ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the main themes discussed in subsequent chapters. The book argues that the focus on standardised testing, achievement and exam results in schools has led to teaching methods that students find boring, alienating and stressful. The book proposes that teachers, education researchers and policymakers should prioritise students’ experiences of engagement and connection with learning, rather than behavioural compliance and exam performance and emphasises the importance of addressing boredom, which can negatively impact attention, motivation, behaviour and academic performance. Re-imagining boredom through a sociomaterial lens such as Actor–Network Theory (ANT) and assemblage theory, offers new ways to frame educational challenges and intervene in the factors leading to boredom and disengagement. Digital games offer dynamic and adaptable experiences that can disrupt established classroom norms and encourage teachers to create engaging and affective classroom atmospheres. The concept of ‘assemblage ethnography’ is introduced, highlighting the need to consider how a range of factors, including material elements and relationships, contribute to affective experiences in both gaming and classroom contexts. The chapter ends by calling for a re-evaluation of traditional schooling practices, utilising hybrid learning approaches and acknowledging the agency of all elements within the teaching–learning process to create engaging and dynamic educational experiences.
