EUR  â¬80.40EUR  â¬67.00 excl. VAT
Childâs Play Re-envisaged through Virtual Reality
Introducing the Immersive Research Methodology
Series:
Author:
In this book, Dr Rene Novak reveals new ways of understanding childrenâs play by liberating it from the constraints of standardised educational agendas. Drawing on Heideggerâs concepts of Enframing and poiesis, and phenomenological inquiry, this innovative study explores how immersive virtual reality (VR) videos can serve as metaphysical laboratories. Through vivid, embodied experiences, early childhood educators cross the cybernetic looking glass to become one with play and discover transformative insights for holistic child development.
Dr Rene Novak investigates the potential of immersive pedagogy by merging visual pedagogy with embodiment theory to highlight the critical role of teacher presence in educational phenomena. Educators become âinvisible observers,â stepping inside the flow of play while relinquishing preconceived enframed discourses and misconceptions. The result is a reshaping of pedagogy and policy, steering away from prescriptive goals toward play as a self-actualising educational experience.
By reconceptualising how free play unfolds, this book challenges educators, policymakers, and parents to embrace the true essence of play in early learning. This book is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand how to foster creativity, social-emotional growth, and deeper engagement in a play-based curriculum.
Dr Rene Novak investigates the potential of immersive pedagogy by merging visual pedagogy with embodiment theory to highlight the critical role of teacher presence in educational phenomena. Educators become âinvisible observers,â stepping inside the flow of play while relinquishing preconceived enframed discourses and misconceptions. The result is a reshaping of pedagogy and policy, steering away from prescriptive goals toward play as a self-actualising educational experience.
By reconceptualising how free play unfolds, this book challenges educators, policymakers, and parents to embrace the true essence of play in early learning. This book is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand how to foster creativity, social-emotional growth, and deeper engagement in a play-based curriculum.
Rene Novak, Ph.D. (2021, Waikato), is a Senior Leader at BestStart, New Zealand. He publishes on VR pedagogies and early childhood education, including The Rise of the âImmersive Virtual Online Avatar Society (Brill, 2022) and The Paradox of Contemporary Play (Brill, 2020).
Preface: A Reflection on Play
Acknowledgements
List of Figures and Tables
Introduction
1 The Role of Play In and Out of Education
â1 The Many Faces of Play
2 The Attitudes toward Play
â1 Capture of Play
3 Methodology
â1 Re-framing Play in the Metaphysical Laboratory
4 Research Method
â1 Immersive Video as a Research Method
5 Findings
â1 Insights beyond the Cybernetic Looking Glass
Epilogue: Personal Insights about My Research on Play
References
Index
Acknowledgements
List of Figures and Tables
Introduction
1 The Role of Play In and Out of Education
â1 The Many Faces of Play
2 The Attitudes toward Play
â1 Capture of Play
3 Methodology
â1 Re-framing Play in the Metaphysical Laboratory
4 Research Method
â1 Immersive Video as a Research Method
5 Findings
â1 Insights beyond the Cybernetic Looking Glass
Epilogue: Personal Insights about My Research on Play
References
Index
The book will interest early childhood education practitioners, educators, researchers, post-graduate students, and academic institutions focused on play theory, immersive pedagogies, curriculum development, and virtual reality in education.