Engaging with Play and Graduate Writing Development

We begin by situating this work and ourselves in graduate writing. Although our experiences as burgeoning researchers are not a focus of this article, we are nonetheless present in the background, not unlike a palimpsest. We trace one aspect of this palimpsest—the use of playful and creative methods to generate ideas for this paper—before then suggesting three key concepts we consider foundational to discussions about play and graduate writing development. These are play, playspace, and mindsets. Building on these concepts, we offer some concluding remarks about the ambivalence some learners may have—which we refer to as play ambivalence—and propose that this ambivalence is partly related to the three concepts underscored in this article. We suggest that future research in play and graduate writing development could better consider this play ambivalence. Nous commençons cet article en situant ce travail en relief à qui nous sommes comme écrivains et étudiants gradués. Dans cet article, nous suggérons trois concepts clés aux concepts de jeu et de rédaction académique au niveau des études supérieures : la définition courante du jeu, que nous conceptualisons en tant qu’orientation où approche qu’une personne, la notion d’espace de jeu, et les théories implicites de l’intelligence et de la personnalité (e'e.g., mentalités). Bref, nous suggérons que la recherche future dans le cadre du jeu et de la rédaction au niveau gradué devrait mieux considérer les attitudes et la résistance contre le jeu. Nous proposons que cette ambivalence soit liée en part aux trois concepts que nous surlignons dans cet article. Canadian Journal for Studies in Discourse and Writing/Rédactologie 34 Volume 28, 2018 http://journals.sfu.ca/cjsdw


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Though we used these activities as (generative) invention strategies for this paper, Brittany has previously used college responses to narrow and focus sections of her writing, as well as a strategy to clarify her conceptualisations of her research. Using techniques such as the collage response may be useful to students who find it difficult to articulate their ideas, who are working through a problem, or who are struggling with finding direction. The list of question stems (see Appendix) may prove to be useful for those who are interested in using collage in their own work. In the sections that follow, we return to the focus of this article: unpacking the three interrelated concepts of play, playspace, and mindset. We then turn to a consideration of the ambivalence that some students may experience towards play, suggesting that this ambivalence relates in part to the three concepts we underscore in this article.

Play
You don't stop playing as you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing.

-George Bernard Shaw
Multiple definitions of play describe it as a humorous or entertaining activity that is intrinsically motivated and accompanied by feelings of well-being (Barnett, 2007;Henricks, 2014;Statler, Heracleous & Jacobs, 2011;Sutton-Smith, 1997). Play may also incorporate elements of surprise, spontaneity, and self-awareness, as well as embodied learning-that is, learning located at the level of the body (Tanis, 2012). Common to definitions of play is a focus on the player and their fun, relaxation, or escape. Although the term "serious play" has been employed to describe the instances where play and work are "deliberately and meaningfully juxtaposed" to accomplish work-related goals (Statler et al., 2011, pp. 239-240), some researchers suggest that play can go beyond the types of tasks or activities in which one engages. These researchers suggest that "play" can refer to the orientation or approach one takes to the activity (Sutton-Smith, 1997;West, Hoff, & Carlsson, 2016). In other words, "just about any activity, including those we do everyday at work, can-with a playful approach-be transformed into play…[even a] corporate email" (West,et al.,p. 72). This definition of play-that is, the orientation or approach that one takes to the tasks at hand-seems particularly applicable to the context of graduate student writing and it is the one we take in this paper.

Canadian Journal for Studies in Discourse and Writing/Rédactologie
40 Volume 28, 2018 http://journals.sfu.ca/cjsdw While some play activities might thrive on a lack of mastery, at other times the skills of the individual may match the difficulty or challenge imposed by the play activity, which can give rise to flow-a state of mind underlined by optimal concentration, engagement, and sense of accomplishment (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991;Vygotsky, 1978). Some play activities, such as imaginary play or video-gaming, may also allow individuals to temporarily step outside of their immediate circumstances and related constraints to bend, flex, defy, evade, or even rebel against circumstances that are otherwise beyond their control (Miller, 2013;Singer & Singer, 1990;Sutton-Smith, 2008;Sutton-Smith & Kelly-Byrne, 1984).
Though we have known for some time that writers often rely on imagination to invent their audiences (Bartholomae, 1986), play may allow for and encourage an engagement with the performances of the self/other in unconventional, yet strategic ways (Henricks, 2014;James, 1890). As noted earlier, play can encourage individuals to step out of their comfort zone and push against perceived limitations or challenges using existing or new skills (Tanis, 2012). In the context of writing development, play may provide students with opportunities to challenge and overcome obstacles in their writing or research-conceptual or otherwise. Students may also find that play