ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to explore how the notion of play can be extended into higher education and can be seen to underpin a practical and philosophical approach to teaching and learning. It argues that teaching and learning methods which emphasise playful encounters are in part as relevant to undergraduates and postgraduates across the higher education system as play is for newborn babies and children. Peter Slade suggested that drama and playing are central to the educational development of children from birth onwards. To develop as a critical thinker, learners need to adopt a flexible, receptive and open attitude to see other perspectives or possibilities. The prerequisite for the playful learner, one who is open and receptive to discovering new meaning, is thus a flexible attitude. Critical thinking is the ability to challenge assumptions that might be deep-rooted in values and self-beliefs, to see beyond a single perspective and consider a range of perspectives.
