Innovation camp as 21st century skill learning game in K12 PE teaching

Abstract

There is a continuing need for innovation across social, economic, and environmental domains in dealing with societal challenges. The continuing requirement for innovation is also evident in the field of sports and health, as gaining well-being and preventing physical inactivity is an ever-present challenge despite the innovativeness of the growing sports and health sector. In recent years, the development of 21st century skills have been proposed as a key to enable future generations to develop innovation competencies. This elevates the need for education which supports student acquisition of knowledge, and development of competencies and personal values. Mediating 21st century skill learning and developing innovation competence, a 36-hour camp for 80 students in K12 PE was designed. The camp was designed and facilitated by four sports and health graduate students in collaboration with six local PE teachers. Informed by the Gamestorming approach, the camp was designed as a game space consisting of a string of design methods to propose solutions for sport and well-being design challenges. Three challenges were formed in collaboration with the local municipality: 1) Creating better mental health in youth education, 2) Promoting physical activity for teenage girls, 3) Creating facilities for a water sports and adventure park. This paper aims to investigate 21st century skills and social-emotional learning experiences at high school students participating in a sports innovation camp. The students learning experience was captured through: 1) Students self-reported learning expectations 2) Students self-reported learning outcome, 3) Facilitator observations, and 4) Informal interviews. Students indicated that they gained creative skills, got better at communicating, collaborating, and critical thinking. The students mentioned that they got better at listening to each other, gained more patience with, and attention to each other, and they gained competences to concentrate under pressure. Altogether we conclude that a 36-hour high school innovation-camp in physical education have documented qualitative learning outcomes in the development of competences (to act) and personal character qualities (to value) for students in upper secondary education.