Call for Papers: Change through play

Abstract

Conference associated with the call:

This call has beed opened in the context of the 11th World Environmental Education Congress (Building Bridges in Times of Climate Urgency) that will be held on 14-18 March 2022, in Prague, Czech Republic – see the website of the Conference.

Description:

Values-based considerations and reflection on the current situation of the natural environment and humankind are lacking in science-based education, and a wider and more inclusive range of discourses for underpinning ethics-based EE and ESD is needed. imperatives and duty-based ethics (such as being held responsible for the current state, or being told that we have a moral obligation to future generations) are insufficient and not necessarily appropriate in an educational context. More positive methods/tools must be identified that motivate young people to embrace and own sustainability-related goals and consequently steer their lives and professions accordingly. In this special issue, we welcome any ideas on how to awaken positive thinking, shifts in perspective, challenge and reinvent imagery and narratives, stimulate future visioning from a place of joy and desire to take action for positive change. We perceive these questions from two (or more) complementary viewpoints: 1) psychological and/or philosophical (reflecting on how to support the mental and embodied, physiological capacities that are associated with free expression of thoughts and emotions in nature, and why this is relevant and needed), and 2) pedagogical (tools and methods that are available to achieve these educational goals, appropriate environment, and actors). Both perspectives could be elaborated upon using an analytical/assessment approach, and/or through reflection on practice, with examples presented in different genres (videos, presentation of results, online exhibitions,...). In summary, we thus consider creativity as essential for opening up new ideas and supporting transboundary interactions (not only) in education, while also creative, innovative submission formats are invited (manuscripts and other online formats). Through collecting evidence on the role of play and spontaneous activities, in this issue we will explore the “ethics of joy” and its possible manifestations in education and learning, and the anticipated or documented impact on values and empowerment of children/young people.

How to submit:

Open call for all relevant submissions, including those that will not be presented at the conference. Authors may submit their proposal on 01 May 2021 – 01 April 2022 via the journal’s online submission and review system, or via e-mail to Jana Dlouhá, jana.dlouha@czp.cuni.cz. All of the submissions will be reviewed, and published as soon as the review process is complete, and attributed to the Special Issue. All manuscripts submitted after the deadline/conference will be considered for publication in another issue.