critical reflections on the production of knowledge and the practices
and processes of teaching and learning. The demographics of university classrooms of the 21st
century are much different than the classrooms of the 20th century. Many of our students are
there to acquire a gateway credential, and not to develop a deeper understanding of our
disciplines. I have been developing and implementing a pedagogy based on the principles of
play as an interaction form. This pedagogy of play was initially inspired by the work of folks like
Paulo Friere and bell hooks and more recently by the 2015 TRC Calls to Action and the work of
folks like Marie Battiste and Lee Maracle. This paper will outline how practicing a pedagogy of
play can effectively change the gravitational constant of your universe.