Strengthening sustainability competences through playful multiliteracy method: cases of arctic literacy and futures literacy

Play is a natural way of acting and exploring the world at all ages (Brown, 2009; Csíkszentmihályi, 1990). It is a voluntary, pleasure driven, and creative interaction with different instruments such as people, spaces, and environments (Van Vleet & Feeney, 2015). According to van Fleet and Feeney (2015), play is carried out with the goal of fun and/or challenge and requires an enthusiastic and in-the-moment attitude. However, play-based research methods are underrepresented in the literature, with the exception of research conducted with children. Therefore, considering the recent understanding of play and playfulness in learning, wellbeing, and life, it is crucial to utilize play-based research methods more extensively in empirical research and research methodologies. In this study, we present a play-based qualitative methodological framework called Playful Multiliteracy Method. This method engages participants in imagination and creativity, involving minds-on, hands-on, and body-on activities in both indoor or outdoor environments. By employing diverse activities that engage participants' cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical processes, the method aims to yield rich and comprehensive insights into research phenomena, and to stimulate and strengthen participants’ literacy skills, proactivity, and hope. By incorporating this method into research on sustainable practices, researchers can foster a deeper understanding of the psychological, social, ecological and pedagogical factors that influence environmental attitudes and behaviors, and sustainability competences among participants. The method consists of four different phases: 1) intro-play (Invitation to play), 2) solo-play (individual interaction with the material), 3) co-play (co-creative knowledge generation), and 4) co-imaginary (unpacking common scenarios). The method utilizes playful tools, paper technology, and various environments and affordances. The methodological frame is adopted according to the aims and the context of each case study. Multiple sets of data can be collected throughout the process. The method can be applied in creative workshops for individuals of all ages, with the aim of generating new ideas and building a better future. At the conference, case examples of Arctic literacy and Futures literacy will be presented, demonstrating how the method was employed in workshops with different age groups during the spring of 2023. A diverse range of research data has been collected from these workshops, and will be presented in the conference.