Meaningful learning makes the world a better place for students.
And it preapares them to make the world a better place for all.
About Interplay
We are a “Think-and-do-tank” that run our own projects, do keynote speeches and do consultancy work.
Our mission is to contribute to Meaningful Learning.
Interplay is based in Stockholm, Sweden and we deliver our services globally.
Interplay was founded by Christer Holger who has worked with education for the last fifteen years. As founder and CEO for an elementary school, headmaster, school development consultant for more than 100 headmasters, as keynote speaker and as a learning space developer. He brings passion, knowledge and global network to the company within the fields such as school development, digital transformation, philosophy of knowledge and personal growth.
One of the foundations of Interplay is experiences done by Christer during the work with the elementary school Skapaskolan that he founded and ran during 2013-2020 south of Stockholm, Sweden. The school was designed from the ground up to provide an active, cooperative and contribute learning experience and hence to be meaningful to students.
Year 3 classroom at Skapaskolan
Breakout hubs in the classroom, Skapaskolan
UN:s education section UNESCO recently launched the report “Reimagining our futures together - a new social contract for education” and this video. UNESCO states that for education to transform the world, education itself needs to be transformed.
We agree and believe that the core of this transformation is to make learning truly meaningful to students.
Meaningful Learning
Learning should feel, and be, meaningful. The most important things to make learning meaningful are:
Contributive learning
Contributive learning means students add to the world as they learn. As an example, students in the picture is campaigning for free public transport for students in their municipality, as a way to increased equity and and reduce pollution.
As human beings we experience the greatest sense of meaning and fulfillment when we’re able to contribute to people’s lives and the world. Contributive learning helps students understand who they are, how they fit into society and how they want to contribute.
Cooperative learning
Cooperative learning is a way of working when students learn with and from each other that encompasses elements of face-to-face interaction, positive interdependence, individual accountability, group processing, and collaborative skills.
Cooperative learning gives students a sense of belonging and research shows that this way of working improves academic outcomes, particularly for those that struggle in school. Further, it sthreghtens socio-emotional learning and decreases bullying.
Creative expression
Learning environments need to be rich on experiences. When kids get to express themselves and when they have strong and engaging experiences together, they learn deeply and remember what they learn. For transformative learning to occur, where the learner develops as a person, rich experiences is crucial.
Modern neuroscience shows how for example playing an instrument or singing in singing in class has a positive effect on well being, school culture and learning.
Connection to nature
For more than 99% of human history we have lived in close interconnectedness with nature and animals. Modern research suggest that sunlight and nature itself makes us feel better and we get healthier.
Learning from, in and with nature increases well being, a sense of purpose as well as learning outcomes. Furthermore it gives a deep understanding of the principles of life that governs nature and needs to be reestablished in humanity to reach sustainability or even regeneration.
