2024 Civic Scholar

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF PLAY

Phi Theta Kappa Mission

The mission of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is to recognize academic achievement of college students and to provide opportunities for them to grow as scholars and leaders.

About Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations.

Publisher Phi Theta Kappa, Inc.

Editor

Susan Edwards, Ed.D. Senior Director of Honors Programs

Editorial Staff

Samantha Levy, Ph.D. Senior Director of Student Engagement-Division III

Production Staff

Tracee Walker Content Manager

Makayla Steede Project Coordinator

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

Jennifer Stanford Senior Director of Student Leadership

Lori Brechtel Graphic Designer

International Headquarters | 1625 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211 ptk.org | 601.984.3504

Phi Theta Kappa is committed to the elimination of unlawful discrimination in connection with all employment relationships, business operations and programs. Discrimination based on gender, family or marital status, race, color, national origin, military or veteran status, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, genetic information or history, age, disability, political affiliation, and cultural and religious backgrounds is prohibited.

©2024 by Phi Theta Kappa, Inc., in the United States and Canada. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of Phi Theta Kappa. The name, logo, and various titles herein have been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The Civic Scholar: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Undergraduate Research is published annually by Phi Theta Kappa, 1625 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211, 601.984.3504.

68

Impacts of Gaming and Racing

Facilities on Local Communities

Alpha Beta Psi Chapter

National Park College

Hot Springs, Arkansas

73

Magic in Higher Education:

Motivating, Active Learning, Gamifying, Imagining, and Collaborating

Alpha Eta Chi Chapter

Passaic County Community College

Paterson Campus

Paterson, New Jersey

79

A Gallery of Art and Story: Play as Muse for Public Art and Civic Memory

Beta Tau Gamma Chapter

Pearl River Community College

Forrest County Campus

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

85

“Oh, I Am a Scientist!”- Designing Activities to Help Children Identify Themselves as Scientists

Rho Pi Chapter

Phoenix College

Evening Division

Phoenix, Arizona

91 Fighting Your (Inner) Dragons Through Play: Dungeons & Dragons, Mental Health, and Social Connectivity

Xi Pi Chapter

Polk State College

Winter Haven, Florida

97

Play for Play’s Sake: How Playing for Fun is Needed for All Ages

Including College Students

Alpha Epsilon Pi Chapter

Raritan Valley Community College

North Branch Campus

Branchburg, New Jersey

102

Heart, Head, and Soul: It’s Not Just for Children

Alpha Beta Upsilon Chapter

Redlands Community College

El Reno, Oklahoma

108

Music: A Pathway to Creativity

Alpha Iota Omicron Chapter

Westchester Community College

Valhalla Campus

Valhalla, New York

114

Citizenship Games: Playing to Win!

Alpha Omicron Chapter

Tyler Junior College

Tyler, Texas

12

Discovering Play in Powwows: How Nostalgia in Native American Cultures

Strengthens Multigenerational Bonds

Beta Gamma Pi Chapter

Yavapai College

Prescott, Arizona

A Letter from the Editor

Welcome to the 2024 edition of Civic Scholar: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Undergraduate Research. First published in 2018, Civic Scholar emphasizes Phi Theta Kappa’s mission to recognize college students’ academic achievement and help them grow as scholars and leaders. We are proud to publish research conducted by community college students who have developed and implemented research-based, action-oriented projects that have had positive short-term impacts on their communities.

The articles published in this edition of Civic Scholar include both substantive research and intentional college and community collaboration and engagement. These Honors in Action projects began as explorations of Phi Theta Kappa’s interdisciplinary 2022/2023 Honors Study Topic, The Art and Science of Play. Each chapter focused on one of seven themes related to the topic and developed research objectives and a research question to guide its study of the art and science of play. Honors in Action teams then conducted academic investigations into their identified Honors Study Topic-related themes and, from their research conclusions, determined what action they could take in their communities that would have both shortterm and potential for long-term impact.

This year, we received 422 admissions for possible inclusion in this journal. We are pleased to publish 20 of those submissions. They represent 19 community colleges from 14 of the United States. Students’ research illustrates diverse lenses through which to investigate Phi Theta Kappa’s biennial Honors Study Topic, as well as varied collaborators and action elements of the projects about which they wrote. Many chapters included graphs, charts, and images with their entries to highlight and support their research and action components. We are pleased to include examples of these figures in the 2024 edition of Civic Scholar.

Congratulations to all of the chapters who took this year’s opportunity to develop, implement, analyze, and write about their Honors in Action projects. They are conducting research that matters, and their work has engaged people on their community college campuses and in their communities. A special congratulations to the chapters whose work is published on these pages. Your work inspires us and reinforces that community college students are central to producing new knowledge and meaningful scholarship.

We are proud of the talent, creativity, and great work of community college students and the difference they have made in their communities!

Susan Edwards, Ed.D. Senior Director of Honors Programs Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

About the Honors Program

The Phi Theta Kappa Honors Program is designed to engage students in informed action that fosters student success and helps fulfill our mission to provide college students opportunities to grow as scholars and leaders.

Learning Outcomes

Participation in the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Program contributes to personal, academic, and career development and affords students opportunities to have an impact on their campuses and in their communities by addressing challenges related to their Honors Study Topic research. Members who participate in the development and implementation of an Honors in Action project will be able to:

1. Evaluate multiple, global perspectives of a theme as it relates to Phi Theta Kappa’s Honors Study Topic.

2. Demonstrate undergraduate research fundamentals by identifying sources, appraising their credibility, and formulating evidence-based conclusions.

3. Demonstrate critical thinking and reflective skills throughout the research process.

4. Design, organize, and implement a plan of action that solves a real-world problem related to the Honors Study Topic.

5. Form and develop teams that collaborate and communicate with college and community partners to enhance the project’s impact.

6. Provide evidence of project impact using quantitative and qualitative assessments.

7. Compile a report using clear, correct, and effective language.

Achievement of these learning outcomes builds the analytic and collaborative problemsolving and leadership skills necessary and valued in advanced academic pursuits, work places, and communities.

Editorial Board

The Civic Scholar Editorial Board is comprised of members of Phi Theta Kappa’s Honors Program Council and Student Engagement Team. The Honors Program Council is responsible for making recommendations to Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters staff about the new Honors Study Topic and Honors in Action Program and for assisting with the compilation and editing of the biennial Honors Program Guide as well as serving on the Editorial Board of Civic Scholar. Made up of Phi Theta Kappa chapter advisors, Headquarters staff, and consultants, Honors Program Council members are selected for their broad knowledge of the Honors Study Topic and Phi Theta Kappa’s integrated approach to the Hallmarks of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship, as well as their balance in academic disciplines. The Honors Study Topic on which the projects selected for inclusion in this edition of Civic Scholar was the 2022/2023 topic, The Art and Science of Play.

Prof. Gigi Delk

Career and Technical Education

Representative Tyler Junior College Tyler, Texas

Prof. Mat Herrman

Communications Representative University of Arkansas, Morrilton Campus Morrilton, Arkansas

Dr. Kelly Kennedy

Service Learning Representative Miami Dade College, Hialeah Campus Hialeah, Florida

Prof. Kismet Loftin-Bell

Social Sciences Representative Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Dr. Jo Marshall

Honors Consultant Spring Hill, Tennessee

Prof. Julie Rancilio

Humanities Representative Kapi’olani Community College Honolulu, Hawai’i

Dr. Ryan Ruckel

Leadership Development Studies Representative

Pearl River Community College, Forrest County Campus Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Dr. Diego Tibaquirá

STEM Representative Miami Dade College, Padrón Campus Miami, Florida

Prof. Amy Winters

STEM Representative Western Nebraska Community College Scottsbluff, Nebraska

The Art and Science of Play

2022/2023 HONORS STUDY TOPIC

THEME 1: The Essence of Play

What are the natural and philosophical foundations of play?

THEME 2: Economics of Play

What are the financial, physical, and psychological costs and benefits of play?

THEME 3: Systems of Play

In what ways do one’s role, identity, and access influence the experience of play?

THEME 4: Architecture and Design of Play

In what ways do the design and structure of abstract and physical environments impact play?

THEME 5: Soul of Play

To what extent does play serve as muse to evoke artistry and craftsmanship?

THEME 6: Nostalgia as Play

How might we evoke memories that challenge, inspire, traumatize, and heal?

THEME 7: Play it Forward

How can the experience of play serve as a catalyst for epiphanies, innovations, and inventions?

Fair Play? The Economics of Play

Alpha Tau Zeta Chapter

Athens Technical College

Athens, Georgia

Theme Economics of Play

ABSTRACT

Alpha Tau Zeta is resolved to increase global and local poverty awareness and education. “The Art and Science of Play,” Phi Theta Kappa’s (PTK) 2022/2023 Honors Study Topic, allowed us to focus our investigation on the economics of play. Guided by PTK Honors in Action (HIA) learning outcomes, members studied poverty perspectives through reasoned decision-making. Considering that the cost of play may outweigh its benefits, our study investigated how families living in poverty can incorporate play into an already fragile economic system.

After robustly reviewing academic articles, we found that while play increases mindfulness, positivity, and wellness, global research suggests that children from lower-income families are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities than children from more affluent families (Hjalmarsson, 2023). Since AthensClarke County remains one of Georgia’s persistently poor counties, our research shows that accessible, affordable play would benefit community wellness (Gilligan, 2023).

Formulating a research question that assessed and provoked change by addressing the financial, physical, and psychological costs and benefits of play, we sought to understand how awareness about the relationship between collaborative community play and efforts to maintain income, healthcare, food security, and shelter for low-income families can help them achieve life success. The team positively impacted low-income families by prioritizing play and open access to community resources for families, lessening the negative factors associated with poverty.

Seizing the moment to play, we implemented PTK Play Day on The Block and Resource Fair, bringing together 30 community organizations committed to improving human services access, providing education, and demonstrating the effects of play. This day-long event of games and educational booths with local experts, sponsors, and participants affirmed a positive direct effect on the lives of over 200 community families. Future efforts could continue strengthening local partnerships to improve access to human resources and community play for significant policy change.

OBJECTIVES

Our research objectives were:

• Attend the chapter HIA training and gain an indepth understanding of the Honors Study Topic and its themes (July 2023).

• Review 40 scholarly multi-perspective articles representing global and local concerns (September 2023).

• Feature member presentations of at least one peer-reviewed study at weekly chapter meetings (August - October 2023).

• Conduct qualitative analyses of sources about low-income families to understand available resources (August - October 2023).

• Demonstrate how our research on play and poverty connects with the Athens Technical College’s mission (August 2023).

• Propose an action-based service project based on research conclusions (September 2023).

• Identify eight impactful research sources for inclusion in the HIA Hallmark Award entry (September 2023).

During a productive two-hour HIA research convening, members reviewed the HIA Program Guide to decide which theme should guide their project. For a fun and educational break, members engaged in a digital quiz game to test their HIA proficiency. After passionately sharing personal experiences, team members unanimously decided on Theme 2: Economics of Play, believing it best matched their PTK research objectives. Members diligently reviewed forty multi-perspective articles on the economics of play, including books, news sources, academic articles, the Honors Program Guide, and Civic Scholar. By conducting qualitative analyses, we gained a comprehensive understanding of the type and extent of lowincome resources available.

The team, with its unwavering commitment, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for lowincome children and families. After thoughtful and reasoned decision-making, members reached a consensus on the research objectives. The chapter, with its active participation, remained up-to-date about research deadlines and project development through a dedicated GroupMe.

Our action objectives were:

• Obtain the PTK-Mellon Foundation HIA Grant to support the purchase of t-shirts for participants.

• Identify steering committee members to guide the project.

• Obtain exhibitor sponsorships for monetary donations.

• Create teams to prepare, market, and host PTK Play Day on the Block and Resource Fair.

• Conduct post-event evaluation and selfassessment

• Archive information.

To accomplish the team’s action objectives, the HIA Team distributed tasks to two teams––community resources and on-campus resources. The community resource team contacted key agencies directly supporting children and families and successfully obtained 30 providers who eagerly agreed to participate in the event. After collating mission statements, logos, and data from each group, the team created and published the marketing flyer and program (Figure 1).

The college resource team facilitated information meetings, obtained volunteers, and disseminated project information. The team scheduled in-person meetings with interdisciplinary college program directors. In addition to their academic expertise, program directors provided student volunteers who earned credit for service hours. Successful collaboration resulted in a list of administrators, faculty, and student volunteers.

Our collaboration objectives were:

• Establish planning meetings with the college community for professional expertise and project guidance.

• Identify and liaise with community agencies as Play Day and Resource Fair participants.

• Evaluate project outcomes with community members about human resource access, education, and free play.

The HIA team contacted the college, local government, and nonprofit service and business organizations to determine how play is utilized in the community. Local partnerships allowed the chapter to extend the academic environment beyond the classroom and into the community. This outreach effort provided the chapter with greater opportunities for impact and awareness, leadership training and experience, educational awareness of local resources, and dissemination of project information to residents in low-income communities.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Team members analyzed a full range of literature on the economics of play and, after a careful evaluation, formulated the following research question: Understanding the financial, physical, and psychological costs and benefits associated with the engagement of play, what can communities do to support the relationship between collaborative community play with essential human resources of income, healthcare, food security, and shelter for low-income families eager to achieve life success?

Research Justification

Our HIA team acknowledges that improving poverty is a complex issue; however, PTK members must use their knowledge and voice to create a coalition of support for the human resources needed to affect the underlying factors of poverty. Characterizing factors requires individual attention (Schneider & Gibbs, 2022).

Poverty Rate

Our analysis shows that the poverty rate for Athens-Clarke County, GA, is persistent and critical (Family Connection of Athens, 2023). Thirty-four percent of the county lives at or below the poverty level, and 40 percent of children live in poverty (Community Health Needs Assessment, 2020). Having one of the highest poverty rates of any county in the U.S. means that many children may not have the stability of a full-time residence, adequate sleep, food to eat, or clothes to wear. According to Connection (2023), parents may also be distracted by stress over shelter, transportation, and meeting work demands. These stressful issues may impair family wellness, leading to juvenile delinquency, drug addiction, alcohol dependency, or truancy.

Food and Housing Security

Food insecurity is highest in the South at 14.5% (Food Research and Action Center, 2023). In Athens-Clarke County, 11.4% of residents received SNAP food benefits each month, with 75% going to households with children (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2022). Athens, with a population of 120,266, has a homelessness rate of 21 homeless people per 10,000 residents; 32 percent of the homeless population report chronic substance abuse, and 44% of homeless reported having severe mental illness (HUD Exchange, 2014). Numerous organizations in our area offer resources to lowincome families. However, many families do not know how to access this information. Navigating these service organizations is complex and often confusing.

Costs and Benefits of Play

Psychological research (Maslow, 1943) advances our team’s theoretical understanding of how humans prioritize survival needs, including the time needed to improve health, social connectedness, and cognition. Richtel (2023) found that a healthy, active lifestyle can promote positive effects for troubled youth, homeless, or lower-income families. Access to play, however, is not available to all income groups despite a growing understanding of its benefits. Citing a significant economic divide in sports and fitness participation, Richtel (2023) states that many lowincome kids cannot afford to participate in activity programs. On the other hand, Hjalmarsson’s (2023) global research suggests that cultural differences in parenting account for low-income participation differences rather than popular economic explanations.

CONCLUSIONS

A plethora of research supports the conclusion that play engagement benefits low-income children and families. Despite these benefits, some researchers report decreasing involvement in play for poverty-level families due to the rising play costs. Locally, our economic evidence supports the critical need for accessible human resources and play opportunities for low-income families. Using the reflective-thinking model for reasoned decision-making, Alpha Tau Zeta proposed a project to address persistent poverty in our community by improving equal and diverse

access to human resources while promoting lowcost play engagement. Our goal was three-fold:

• Provide our members with a greater understanding and experience with servant leadership.

• Determine the need for coordinated services for low-income populations.

• Show how using play as a resource can improve community and individual wellness.

ACTION

HIA team members developed and implemented PTK Play Day on The Block and Resource Fair at Bishop Park held on November 18, 2023. To demonstrate the transformative effects of play, we brought families together with local organizations to have immediate access and information about resource services. At the same time, PTK members engaged children and families in games, live music, and fun activities.

HIA team planning included collaboration with the college community for support and professional engagement. Student Activities provided email access to all student clubs.

College Facilities provided security at the park. Public Relations marketed Play Day on social media and college digital platforms. Academic Affairs provided staff time and supplies. We collaborated with the following community stakeholders through the steering committee we established. The United Way, Foodbank of Northeast Georgia, Department of Public Health, Athens Pride, Acceptance Recovery Center, and Project Safe all contributed to our HIA project. To further boost the event’s outreach efforts, PTK members collaborated to create and distribute marketing flyers and emails to community members, students, volunteers, and participating organizations and vendors (Figure 1).

As exhibitor tables lined the sides of the baseball field, the Mayor of Athens-Clarke County kicked off the day-long event with games, educational displays, local resource experts, food, and fun (Figure 2). Participation by these agencies ensured representation of diverse populations, including the Acceptance Recovery Center, a drug addiction success center, Athens Pride and PFLAG, LGBTQIA+ resources supporting community mental health education and fellowship, Project Safe for families of domestic violence, and other diverse community-based resources. PTK officers guided field games of wiffleball and kickball as well as pumpkin and face painting to enjoy the benefits of play.

Other activities included live music headlined by the Director of Student Activities, local businesses provided free food and haircuts, the Nature Center exhibited live animals, and the county brought in a fire truck and police cruiser for the kids. Special guest appearances included the

Figure 1

Figure 2

college mascot, Athena, the owl, and BeeBee Clean from Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful. As a 2023 recipient of the PTK-Mellon HIA Grant, the chapter gratefully distributed 125 colorful t-shirts to all Play Day participants and attendees.

IMPACT

After-action analyses examined quantitative outcomes for Play Day on the Block. We recorded 202 attendees and 30 exhibitors. Survey results from digital and in-person questionnaires found that 100% of the respondents experienced a positive impact, and 100% would return to a future event. Fifty-five percent said that they learned something new. Chapter members and officers logged an estimated 1,500 hours of volunteer servant-leadership time preparing, planning, and hosting Play Day and distributed 500 pieces of program documentation to the community. Helping to offset expenses, the chapter received $500 from gift-basket sales, sponsorships, and vendor applications (Figure 3).

Respondents reported qualitative outcomes that included increased awareness and education about available resources, gratitude to the chapter for hosting a large community outreach, and remarks about the high quality of the educational material. Mostly, attendees appreciated receiving contact information directly from service providers.

Team members grew as scholars and leaders when faced with an obstacle that resulted in a positive outcome, strengthening our partnership with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. Planning for a mobile food truck distribution of food packages to 200 people, the Food Bank notified our small team just hours before the event that we were responsible for all distribution labor, leading us to cancel the truck. Later, Food Bank representatives invited PTK to meet to discuss a permanent college food pantry. This exciting revelation was significant since our chapter partnered with the Food Bank this year for our College Project.

Chapter members improved vital leadership skills through organization, direction, and volunteer efforts at the Play Day. HIA team members learned how to conduct interviews with government and academic officials, organize large events, and respond to event planning frustrations. Growing as scholars and attaining strong servant leadership skills, members demonstrated their commitment to the hallmarks of PTK by identifying a need, creating a plan, and completing a project that improved

local resource access.

With collaboration from local experts, scholars, and practitioners, our chapter aided community efforts to raise awareness and education about local resources available to low-income families and the importance of play. Since Athens-Clarke County remains one of Georgia’s persistently poor counties, our results show that accessible, affordable play can benefit community wellness. PTK Play Day on the Block and Resource Fair successfully brought together community experts through dialogue, demonstrating that play transforms the mind and helps improve community happiness.

RESOURCES

Coleman-Jensen, A., Rabbitt, M. P., Gregory, C. A., & Singh, A. (2022). Household food security in the United States in 2021. Economics Research Service, ERR-309, 1-44. https://www.ers.usda. gov/webdocs/publications/104656/err-309. pdf?v=2807.8

Establishing empirical justification, we learned about the prevalence of food insecurity, where approximately 13.5 million households cannot acquire adequate food. Food security and income are factors that are necessary for a population to be healthy.

Gilligan, C. (2023, May 25). Where poverty stubbornly persists. U.S. News and World Reports https://www.usnews.com/news/ health-news/articles/2023-05-25/persistentpoverty-plagues-more-than-300-americancounties

This source establishes our economic criteria for persistent poverty. Athens-Clarke County is in persistent poverty, maintaining a poverty rate of 20% or higher at each of the four touchstone periods reflected in the bureau’s data collection.

Gray, P., Lancy, D. F., & Bjorklund, D. F. (2023). Decline in independent activity as a cause of decline in children’s mental wellbeing: Summary of the evidence. Journal of Pediatrics, 260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jpeds.2023.02.004

Researchers offer new evidence explaining that children and adolescents need increased unstructured play to reduce childhood mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. This article supports our thesis statement.

Hjalmarsson, S. (2023). Pay to play? Economic constraints and participation in extracurricular activities. European Sociological Review, 39(4), 586–600. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcac061

This study provides a different perspective and challenges the thesis that low-income children do not participate in play activities because of economic limitations. Its results are more consistent with explanations of cultural differences in parenting.

Maguire-Jack, K., & Marcal, K. E. (2022). The mediating role of housing insecurity in the relationship between neighborhood social cohesion and child maltreatment among low-income urban families. Child Abuse and Neglect, 132, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. chiabu.2022.105792

Exploring the relationship between social cohesion, child abuse, and housing security in urban low-income households, findings demonstrate the importance of supportive community-building for young children in urban, low-income households.

Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346

Maslow’s seminal theory helps us understand the relationship between human needs and poverty. For our project, we must remember that people in poverty struggle for playtime to maintain an economic livelihood.

Project Play – An Initiative of the Aspen Institute. (2022). Physical and mental health trends. https://projectplay.org/state-of-play-2022/ physicalmental-health-trends

Understanding trends in sports activities and the community underlies our project. Experts share data about programs that build healthy communities for young people from diverse backgrounds to play together, promoting a foundation for social trust.

Richtel, M. (2023, March 25). Income Gap Becomes a Physical-Activity Divide. The New York Times, D3. https://www.nytimes. com/2023/03/24/health/sports-physicaleducation-children.html

Richtel reports that public schools struggle to fund physical activity programs, especially in lowincome areas. This important study shows that systemic infrastructure priorities are needed for low-income children.

Residents of Senior Living Facilities Play Their Way Towards Better Physical and Mental Health

Beta Zeta Nu Chapter

Cañada College

Redwood City, California

Theme

Essence of Play

ABSTRACT

As society becomes increasingly attentive to technology and its seamless extension into our daily lives, the Art of Play is vulnerable to losing its instrumental value. As we reviewed the Honors Program Guide and previous Beta Zeta Nu (BZN) HIA research, BZN found a lack of attention to Redwood City’s elder communities. With the Essence of Play in mind, we asked ourselves: Can play act as a cognitive and physical intervention to promote happiness in local elder communities? BZN set out to research the effects of play-based activities on the elder population to learn more about “The Art and Science of Play” as it applies to this specific population.

Proceeding with our literature review, BZN focused on four core tenets of play to understand how the local elder communities benefit from active enrichment activities: 1) Fun, 2) Skill Honing, 3) Social Interaction, and 4) Therapeutic. Various studies examining the dynamics of elder communities affirmed a growing need to understand how active enrichment intervention can promote landscapes of happiness. We noticed that forms of intervention that included physical and cognitive strain put into perspective the indicators of a thriving elder community. Through on-site interviews and observations, our field research at Religieuses du Sacré-Cœur de Jésus (RSCJ) Oakwood and the Veterans Memorial Senior Center (VMSC) revealed an opportunity for resource collaboration between residents and the community college. As a chapter, our impact transcended into an urge to expand the accessibility of active enrichment education to the broader San Mateo County elder community. The complexities of COVID-19 limitations and protocols left a substantial mark on the elder community of Redwood City, with

several programs lost due to funding, staffing, and logistical issues. Getting back to “normal” has been tough for programs and individuals. This increased the importance of the results of our investigation and project. BZN has bridged the gap between local elder communities and the community college, thus making available play-filled experiences to support the health and wellness of our seniors.

OBJECTIVES

Our research objectives were:

• Define play in the context of happiness. Establishing four core tenets intends to diversify our range of sources and allow for a broader understanding of their application to local elder living communities.

• Research what can be considered play for the elderly and how that type of play benefits them.

• Gather anecdotal evidence to enhance our research.

• Investigate the idea of using play as a cognitive and physical intervention.

• Explore how elder care facilities encourage play.

Our action objectives were:

• Interview staff and residents of different levels of elderly needs.

• Engage with residents and provide a positive experience by recalling their past.

• Present community college enrollment as a way to meet social interaction needs.

Our collaboration objectives were:

• Thread partnerships across San Mateo County between BZN and elderly populations to enhance accessibility to community college education resources.

• Organize shuttle and walking tours of Cañada College, including the fitness center, active enrichment classes, and on-campus resources available to seniors/community members.

• Contribute to increases in active enrichment activities through physical and cognitive interventions through BZN fellowship amongst the chapter and elderly communities.

• Produce and present community college education workshops at over three senior care facilities and communities that advertise accessibility of on-campus resources.

1

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

After going through the PTK’s Honors Program Guide to review “The Art and Science of Play,” BZN focused on Theme 1, Essence of Play. By completing the Phi Theta Kappa worksheets, we established our ‘four tenets of play’ by which we defined an activity as play. Specifically, any activity could be deemed as play if it contained a combination of Fun, Skill Honing, Social Interaction, and Therapeutic. Our early discussions stemmed from three questions: 1) Is play linked to happiness? 2) Can mental stability decline as a result of pandemic limitations? and 3) Has active enrichment intervention grown as COVID-19 restrictions loosened? (Figure 1) Initially, we believed all three statements were true as we had seen them in our own lives.

Our discussions eventually led to our research question: Can play-based activities act as cognitive and physical interventions to promote happiness in senior populations?

BZN’s literature review paralleled with findings from “The Blue Zones of Happiness” documentary, instigated our investigation of how the COVID-19 shelter-in-place cut community systems among elderly populations. Our primary research focused on play and its essence in three international - East Asian communities. While we acknowledge this research limitation, we feel that our local interviews supported the findings from our review. Our research findings suggest that healthcare providers (e.g., assisted living and elder homes) must develop platforms for active engagement in short play to combat starkly high levels of depression and cognitive impairment. Locally, our chapter’s research at Veterans Memorial Senior Center revealed the ongoing efforts to combat similar trends in elderly

Figure

populations seen globally. BZN’s field study in collaboration with Veterans Memorial Senior Center suggests in-person activities were available post-pandemic; however, some had transitioned into virtual form.

CONCLUSIONS

In retrospect, according to the four core tenets of play, in-person activities garnered increased engagement compared to their virtual counterparts. International studies within our literature review and field research of Veterans Memorial Senior Center highlight the essence of physical, in-person play in post-COVID practices.

ACTION

Research emphasizes the necessity of play in elderly individuals to promote cognitive and physical health. What we found most interesting was the social aspect of play that helped tie fun, skill-honing, and therapy together. We decided to take action in two main steps. One would be to impact a few residents through a small positive experience. Next, we would assess how elderly

populations can experience positive cognitive growth from active enrichment. We decided to interview elderly residents with varying levels of independence and use that information to develop a widespread plan. This first step would include an assisted living facility for residents (RSCJ Oakwood) and an independent community of seniors (Veterans Memorial Senior Center). We initially reached out to fifteen different elderly communities in the surrounding area; however, the majority declined due to COVID-19 restrictions put in place by the facilities. Although our questions centered around the importance of play, the responses we got both confirmed our research and provided residents a chance to relive positive experiences by telling their stories.

RSCJ Oakwood is an assisted living facility whose residents are women of religion in the Catholic Church, known as the Religious of the Sacred Heart. Their newly appointed Activities Director spoke to us about the importance of play to her residents. She also provided insight into how much better the residents feel after participating in events. Our chapter was excited by reactions of eagerness and excitement from all interviewees. Collectively, BZN interviewed three sisters at RSCJ Oakwood. One sister had a lot of fun delving into abstract religious thoughts but was also welcomely engaged in our follow-up skeptic questions. Another sister spoke about her life journey through finding religion and how she practices now, being less mobile (Figure 2).

The Veterans Memorial Senior Center (VMSC) serves our community by providing programs, activities, and low-cost meals to elders in Redwood City. Through the COVID-19 shelterin-place ordinance, they continued to provide their seniors with Meals on Wheels and wellness checks. Although the limiting factors preventing seniors from participating in activities here are cost and transportation, the VMSC works tirelessly to provide services to as many residents as possible. Here, we conducted a group interview for the senior walking group along with one of the program coordinators. They meet two to three times a week and walk about five miles each time. Our interview consisted of storytelling as well as some self-reflection. One walker confessed a deep appreciation: “I tend to share my problems and these people are my therapists. They give me ideas and my problems always get resolved.” Another interviewee stated, “When we are walking we tend to forget our problems in the beautiful

Figure 2

weather.” The consensus of the walking group was the service available here provides social activities that they would not otherwise get. “Our group that walks together can watch a movie here or dance Zumba and grab lunch before a meeting for mahjong.”

From these interviews, BZN decided that the most impactful next step in action would be to inform the senior community of Redwood City about all that Cañada College has to offer. Through California state funding, residents of San Mateo County can attend Cañada College at zero cost. Other student benefits include book vouchers, transportation assistance, technology loans, weekly free groceries, and reduced and sometimes free gym memberships–from just one class a semester to meet eligibility for the array of benefits. Additionally, taking advantage of a community college class contributes to our four tenets of play (Fun, Skill Honing, Social Interaction, and Therapeutic), promoting cognitive and physical health. BZN’s purpose in promoting active enrichment opportunities at Cañada College resulted in our VMSC holding info sessions semiannually before the start of each semester (Figure 3).

IMPACT

This project acted as a catalyst for member involvement in our chapter. The fall semester marks the highest average number of weekly meeting attendance for as long as advisors can remember. BZN took advantage of this early on by opening portions of our meeting to encourage discussion on HIA planning. Of the ten officer roles in BZN, seven new members stepped up to fill empty positions and contributed to the HIA project in a multitude of ways. A majority of these contributions came through a separate subcommittee meeting used to conduct research, reach out to senior care facilities, and action planning. Three members conducted interviews with residents, developing skills in conducting interviews, organizing files, and coordinating multiple groups of schedules. Others worked with several programs across campus to compile accurate and current information to present at our next presentation. Officer fellowship helped BZN cultivate a viewing of the Netflix documentary “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.” Once BZN’s officer team grew to capacity, post-meeting subcommittee HIA groups formed to navigate strategies and planning for our research.

Through our initial action, we interviewed ten individuals ranging from elderly community members to staff at assisted living centers. The

3

three residents we spoke to at RSCJ Oakwood started slow with short answers. However, this quickly changed as each resident continued with enthusiastic responses that reflected their appreciation for active enrichment development. Similarly, the seven people we interviewed in the walking group associated with the VMSC were excited to help BZN with our project and wanted to help in any way possible. When we followed up with the Activities Director of RSCJ Oakwood and the VMSC Coordinator, both groups spoke about their interviews for the following days. With an estimated population of 86,380 in 2022, people ages 55 and older make up 21.4% of the Redwood City population. The VMSC sees an average of one 1,000 65+ Redwood City residents a week. Currently, Cañada College enrolls about 300 students over the age of 55 a year. Through our Honors in Action project, BZN’s information sessions and campus visits for local seniors have laid the groundwork for a pipeline for new senior students from the Veterans Memorial Senior Center to Cañada College. We believe that our prospective elder students will find the support needed to succeed as well as the course to be fun, skill-honing, sociable, and therapeutic. In doing so, San Mateo County seniors can maintain healthy cognitive and physical health through the essence of play and its endless advantages.

RESOURCES

Elser, H., Kiang, M. V., John, E. M., Simard, J. F., Bondy, M., Nelson, L. M., Chen, W., & Linos, E. (2021). The Impact of the first COVID-19 shelter-in-place announcement on social distancing, difficulty in daily activities, and levels of concern in the San Francisco Bay Area: A cross-sectional social media survey. PloS One, 16(1), e0244819–e0244819. https://doi. org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244819

Figure

Elser et al. found that the immediate shelterin-place announcement for COVID-19 was detrimental to the day-to-day lives of the immunocompromised. Since the risk of developing severe symptoms increases with age, senior citizens are more affected by these restrictions.

Hosking, D. E., Jiang, D., Sargent-Cox, K. A., & Anstey, K. J. (2017). Informant-reported cognitive decline and activity engagement across four years in a community sample. Gerontology (Basel), 63(5), 469–478. https:// doi.org/10.1159/000475594

Hosking et al. measure the cognitive use of activities and characterize their benefits for elderly populations. They suggest that high-activities (e.g. chess) and lower-demand activities (e.g. exercise) work on different cognitive functions. Furthermore, both levels of activities are necessary for overall cognitive health.

Kim, J. E., Lee, Y. L., Chung, M. A., Yoon, H. J., Shin, D. E., Choi, J. H., Lee, S., Kim, H. K., & Nam, E. W. (2021). Effects of social prescribing pilot project for the elderly in rural area of South Korea during COVID-19 pandemic. Health Science Reports, 4(3), e320. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.320

Kim et al. found that prescribing social integration can significantly alleviate symptoms of depression and loneliness. In this study, they compare the differences between social prescribing music storytelling, self-help groups, and gardening. While social prescribing is not currently a common practice in the US, similar activities can be found in settings such as the Veterans Memorial Senior Center.

Kim, K., Yoon, B.-H., Jung, H., & Yun, H. (2023). The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on depression and suicidal ideation in Korean community dwelling elderly. European Psychiatry, 66(S1), S124–S125. https://doi. org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.327

Kim et al. found that feelings of isolation led to depression and suicidal ideation throughout Korean elderly communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lin, Y., Peters, K., & Chen, I. (2022). Television watching, reading, cognition, depression and life satisfaction among middle-aged and older populations: A group-based trajectory

modelling analysis of national data. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30(6), e5661–e5672. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13993

Lin, Peters, and Chen’s findings emphasize the importance of tailored interventions and encourage healthcare providers to promote engagement in leisure activities to support successful aging in this demographic.

Sutipan, P., Intarakamhang, U., & Macaskill, A. (2017). The impact of positive psychological interventions on well-being in healthy elderly people. Journal of Happiness Studies, 18(1), 269–291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-0159711-z

Sutipan, Intarakamhang, and Macaskill strongly advocate promoting senior quality of life through interventions designed to cultivate positive emotions and behavior. Their meta-analysis suggests that positive psychological interventions can be used to promote happiness and alleviate depression in seniors.

Towner, E., Tomova, L., Ladensack, D., Chu, K., Callaghan, B. (2022). Virtual social interaction and loneliness among emerging adults amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 3, 100058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cresp.2022.100058

Towner et al. researched social connectedness, mental health, and the impact communication forms have on them concerning COVID lockdowns. Although they found no significance between virtual social interactions and loneliness, their research noted increased loneliness among those who primarily connected virtually.

Zhang, C., Tang, D., Wang, Y., Jiang, S., & Liu, X. (2022). Community support and promoting cognitive function for the elderly. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 942474–942474. https://doi. org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.942474

Zhang et al. studied the impact community support has on cognitive function in the elderly. They concluded that stronger community support systems are associated with better cognitive health.

Closing the Play Gap: The Economics of Play

Alpha Upsilon Mu Chapter

Cape Cod Community College

West Barnstable Campus

West Barnstable, Massachusetts

Theme

Economics of Play

ABSTRACT

Psychologists tell us that play holds a fundamental role in childhood that influences a person’s social, cognitive, and emotional development. Our Honors Study Topic research explored the connection between a child’s developmental needs for play, emphasizing the importance of broadening children’s accessibility to play across socioeconomic classes. In our research, we discovered that toys are made of mixed plastics, making them more difficult to properly recycle; however, during the research process, our chapter learned there are other ways to aid our campus’ green initiative, such as reducing, reusing, and recycling. Since our college won a “Leading by Example” award for green initiatives, our chapter decided to take two actions by facilitating a used plastic toy drive, thus reducing plastic in landfills while broadening children’s accessibility to toys and play. Collaboratively, we strategized some ideas, contemplating how we could encourage these green initiative values across campus while providing children access to play regardless of their family’s socioeconomic status.

Play can be viewed as a medium in early development, progressing children’s essential skills in the areas of cognitive, social, and emotional development and aiding children in their ability to live a prosperous life. Plastic toys are a ubiquitous part of modern childhood and provide diverse play experiences with their various shapes, sizes, and textures. The diversity in plastic toys provides children with unique play experiences, broadening their perception of the world around them. Drawing on our research findings, the project highlights the profound influence of play on a child’s growth and well-being. Our two-pronged

approach involves repurposing pre-owned toys to not only address environmental waste but also provide play materials for children across diverse socioeconomic communities to ensure all children in our community have access to play. The project delves into the impact of used toy drives on child development, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices and community involvement. By taking on both a green initiative and the economics of play, our project recognizes and protects a child’s access to play in a safe and healthy environment. Understanding the connections is crucial for promoting holistic child development while encouraging environmental responsibility and community engagement.

OBJECTIVES

Our chapter set out to further understand the connection between play and childhood development, considering how socioeconomic status influences a child’s ability to develop alongside their age-appropriate peers. Our research objectives were to investigate the role families’ socioeconomic status played in obtaining developmentally appropriate toys, and psychosocial and physical health resources. In addition, our Honors Study Topic research entailed broadening our understanding of how play impacts childhood, specifically in the areas of developmental psychology, fine motor skills, physical health, and social competency. During our research process, our chapter learned that play is the primary method children use to communicate; in addition, the United Nations has approved the Universal Declaration of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which recognizes children’s human rights, emphasizing the need to protect these rights as a foundational investment for future prosperity, focusing on the importance of a child’s right to play in building a comprehensive system of indicators to cultivate human development (Rico & Janot, 2019).

Our chapter’s action project could not have been possible without collaborating with essential college faculty and administrators such as the president of the college, the manager of facilities maintenance, student and faculty leaders who run the student newspaper The Main Sheet, as well as the marketing team at Cape Cod Community College (CCCC). With the assistance of PTK’s Research Edge course, our chapter members

understood the importance of having a researchled and driven community service action. Prior to reviewing the Research Edge course, our chapter devised an action plan to motivate students to participate in recycling initiatives around campus and be conscious of their recycling habits. However, upon further investigation, our chapter came to learn that our campus administration has been working towards green initiatives for quite some time and participates in a streamlined waste disposal program through the Nauset Disposal company. After meeting with the director of waste facility maintenance, and with the advice of new chapter advisors, our chapter realized we had to pivot our original HIA project plans. Coming to this realization taught our chapter the valuable lesson of researching prior to acting.

After coming to understand better research methods through the PTK Research Edge course, our members were better equipped to research the topic of the “Economics of Play.” Our mission transformed into an initiative to spread awareness about child development, child rights, and creative ways to up-cycle post-consumer goods such as toys to broaden play resources to lower-income children. Our chapter then collaborated with the director of marketing to promote our used toy drive as well as student leaders involved with the school newspaper The Main Sheet. Through our community’s collaborative efforts, children and families were able to benefit from the re-distribution of resources that our toy drive provided.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Guided by our research endeavors, our Honors in Action project (HIA) addressed the multifaceted aspects of “The Economics of Play,” delving into our understanding of play from the perspective of children. Psychologists tell us that play is an essential component of psychosocial development, but economics plays a role in how much access children have to opportunities to play. This fact is understood at some level even in childhood. In a social experiment conducted by Kirkland (2020), it was noted that children may not be consciously aware. However, they are subconsciously aware of when resources aren’t being distributed equally. In this social experiment, children were exposed to income inequality via a game that prompted them to earn stickers. Children exposed to lower quantities of stickers were less inclined, compared

to their high-income peers, to make pro-social decisions.

We explored several research questions, including how impactful is play to a child’s development, and what factors control a child’s access to opportunities to play. The analysis of research findings reveals a strong correlation between play and essential skill development in children. The examination of socioeconomic factors highlights disparities in play access, indicating a need for targeted interventions. Additionally, our research explores the therapeutic powers of play, which enhances child development in the areas of self-regulation, creative problemsolving, psychosocial competency, and emotional resiliency (Griffin, 2023).

Children’s physical health also benefits from play, helping children develop motor skills during outdoor play (Tortella, 2019). In our research, we also discovered the therapeutic properties of play. In a study by Ribeiro da Silva, multiple socioeconomic factors contributed to a child’s access to play and, by default, opportunities to gain important developmental skills. For lowincome families, education levels and economic resources are typically directed toward filling basic needs as opposed to developmental needs. The same study also found that children in low socioeconomic populations have a lower quality of physical space to move around, with a lack of family routine contributing to domestic environmental chaos. The home environment significantly influences a child’s growth and development. Children exposed to poverty typically present deficits in areas such as motor skills, personal and social skills, problem resolution, and communication. Play can be viewed as a medium in which parents and children can communicate with each other, and strengthen their attachment after times of hardship, for example, a global pandemic (Graber, 2023; Griffin, 2023). When considering the consequences of a lack of play resources, for example during times of global crisis, it’s important to consider ways to make these resources more affordable and accessible to children across socioeconomic classes.

CONCLUSIONS

Delving further into the socioeconomic implications children faced obtaining access

to developmentally appropriate resources, we discovered that, subsequently, only about 10% of plastic waste is recycled in the United States. (Recycling, 2023). We found that while some families could not afford toys, other families use and toss toys that are no longer used. According to a report from the Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, there is a lack of coordination between the private and public recycling sectors, and without proper coordination at the federal, state, and local levels, recycled plastics aren’t being processed appropriately. In conjunction with our findings regarding the difficulty in recycling plastic toys due to them being designed with a mix of different types of plastics, our chapter considered remedying children’s lack of access in our community by facilitating a pre-used plastic toy drive to broaden their access to essential developmental play opportunities via toys. (Taofeng & Wan-Ting, 2023).

Seeing the gap in play resources that low-income children face and the unrealized potential for upcycling post-consumer goods such as toys, our chapter decided to facilitate a used-plastic toy drive. Affording children with equal opportunities to play and develop at an age-appropriate level contributes to the prosperity of society as a whole. Our chapter aimed to spread awareness of children’s psychosocial development and creative environmental up-cycling initiatives to provide the children and families of our community with more play opportunities and, by that same virtue, an equal opportunity to develop essential life skills, thereby closing the play gap.

ACTION

Our action resulted from copious hours of research into the topics of play, developmental psychology, child development, children’s rights, socioeconomics, plastic recycling, and creative solutions. Throughout compiling research our PTK chapter met weekly to discuss chapter projects and duties and share our research findings. After months of discussion and research, our chapter decided to pivot from our original action plan when we realized there were better ways to construct the HIA project by way of the PTK Research Edge course available on the PTK website. This resource was brought to our attention by our chapter advisor and again

at regional conferences. The Honors Study Topic theme we chose was the Economics of Play, and we learned through our research that play is essential to child development and that all children deserve equal access to play opportunities so that they can develop and prosper in society as adults. Taking inspiration from our lovely campus’ initiative to go green, our chapter decided to facilitate a plastic usedtoy drive as a creative solution to up-cycle and reuse plastic items to provide the children of our community with broader access to play items while providing opportunities for equity and child development (Figure 1). Our toy drive was a success; many children and families were able to benefit from our used toy drive just in time for the holidays. One of our goals was to supplement children’s access to essential child development skills while promoting a green initiative. Our toy drive collected 247 donations (Figure 2).

IMPACT

Guided by our Honors Study Topic research endeavors, our HIA project addressed the multifaceted aspects of the Economics of Play as the lens through which we examined “The Art and Science of Play.” Members of our chapter participated in developing their leadership skills by taking on initiatives to compose marketing for our “Used-Plastic Toy Drive” aiding our mission to close the play gap. Additionally, members of our chapter collaborated with the student newspaper The Main Sheet to create an informational article explaining our Honors in Action project. Continuing our focus to get the word out around campus, our chapter collaborated with college administrators, creating social media posts expressing our

message to the student body. Our objective, to close the play gap for the children and families of our community college, yielded a total of 247 plastic toys. Facilitating this toy drive provided PTK members the opportunity to be of service by way of counting, sanitizing, and researching the used toys’ retail costs, which amounted to $910.88 at full retail value. Chapter officers and members learned a lot through developing and implementing this Honors in Action project, from the research about the power of play and the role of economics to the most effective methods for sharing information (36 likes on Instagram, 21 likes, and seven shares on Facebook, only two likes on the college application). We learned that collaborating with the Marketing Department has advantages and disadvantages, from working with others’ schedules to having access to more broad-based outreach. Since we had to pivot dramatically from our first research project, we also learned to align our interests more clearly with assignments and the importance of being flexible with group projects.

RESOURCES

Fioroni Ribeiro da Silva, C., Greco, A. L. R., Castilho Cabrera Santos, D., Sgandurra, G., & Tudella, E. (2023). Association between contextual factors and affordances in the home environment of infants exposed to poverty. Children, 10(12), 1932. doi: 10.3390/ children10121932

Figure 1

Figure 2

This source assesses the effects of socioeconomic factors, including access to toys, to child development from infancy to early childhood.

Graber, K. M., Byrne, E. M., Goodacre, E. J., Kirby, N., Kulkarni, K., O’Farrelly, C., & Ramchandani, P. G. (2021). A rapid review of the impact of quarantine and restricted environments on children’s play and the role of play in children’s health. Child: Care, Health & Development, 47(2), 143–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/ cch.12832

The study considers the impacts of COVID-19 and social isolation on children’s play, focusing on the medical, socio-economical, and psychological effects on vulnerable families in the population during times of global crisis.

Griffin, L., & Parson, J. (2023). Evidencing the therapeutic powers of play to understand the mechanism of change in filial therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy, 32(2), 107–121. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000193

This study focuses on ways to empower parents to engage in the therapeutic powers of play as a medium for communication with their children, fostering child development and strengthening familial attachment bonds.

Kirkland, K., Jetten, J., & Nielsen, M. (2020). The effect of economic inequality on young children’s prosocial decision-making. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 38(4), 512–528. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12334

The study aims to understand how economic inequality affects children’s pro-social and decision-making behavior, meaning decisions made for the benefit of other individuals, to better understand income inequality on a developmental level.

Majid, A. The problem of waste plastic and why pyrolysis oil might just contain the answer. (2023, August 2). The Chemical Engineer https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/ features/the-problem-of-waste-plastic-andwhy-pyrolysis-oil-might-just-contain-theanswer/

This source discusses the low level of plastics recycled in landfills in the United States and examines the hurdles to increasing the usage of recycled plastics.

Rico, A. P., & Janot, J. B. (2019). Building a system of indicators to evaluate the right of a child to play. Children & Society, 33(12291). https:// doi.org/10.1111/cch.12832

This source asserts that the UN Universal Declaration of the “Convention on the Rights of the Child” recognizes children’s human rights and emphasizes the need to protect these rights as a foundational investment for future prosperity. It specifically focuses on the importance of a child’s right to play in building a comprehensive system of indicators.

Taofeng, L., & Wan-Ting, C. (2023). Material recycling of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) from toy waste using density separation and safer solvents. Elsevier, 197(107090). 10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107090

This study delves into recovering certain plastics from post-consumer goods, specifically noting toy waste due to a solvent-based recycling process that highlights the distinct difficulty in processing and recycling toys.

Tortella, P., Haga, M., Ingebrigtsen, J. E., Fumagalli, G. F., & Sigmundsson, H. (2019). Comparing free play and partly structured play in 4-5-years-old children in an outdoor playground. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 197. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00197

This study examines 4- to 5-year-old children and the impact of partly structured activity versus free play on specific playground equipment designed for motor competence development, revealing improvements in aspects of child development.

A Legacy of Culture and Identity Through Play: Native American Stickball

Alpha Delta Lambda Chapter

Carl Albert State College Poteau, Oklahoma Theme Systems of Play

ABSTRACT

Carl Albert State College (CASC) has one of the highest Native American student populations in the state of Oklahoma. Each year, the college celebrates Native American Heritage Month through a series of activities coordinated, in part, by our First Year Initiative (FYI) program for Native students. Because our chapter membership significantly reflects this student demographic, we were inspired to explore Indigenous culture and identity for our HIA Project. Our HIA Project team focused on Theme 3, Systems of Play, to examine how the experience of playing traditional games may influence the perception of our indigenous brethren for both Native and non-Native students.

Our research began with exploring Theme 3 concepts (Forbes, 2021; Hartmann, 2016; Winstone, 2022) and the importance of using fun and games as learning tools in higher education (Leather, 2021; Whitton, 2019). Likewise, we investigated traditional Native games (Greer, 2014; Welch, 2017) and found that an individual’s role, identity, and access to traditional indigenous games may impact individual viewpoints on Native Americans. To that end, we concluded that the game of Stickball best characterized our research topic. We proposed a partnership with CASC’s First Year Initiative and the Choctaw Nation Cultural and Historic Preservation Departments to host a two-day event showcasing cultural aspects of Stickball, social dancing, and other traditional activities. Our President readily approved and provided several networking

contacts. With the support of the Administration, FYI, a contributing faculty member, and the Choctaw Nation, our project positively impacted the 43 student participants who learned about Native American culture and identity through presentations, crafting mini-Stickball equipment and other items, and playing the game Stickball with several professional players. In sum, our HIA team benefitted from the project by enhancing our academic research and leadership skills as well as learning how to network with various stakeholders more effectively. Similarly, our indigenous members were able to demonstrate certain aspects of their cultural identity to their fellow students, thereby creating a more inclusive and diverse perspective toward our Native American population.

OBJECTIVES

After researching the role of play in higher education, specifically within the classroom setting, we resolved to address a distinct portion of CASC’s population: Native American students. The central objective was to explore how traditional games impact student perceptions of Native American culture and identity. We agreed that Stickball, a traditional game played by the Choctaw and Cherokee people, would represent the majority of our indigenous students and attempted to locate academic sources on the subject.

During our extensive HIA Team research/ analysis discussions, we concluded that the creativity inherent in playful behavior becomes a different form of innovation in the field of higher education. We determined that our project must establish a positive atmosphere for students that focused on the experience of play rather than just the concept. We wanted to foster a sense of community by developing an event that would provide students with an opportunity to experiment with “play” as a culturally significant practice that could impact students’ perception and attitude toward Native American identity.

We proposed a partnership with CASC’s First Year Initiative and the Choctaw Nation Cultural and Historic Preservation Departments to host a twoday event showcasing cultural aspects of Stickball, social dancing, and other traditional activities. Our timeframe for our preparatory research was 2.5 months as our event was scheduled for November 17-18. Our discussion of observations, interviews,

findings, and analysis process lasted for two weeks, with the team Hallmark writing and editing to take place afterward.

The HIA Team researched the role of play in higher education as it relates to creating engaging learning opportunities for our campus community. Because CASC has one of the highest Indigenous student populations in the state, we wanted to promote a sense of cultural identity within our community for Native American Heritage Month.

Our HIA Project team focused on Theme 3 of the Honors Study Topic: Systems of Play to examine how the experience of playing traditional games may influence the perception of our indigenous brethren for Native and non-Native students. Theme 3 concepts centered on our goals and objectives. We investigated traditional Native games and found that an individual’s “role, identity, and access” to traditional indigenous games may impact individual viewpoints on Native Americans. We concluded that the game of Stickball best characterized our research topic.

We met with our President, who readily approved our proposal and suggested that we initiate a partnership with the First Year Initiative program at CASC, which focuses on our indigenous student population.

We met with the FYI program director, who offered a collaboration with the Choctaw Nation Cultural and Historic Preservation Departments to host a two-day event featuring traditional games, Stickball, and social dancing as a way to demonstrate the role of play in Native American cultural identity. We concluded that partnering with a participating faculty member was the most expedient way to engage students. After discussing our goals, the faculty member agreed to endorse our event by scheduling classes to be held during the event times. We maintained open communication with the faculty member throughout the research process to address our objectives regarding the role of play in our project and its relationship to student learning.

The event, scheduled for November 14-15, was held on the grounds of our student center and cafeteria. Over 70 students participated, including 43 from our faculty partner. Students learned about Native American culture and identity through presentations, crafting mini-Stickball equipment and other items, and playing the game

Stickball with several professional players. Our HIA team benefitted from enhancing our academic research and leadership skills and learning how to network with various stakeholders more effectively. Similarly, our indigenous members were able to demonstrate certain aspects of their cultural identity to their fellow students, thereby creating a more inclusive and diverse perspective toward our Native American population.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Our academic research centered on the role of play in higher education. According to Leather (2021), play is a “necessary condition to the generation of culture.” As such, play requires active involvement in a fun, social, voluntary, experimental, and creative behavior that can also facilitate learning about other cultural identities, such as Native Americans. Thus, our project explores sharing the significance of Stickball to Native American culture and identity with Native and non-Native college students.

We partnered with our campus librarian to locate sources describing the historical and cultural relevance of the game (Welch, 2017) and stickball as a vehicle for “teaching diversity” (Anton, 2018). Greer (2014) described the game rules, equipment, and team structure of modern Stickball leading to the World Series Stickball Championship game held in Mississippi each year. Research on the role of play in learning suggests that students can have deep, engaging learning experiences. Yet, we view play as ineffective and unprofessional outside the realm of early childhood education. Literature on play in higher education is somewhat “underutilized and devalued” (Forbes, 2021). The general perception

of the college experience entails enjoyable activities in an extracurricular setting while the classroom is reserved for more serious endeavors.

CONCLUSIONS

From our research, we concluded that play in the classroom often removes barriers and promotes a warm classroom environment, which can lead to greater student engagement and learning. So, we centered our project parameters on creating an inclusive and dynamic experience that would examine how the experience of playing traditional games may influence the perception of Native Americans for both Native and non-Native students.

Our research advocates for the use of play as a “technique which can subvert, disrupt, contravene established norms” in the classroom setting (Leather, 2021). Play becomes more than merely playing games for the sake of fun; instead, it is an intentional approach to creating more meaningful experiences involving critical thinking and problem-solving skills that connect individual and/or group performance to learning (Forbes, 2021). We concluded that the use of play in the classroom often removes barriers and promotes a warm classroom environment, which can lead to greater student engagement and learning, so we centered our project parameters on creating an inclusive and dynamic experience that would examine how the experience of playing traditional games may influence the perception of Native Americans for both Native and non-Native students. With the support of the Administration, FYI, a contributing faculty member, and the Choctaw Nation, our project positively impacted the 43 student participants who learned about Native American culture and identity through presentations, crafting mini-Stickball equipment and other items, and playing the game Stickball with several professional players.

In sum, our HIA team benefitted from the project by enhancing our academic research and leadership skills and learning how to network with various stakeholders more effectively. Similarly, our indigenous members were able to demonstrate certain aspects of their cultural identity to their fellow students, thereby creating a more inclusive and diverse perspective toward our Native American population purely recreationally (Figure 1).

Figure 1

ACTION

Our project focused on Theme 3 of the Honors Study Topic, “Systems of Play.” Interested in how stickball and other native cultural games affected one’s role, identity, and experience, we wanted to partner with the Choctaw Nation to make the events we had planned possible. We met with the First Year Initiative program at CASC, which focuses on our indigenous student population, hoping to collaborate for Native American Heritage Month. Our partnership with the FYI extended to the Choctaw Nation Cultural and Historic Preservation Departments who provided the equipment for stickball and other cultural games, handmade weapons, and supplies for crafts. Camp Chata, a campus club for firstyear Choctaw students including several PTK members, was also there to provide assistance and teach the students about the games and different crafts.

Our collaborations helped the project spread cultural awareness and appreciation for native tribes and cultures (Figure 2). Over 40 students recruited by our faculty partner learned about different aspects of Native American culture through these games and activities that were provided by our partnership with the Choctaw Nation. To determine the impact on students, we interviewed five students on the event and how their perception of Indigenous culture may have

changed. By far, their favorite part of the day was playing Stickball. After learning about the cultural significance of the game, students said that the game is “a lot harder than it looks” and they were “impressed” by the modern competitive structure.

Overall, the students said that they enjoyed learning about Native American culture and were interested in learning more about it. The event inspired an appreciation and interest in Indigenous culture, which addressed our primary goal.

Discussions with our collaborators fostered our understanding of the role that play has in one’s identified culture. We observed and participated in “play” ourselves, which enhanced our own experience and learning process. Our collaboration resulted in a lasting partnership with the FYI, Camp Chata, and the Choctaw Nation, as we’ve been asked to participate in future events.

IMPACT

This project provided an opportunity for PTK members and prospective members to learn more about the culture and history of Native American tribes and enhance their appreciation for the culture itself by providing an opportunity for students to play a traditional game. More than 70 students participated in the event with 43 being recruited by our faculty partner. During interviews, students claimed that playing stickball was “very interesting and fun.” The experience made them “really want to learn more” about stickball and Native American culture and traditions, which was our main objective.

Our project highlighted the importance of play in developing one’s cultural identity as student discussions naturally led to analyzing their cultural games. According to our faculty partner, the connections made through play led to further discussion within the classroom environment. “Sharing their gameplay experiences with their peers,” she stated, “allowed for meaningful conversation about the role of identity in student life and that practicing rituals and traditions is a way to value one’s culture.” It also allowed our native students to feel closer to their culture and embrace their identity in a visible way on campus. It was an effective way for students to branch out and experience and learn about other cultures

Figure 2

and ways of living, specifically with the Native American culture on our campus (Figure 3). Finally, in developing our project, our team benefitted from enhancing our academic research and leadership skills and learning how to network with various stakeholders more effectively. We not only observed the role of play in experiential learning; we lived it.

Key takeaways were:

• Play is underutilized and devalued in higher education and removes barriers to learning;

• Play awakened students’ sense of community and belonging;

• Play can balance out the seriousness of serious topics, make students open to taking risks and making mistakes, and engage and motivate students to learn.

RESOURCES

Anton, V., & Hizon, K. (2018). Teaching diversity through Cherokee stickball. JOPERD: The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 89(7), 16-22. https://doi. org/10.1090/070303984.1490219

Teaching multicultural games provides opportunities for students to experience and appreciate the culture and traditions of diverse populations. Historically played to settle tribal disputes among Native tribes, Stickball continues in ceremonial rituals, competitions, and

recreational activities in communities and schools. This article presents the rich cultural tradition and suggests teaching methods for the game.

Forbes, L.K. (2021). The process of play in learning in higher education: A phenomenological study. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 15(1), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.22329/jtl. v15il.6515

This article discusses pedagogical approaches to playfulness to generate student engagement, motivation, and quality learning experiences. The phenomenological study examines emerging themes centering on using play as a foundation for learning.

Greer, T.M. & Comby, H. (2014). Stickball fever. Southern Quarterly, 51(4), 20–27.

This article examines the historical and cultural relevance of the Native American sport, Stickball, and its evolution to the modern day as a “fever” for competition and community.

Leather, M., Harper, N., & Obee, P. (2021). A pedagogy of play: Reasons to be playful in postsecondary education. Journal of Experimental Education, 44(3), 208-226. https://doi. org/10.11177/1053825920959684

This study discusses using play as a teaching method in postsecondary education as a form of

Figure 3

“experiential” learning. It challenges conventional teaching methods, offering an alternative approach that leads to “creativity, wellness, and improved graduate employability.”

Manning, Al, & Hartmenn, D. (2016). Kids of color in the American sporting landscape: Limited, concentrated, and controlled. In Messner, M., & Musto, M. (Eds). Child’s Play, 43-60. https://doi. org10.36019/9780813571478

This article outlines how race structures physical activity and participation for youth in communities of color. It studies the repercussions of how sports are accessed and experienced by targeting methods of disproportionate social control of kids of color.

Welch, N.M., Siegele, J., Hardin, R. (2017). For the Sga-Du-Gi (community): Modern day Cherokee stickball. American Indian Culture & Research Journal, 41(2), 93–114. https://doi. org/10.17953/aicrj.41.2.welch

This article examines the communal nature of the Native American game, stickball, and its intimate cultural relationship to the Cherokee people as collaborative “glue” with its rich rituals and traditions “that holds the community together.”

Whitton, N., & Langan, M. (2019). Fun and games in higher education: An analysis of UK student perspectives. Teaching in Higher Education, 24(8), 1000-1013. https://doi.org/10.1080/1356 2517.2018.1541885

This study considers the value of play in higher education as an alternative pedagogical approach to enable greater student engagement through motivating learning experiences. It underscores the relationship that students perceive between fun and innovative learning.

Winstone, N., Balloo, K., Gravett, K., Jacobs, D., & Keen, H. (2022). Who stands to benefit? Wellbeing, belonging and challenges to equity in engagement in extra-curricular activities at university. Active Learning in Higher Education, 23(2), 81-96, https://doi. org/10.1469787420908209

This study observes the significant role of extracurricular activities in student identity development, leading to a sense of belonging and well-being in the learning environment. Providing opportunities for students to engage in these activities may promote greater equity and access to learning about themselves and their community.

Play and Empathy Across Cultures

Alpha Mu Tau Chapter Collin College Frisco, Texas

Theme

Essence of Play

ABSTRACT

Alpha Mu Tau members researched how play could foster empathy across cultural boundaries. We identified play as an activity that is fun, imaginative, voluntary, and bound by structure or rules. Through months of research, members concluded that play can create a bond of understanding and tolerance between people with different cultural identities or backgrounds. After our investigation, we organized our action event, a multicultural game night, intended to spread awareness about what we had found. To record the impact of our action, we prepared surveys for participants to fill out after the event. Both qualitative and quantitative evidence show that our action proved to be successful in spreading awareness.

OBJECTIVES

Our chapter created the following research objectives:

• Study the Honors Program Guide to better understand the Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play.”

• Identify members to serve on the research team and create a research timeline.

• Have research committee members complete Research Edge and work with the librarian to learn how to do proper research.

• Conduct independent research to identify potential themes and questions to investigate.

• Provide weekly meetings to gain more knowledge and reflect on the research gathered.

• Determine a concise definition of play, empathy, and culture.

• Review the research to draw conclusions and develop action components.

Our action objectives were:

• Organize an action project surrounding multicultural games based on our research conclusion.

• Develop and implement a marketing strategy to advertise the event to maximize attendance.

• Spread awareness of how play can build empathy through our culture.

• Prepare and implement surveys to measure the effectiveness of our event.

Our collaboration objectives were:

• Work with school administration to schedule a venue for our event.

• Collaborate with the Frisco Fencing Academy to create an interactive activity for participants.

• Collaborate with the PTK’s Texas District II Vice President to advertise the event to other chapters.

• Work with Student Engagement offices to invite other student organizations.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

In preparation for conducting academic Honors Study Topic research, members completed Research Edge, a Phi Theta Kappa course designed to improve research skills and help understand the purpose of the Honors in Action project. To help conduct independent research, the college librarian helped create a Libguide, a reference page specific to our topic.

Members studied the Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play,” to gain a comprehensive understanding of what the topic means. The team then organized a book club centered on “Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul” by Dr. Stuart Brown to examine and analyze the concept of “play.” This focused our research on the “Essence of Play,” which focuses on play as a building block for learning, communication, and other human necessities. Given the unique cultural backgrounds of the members, we asked ourselves if play had any effect on each of us being more accepting and empathetic to cultures other than our own. From there, we formulated the research question, “How can play build empathy between cultures?”

Our research then led us to pursue the influence of play on or between cultures and whether it breeds positive results like acceptance and tolerance. We defined play as an activity that is fun, imaginative, voluntary, and bound by structure or rules. It is a means of socialization and communication (Figure 1). We defined culture as a complex system of collective convictions, principles, traditions, actions, and tangible items that individuals within a society employ to navigate their environment and interact with each other. Brown delves into the universality of play across human cultures while also acknowledging the unique ways in which different cultures engage in and perceive play. Brown also explains how play serves as a reflection of cultural norms and values and how it plays a crucial role in

Figure 1

cultural understanding. Furthermore, Armstrong (1991) explains that play is a method of engaging with and understanding differing perspectives or cultures.

After examining play’s universality, we considered whether play could create empathy across cultures. Empathy is defined as “the ability to understand and share another’s emotional state or context” (Pallavicini et al., 2020). Neuenhaus (2017) explains that empathy is necessary because it bridges cultural divides and fosters acceptance between diverse communities. Play does this by embodying equality and serving as a mediator. Play involves a dynamic oscillation between opposing perspectives, leading to an interpenetration of ideas that maintains their distinctiveness (Armstrong, 1991). From this, we infer that play is a tool to produce empathy. One example of this is the Italian national football team, which consisted of players from Italy, Argentina, and Brazil, all with different cultural backgrounds, who won the 1934 World Cup (Bocketti, 2008). This article showed that when people were much less accepting of each other, play could form a bond between these players and integrate them into the Italian community.

CONCLUSIONS

Through months of research and reading over 100 articles, we concluded that play is a powerful tool for building empathy and understanding across different cultures. Our findings underscore the potential of play as a unifying force fostering acceptance and empathy in multicultural settings. This research has not only deepened our comprehension of the role of play in cultural integration but has also significantly enhanced our critical thinking and analytical skills. We wanted to raise awareness of this in our action project, so we organized a multicultural game night.

ACTION

Our main action project was a Global Game Night, designed to expose the Collin County community to forms of play from different cultures and invoke cultural empathy by facilitating community members to connect and relate to others despite cultural differences. Activities from various cultural origins included fencing, Bocce, Norwegian Golf, and board games such as Ludo, Carrom, and Mancala (Figure 2). We provided information on the cultural origin and the instructions for each game so that participants who had never encountered the game before could still play and learn. One of the organizations we collaborated with was the Frisco Fencing Academy, an independent fencing academy based in Frisco, Texas, to demonstrate fencing techniques and coach novice fencing matches.

The event was advertised through our college’s on-campus media, online web pages, flyers around the community, and Instagram posts, which helped spread awareness about it and promote attendance. After the event, guests filled out a survey to gauge the effect of our Global Game Night event on their appreciation of other cultures.

In organizing our event, we prioritized creating partnerships with organizations inside and outside the college to ensure the event’s success. We collaborated with our school administration to book a conference center on one of our college’s campuses and worked with our college’s student

Figure 2

engagement office to create and display flyers and other promotions for our event. We also worked with the PTK’s Texas Region District II Vice President to include our event in the district newsletter sent every two weeks to all 18 chapters in our district. Finally, we invited our sister chapters from Grayson College and Dallas College. All of these efforts were essential to the success of the event and the resulting impact on the community.

IMPACT

The project effectively addressed the research question, “How can play build empathy between cultures?” by providing practical, interactive experiences through the multicultural game night. These initiatives enabled participants from diverse backgrounds to engage in various cultural games, fostering an understanding and appreciation of different cultural practices. This hands-on exposure to play in different cultural contexts bridged cultural divides and nurtured empathy and inclusivity among participants. The project thus served as a dynamic platform for cultural exchange, significantly contributing to breaking down cultural barriers and promoting a deeper sense of empathy and unity within the community.

Chapter members learned how to properly implement an academic research project by completing Research Edge and working closely with the school librarian. Members also gained valuable insights into creating and implementing a survey. We spent multiple meetings carefully crafting thought-out and unbiased questions that would align with our research. Furthermore, the team learned how to organize large-scale events and collect valuable data. Finally, members learned how to work together to compose a paper based on academic research.

Our global game night had a capacity limit of 100 people at our venue; 70 people were in attendance. We collaborated with 4 organizations and chapters for participation and advertisement, including the Frisco Fencing Academy, the Student Government Association, the college

library, and District II of the Texas region. Out of the 70 participants, we received 60 survey responses. Marketing through social media drives, physical advertisements, and campus activities contributed to our attendance. Our members were able to reach out and personally communicate with the student body at the two tabling events, which made up 30% of our total attendance. Our social media posts and shares of advertising for the event gathered 98 impressions.

Our survey revealed that 40% of people who attended the Global Game Night did not have much experience playing games from different cultures with people of different cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, the survey showed us our event’s effect, with 62% of the participants agreeing that the event made them feel more connected to their own culture. After attending the game night, 80% reportedly stated they felt something in common with other cultures than their own.

The qualitative impact of the Global Game Night is evident through the participants’ survey responses and individual reflections. The survey revealed that many participants gained valuable insights and developed a deeper appreciation for new cultures through the diverse range of games played during the event. The games acted as a universal language between participants from various cultures. The ability to play and enjoy these new games became a bridge, transcending language barriers and creating connections among diverse individuals. Notably, respondents expressed that the game night sparked curiosity about different cultures and traditions, emphasizing the event’s role in fostering cultural awareness.

When participants were asked to list some games that made them feel connected to their culture, many listed competitive games. As a follow-up, we asked them whether or not they found some similarities between the games from their own culture and the games from different cultures, and the majority of respondents did find similarities. One participant’s reflection highlighted the

enriching experience of learning something new and different from each game played due to interactions with individuals from various countries and cultures. This participant emphasized the importance and power of communication through a universal language: play and games. These responses underscore the event’s ability to transcend cultural barriers and promote crosscultural understanding.

RESOURCES

Armstrong, P. B. (1991). Play and Cultural Differences. The Kenyon Review, 13(1), 157–171. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4336396

The author defines play as a mediator in crosscultural encounters and a tool for promoting empathy by emphasizing its role in facilitating a dynamic exchange between different worlds. Play is presented as a means of engaging with the unfamiliar without seeking to dominate or assimilate it Through play, the encounter with the Other becomes an opportunity for mutual learning as both parties navigate the boundaries of their respective cultural contexts with openness and a willingness to be surprised. Ultimately, play is a tool for breaking down hindrances to reciprocity, fostering empathy, and creating a space for meaningful cross-cultural dialogue.

Bocketti, G. P. (2008). Italian immigrants, Brazilian football, and the dilemma of national identity. Journal of Latin American Studies, 40(2), 275–302. http://www.jstor.org/ stable/40056663

In exploring the cultural adjustment of immigrants to Brazil, particularly the Italian population in twentieth-century Sao Paulo, the author highlights the transformative role of association football, or soccer, in shaping identity and fostering cultural integration. The author demonstrates that play, manifested through football, becomes a method of cultural diffusion and acceptance. Through the shared passion for the sport, Italians in Sao Paulo gained agency in negotiating their identity within the broader Brazilian context. Football provided a platform for cultural exchange, allowing immigrants to engage with the local population and navigate the process of becoming Brazilian.

MacDonald, G. F. (1991). What is culture? The Journal of Museum Education, 16(1), 9–12. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40478873

This article examines culture as a dynamic and ever-evolving consortium of communication that individuals share, encompassing their experiences, perceptions, values, and consciousness. The article delves into different facets of culture and emphasizes the need for a multicultural perspective, as it reduces bias and promotes creativity, all of which contribute to social harmony and a better quality of life.

Neuenhaus, M., & Aly, M. (2017). Empathy up. In Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems. https://doi. org/10.1145/3027063.3049276

The study aims to increase empathy and support for Syrian refugees among German youths through a concept called “Empathy Up” (EMP-UP), which involves a geo-location-based mobile game. The research identifies two main challenges faced by Syrian refugees in Germany: a lack of contact with locals and a feeling of unacceptance by German society. The study suggests that combining a mobile game with a geo-location feature that addresses cultural differences can emotionally connect players with different cultures, thereby reducing prejudices and increasing willingness to engage with refugees.

Pallavicini, F., Pepe, A., Caragnano, C. C., & Mantovani, F. (2020). Video games to foster empathy: A critical analysis of the potential of Detroit: Become human and the walking dead. In M. Antona & C. Stephanidis (Eds.), Universal access in human computer interaction. Applications and Practice. HCII 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, (Vol. 12189). Springer, Cham. https://doi. org/10.1007/978-3-030-49108-6_16

This article explores how video games can be used to build empathy. It was critical in helping us define and understand empathy. This understanding was essential for our research, as it provided a solid foundation for exploring the role of play in empathy development. The article’s insights into how video games facilitate

experiential learning and emotional engagement significantly informed our approach to examining different modalities of play, including digital games, in fostering empathy and cultural awareness.

Pufall, P. B., & Pufall, E. (2008). The relationship between play and culture [Review of play and development: Evolutionary, sociocultural, and functional perspectives, by Göncü & Gaskins]. Human Development, 51(5/6), 390–398. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26764881

This article was essential in offering a critical understanding of play as a socially and culturally embedded activity. The authors explain that play varies between cultural contexts. This understanding was crucial in planning and evaluating our multicultural game night, as it highlighted the significance of considering cultural variances in play to foster empathy and cultural awareness.

Neuenhaus, M., & Aly, M. (2017). Empathy up. In Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems. https://doi. org/10.1145/3027063.3049276

The study aims to increase empathy and support for Syrian refugees among German youths through a concept called “Empathy Up” (EMP-UP), which involves a geo-location-based mobile game. The research identifies two main challenges faced by Syrian refugees in Germany: a lack of contact with locals and a feeling of unacceptance by German society. The study suggests that combining a mobile game with a geo-location feature that addresses cultural differences can emotionally connect players with different cultures, thereby reducing prejudices and increasing willingness to engage with refugees.

Wan, C., & Yuen-Ga Chew, P. (2013). Cultural knowledge, category label, and social connections: Components of cultural identity in the global, multicultural context. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 16(4), 247-259. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajsp.12029

This article provided a framework for understanding cultural identity, which was

essential for analyzing our multicultural game night’s impact. The insights gained from the article were crucial in interpreting the interaction between cultural identity and participation in diverse play activities, enhancing our comprehension of play’s role in bridging cultural divides.

Nostalgia-Inspired Art: Integrating Nostalgia Into Recreational Therapy

Beta Gamma Xi Chapter

CT State College Middlesex Middletown, Connecticut

Theme

Nostalgia as Play

ABSTRACT

Research has shown that over the last decade, new technology has allowed the lifespan of individuals to increase significantly, and the number of seniors has increased notably. For this reason, our project aimed at understanding the needs of the aging population and how our chapter can contribute to the well-being of this group. Inspired by Honors Study Topic Theme 6, Nostalgia as Play, our chapter investigated how nostalgia can be beneficial to the wellbeing of seniors. It explored how nostalgia can be implemented with selected therapies, such as recreational and music therapy, to obtain results that promote social connections and improve participants’ moods. This study met all the requirements for approval by the IRB of CT State Community College. The chapter contacted programs and facilities that serve seniors and reached an agreement with the Middlesex Institute for Lifelong Education (MILE) program. The study consisted of a session of selected recreational therapy combined with music therapy to induce nostalgia in the participants. During a one-hour session, participants were asked to portray a ‘happy memory’ or a ‘happy place from the past,’ and music from the youth of participants was used as a trigger for nostalgia. A pre and post-session survey was distributed, designed to understand the impact of the activity on the participants’ pre/post-session moods and its relevance to the participants’ levels of optimism. All materials were provided during the session. The results showed that the majority of

participants expressed that the activity “made the day better,” and all participants indicated that they would recommend the activity to other seniors. The chairwoman of the board of the MILE program offered feedback after the activity. She expressed that the participants enjoyed the activity and would like the program to implement similar activities in the future.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of our chapter’s research was to emphasize the well-being and quality of life among seniors. Our Honors Study Topic Theme, Nostalgia as Play, contends that play can evoke memories that challenge, inspire, traumatize, and heal. We aimed to delve into the significance of nostalgia as a crucial component in the overall psychological well-being of seniors. This research sought to provide an understanding of the influence and potential benefits of nostalgicbased recreational interventions when applied to the senior population.

Our inquiry delved into identifying various nostalgic trigger elements and exploring their potential benefits. Collaborating with the MILE Program at our community college, we actively engaged seniors in the research process to evaluate the impact of evoking nostalgia on their quality of life. Our goal was to draw conclusions based on the collaboration’s results, and we aspired for our research to inspire others to undertake similar initiatives and underscore the importance of seniors’ quality of life. Positive study findings could further contribute to advocacy for policy and program development, prioritizing the needs of seniors.

Based on our research conclusions, the Beta Gamma Xi chapter undertook the initiative to develop sessions that integrated nostalgia and recreational therapy, aiming to enhance the benefits for the senior population. In designing these sessions, our chapter chose painting/ drawing as a recreational therapy activity and identified sensory input (music) as a trigger for nostalgia. The overarching goal was to collaborate with local organizations/programs dedicated to serving seniors. The objective was to orchestrate a session and comprehensively assess the advantages of incorporating nostalgia, particularly through music, into recreational therapy for seniors.

Our collaboration objectives were:

• Contact senior centers, programs, and community organizations to recruit senior participants.

• Share the research findings with the collaborating organization to educate the community about the therapeutic benefits of nostalgia-based activities.

• Draw conclusions based on the findings regarding the effects of nostalgia in recreational therapy among the senior population in Connecticut.

Our action objectives were:

• Organize a recreational therapy session with nostalgic music and art creation.

• Conduct pre-session and post-session surveys with participants and staff to assess their experience with the activity.

• Analyze collected data to determine patterns in the responses and evaluate the influence of nostalgia on the participant’s mood.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

After delving into the Honors Program Guide, our chapter found inspiration in the Honors Study Topic’s Theme 6, Nostalgia as Play. Recognizing the therapeutic potential of play and the profound impact of nostalgia on emotional states across various age groups, we specifically focused on its distinct benefits for older adults. This led us to consider implementing nostalgia in recreational therapy activities, particularly for senior citizens. With this focus, our chapter formulated the following research questions:

• What are the social and psychological needs of seniors?

• Can recreational therapy improve the quality of life and life satisfaction of elderly individuals?

• How can nostalgia-based interventions influence psychological well-being and life satisfaction across the senior population?

• How do neural processes and brain activity change when individuals recall nostalgic memories, and how are these changes related to improved mood and mental well-being?

• Are there any potential downsides or risks associated with using nostalgia as a therapeutic tool in senior care, and how can these be mitigated?

To address our research objectives, we extensively drew from credible academic sources. Based on our research, we conclude that nostalgia plays a significant role in enhancing individuals’ well-being. Nostalgia contributes to a more positive perception of well-being by evoking feelings of youth. This positive impact extends to improvements in cognitive abilities, heightened social connectedness, and potential aid in recovery from illness.

CONCLUSIONS

Our chapter focused on the activation of different parts of the brain during nostalgic experiences and explored sensory inputs as triggers for this emotion. Furthermore, our research suggested that recreational therapy holds notable benefits for seniors. When combined with other therapeutic approaches, such as nostalgia, its positive outcomes can be further amplified. Therefore, integrating nostalgia into recreational therapy emerges as a promising avenue that could yield favorable results in enhancing the well-being of individuals, particularly seniors.

ACTION

The Beta Gamma Xi chapter took the step of organizing a recreational therapy session. After reaching out to various local organizations, the chapter decided to collaborate with the Middlesex Institute for Lifelong Education (MILE) Program, a

choice driven by its focus on seniors and convenient scheduling at CT State Community CollegeMiddlesex.

For this session, the chapter curated a playlist featuring music from the 60s to 80s, including classics like “Stand by Me” by Ben King, “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra, and “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. The goal was to trigger nostalgia among the participants and elevate their experience. The chosen recreational therapy activities were drawing and painting (Figure 1). Fourteen seniors attended the session, and they were provided with materials such as canvases, brushes, acrylic paint, and pencils. The creative task assigned was to portray a “happy memory” or “a happy place from the past” (Figure 2).

To gauge the impact of the session, the chapter conducted a pre-session and post-session survey. The pre-session survey aimed to establish a baseline of the senior’s feelings and their anticipation for the activity. The post-session survey sought to gather project results and assess the effectiveness of using nostalgia during recreational therapy. The findings from the pre-session survey indicated that seniors were in neutral to positive moods, moderately excited about the activity, and looking forward to recalling the past during the session. The postsession survey revealed a significant improvement in their mood, with more scores falling in the Positive/ Very Positive range. Participants expressed that

Figure 1

Figure 2

the activity made their days better, and a majority acknowledged that it enhanced their sense of recalling the past (Figure 3).

IMPACT

In terms of quantifiable outcomes, our chapter conducted a data-driven assessment through questionnaires distributed to seniors before and after the action-oriented part of the project. The seniors provided numerical responses regarding their quality of life, allowing us to quantify the impact of evoking nostalgia on participants in a recreational setting. The results indicated a positive impact on participants’ moods, with 53% ranking it as positive and 38% as very positive. Furthermore, 71% of respondents stated that the activity made their day better, while 28% mentioned it made it slightly better. In terms of enhancing the sense of recalling the past, 30% reported a moderate improvement. Importantly, all seniors expressed their willingness to recommend this activity to other seniors as a means of enhancing mood and recalling the past.

On the qualitative side, our chapter assessed outcomes by delving into participants’ narratives and encouraging them to share personal reflections. The richness of these qualitative responses provided valuable insights into the subjective experiences of the seniors. Some of the notable participant responses included statements like, “It was fun, and you just let your mind wander to a memory, then started painting what was on your mind without any thought,”

and “The music enhances the sense of recalling the past. It was fun. It would be good to hear what other people thought.” A few days after the activity, the chairwoman of the board of the MILE program provided valuable feedback to the chapter president, conveying that the members enjoyed participating in the activity and expressed how it offered insights into incorporating more hands-on activities into the programming of the MILE Program presentations. These outcomes provide tangible evidence of the positive effects of integrating nostalgia into recreational therapy for seniors.

From the chapter members’ perspectives, we encountered the project’s challenges, lessons, and successes, providing insights into qualitative outcomes. The impact of our efforts on the addressed problem resulted in the accurate confirmation of helpful approaches that can improve seniors’ overall quality of life. We also fostered community engagement among the elderly, leading to social connections and a sense of belonging. Furthermore, it addressed some of the most pressing challenges of the aging population, such as social isolation and a lack of emotional and mental wellness.

RESOURCES

Abeyta, A. A., & Routledge, C. (2016). Fountain of youth: The impact of nostalgia on youthfulness and implications for health. Self and Identity, 15(3), 356–369. https://doi.org/1 0.1080/15298868.2015.1133452

Figure 3

This study’s objective was to delve into the influence of nostalgia on perceptions of youth and its associated health benefits. It provided a detailed understanding of how nostalgia can impact individuals, fostering a sense of youthfulness that contributes to their overall well-being. The study posited that feeling younger is correlated with a heightened perception of general health, increased satisfaction with health status, and positive outcomes in recovering from illnesses. This underscored the importance of integrating nostalgia into interventions aimed at enhancing the well-being of seniors.

Abud, T., Kounidas, G., Martin, K., Werth, M., Cooper, K., & Myint, P. K. (2022). Determinants of healthy ageing: A systematic review of contemporary literature. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 34(6), 1215–1223. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520021-02049-w

The objective of this article was to identify key determinants related to healthy aging, utilizing existing frameworks for healthy aging. This article was significant for our project as it highlighted determining factors for healthy aging, offering a deeper comprehension of what it entails. This understanding was crucial for our project, which targeted the senior population, emphasizing the importance of grasping their needs. The factors uncovered by this study encompassed physical activity, diet, self-awareness, outlook/ attitude, life-long learning, faith, social support, financial security, community engagement, and independence.

Barrett, F. S., Grimm, K. J., Robins, R. W., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., & Janata, P. (2010). Music-evoked nostalgia: Affect, memory, and personality. Emotion, 10(3), 390–403. https:// doi.org/10.1037/a0019006

The objective of this study was to address gaps in the understanding of how music influences nostalgia and how individuals vary in their emotional and memory responses to nostalgia induced by music. It was important for our project, as we identified an effective tool trigger (music- sensory input) to induce nostalgia and assess potential consequences in our research participants. The study reported a greater sense of music-evoked nostalgia in songs that held autobiographical significance, familiarity, and

emotional intensity. No consistent evidence that specific songs triggered high/low levels of nostalgia was found. Additionally, the study emphasized the dominance of positive emotions during nostalgic moments, with significantly higher ratios of positive to negative emotions compared to non-nostalgic experiences.

Ellickson, D. (2013). The influence of sad music on nostalgia, happiness, and optimism levels. Dublin Business School. http://hdl.handle. net/10788/1595

The objective of this study was to assess the influence of music on nostalgia and to determine if the results could contribute to advancing previous research on the connection between nostalgia, happiness, and optimism. This study held significance for our project as it provided a contrasting perspective compared to other articles in our research. This study did not find a significant relationship between nostalgic behavior and happiness/optimism, raising questions about individual differences in personality and mood. However, it uncovered interesting findings, as it revealed that adults who were exposed to sad music exhibited higher levels of nostalgic behavior compared to those exposed to happy music or no music.

Laukka, P. (2006). Uses of music and psychological well-being among the elderly. Journal of Happiness Studies, 8(2). https://doi. org/10.1007/s10902-006-9024-3

This study aimed to investigate the daily use of music by older adults and explore the potential relationship between listening to music and psychological well-being. This study was fundamental for our project as it supported using music as a trigger for nostalgia. An essential finding was that older adults already use music to induce nostalgia voluntarily. In response to the question, “How common is it that you feel each of the following emotions in response to music?” out of 45 emotions, nostalgia was ranked as the third most common. And to the question ‘How often do you listen to music because of the following reasons?” out of 28 responses, the reasons “It evokes memories,” “To forget about the present,” and “To reflect on my life” ranked 2nd, 10th, and 18th, respectively. This information was significant for our project as it strengthened the rationale for incorporating music into our study.

Llahai, I. & Sharma, R. (2023). A study to assess the effectiveness of selected recreational therapy on stress and cognitive function among senior citizens in selected old age homes Jaipur-Pilot Study, Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University, 58(2), 523-534. SSN: 0258-2724, https://jsju. org.cn

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of selected recreational therapy on stress and cognitive function among seniors. It was pivotal in the development of our project, providing essential insights into how recreational therapy can benefit seniors and whether combining it with other types of therapy influences its benefits. The study revealed that selected recreational therapies such as craftwork, art therapy, and play therapy can help reduce stress levels and improve cognitive function among senior citizens. The findings emphasized the positive impact of these therapies on the well-being of seniors.

Routledge, C., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., & Juhl, J. (2013). Nostalgia as a resource for psychological health and well-being. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 7(11), 808–818. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12070

This study proposed that nostalgia promotes psychological health and well-being. It was crucial for our research as it highlighted the benefits of nostalgia for individuals’ well-being, emphasizing that nostalgia is experienced by people of all ages and across different cultures. The benefits identified for nostalgia included improving positive mood, increasing social connectedness, enhancing positive self-regard, and contributing to perceptions of meaning in life.

Yang, Z., Sedikides, C., Izuma, K., Gu, R., Luo, Y., Cai, H., & Sedikides, C. (2022). Patterns of brain activity associated with nostalgia: A social-cognitive neuroscience perspective. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 17(12), 1131–1144. https://doi.org/10.1093/ scan/nsac036

This article postulated a neural model of nostalgia, identifying four components of nostalgia based on ‘its definition and relevant theory’: self-reflection, autobiographical memory, emotion regulation, and rewards. The study held significant importance for our project as it enhanced our understanding of how nostalgia functions within the brain. The

areas identified in this study included mPFC, PCC, precuneus, hippocampus, ACC, SN, VTA, STA, and vmPFC. (Areas can be activated simultaneously).

Senior Play Day

Alpha Nu Sigma Chapter Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway, South Carolina

Theme Economics of Play

ABSTRACT

Alpha Nu Sigma officers began by reviewing The Art and Science of Play Honors Program Guide. We chose different research topics and narrowed our focus to Theme 2: Economics of Play. To better conduct academic research, we attended a workshop with Horry-Georgetown Technical College’s (HGTC) research librarian and completed Research Edge. Using the library guide created by our research librarian, we found sources indicating we tend to associate play with children, not with seniors. The Burr (2019) study indicated that play is important throughout the lifespan. Continued active and passive play, especially for seniors, contributes positively to mental and physical health. Additional research showed that seniors who engaged in both active and passive play activities have improved hand/ eye coordination, improved brain activation, flexibility, greater muscle endurance, and delayed cognitive/physical disability. We planned a 90-minute event to inform and engage seniors in play activities, illustrating the benefits of simple activities for cognitive, physical, and emotional health. We collaborated with a local senior center director and seniors attending the center on the day of our visit. They identified a need for items to engage in play, such as a karaoke machine and an electronic Bingo™ board. We applied for the Mellon grant and were awarded $1,000, which paid for several electronic games for the center. On the day of our event, two advisors and eight students participated. We educated 20 seniors on the benefits of play and engaged them in three low-cost play activities, which

our research indicated would be beneficial. We focused on games that were easy to re-create and encouraged physical movement and creativity, such as charades, a random box of play items, and a tallest tower competition with spaghetti and marshmallows. We demonstrated that the economics of play can be achieved with little to no cost, regardless of age.

OBJECTIVES

We reviewed the Honors Program Guide and the Honors Study Topic themes during officer training and identified areas of interest. At our next meeting, we shared preliminary research on the themes we found most interesting. We developed the following research objectives:

• Read the Honors Program Guide and choose a theme.

• Attend an academic research workshop conducted by our college’s research librarian.

• Complete Research Edge.

• Develop a research question.

• Review at least 30 academic sources related to our selected theme, including global perspectives.

• Select eight academic sources.

Our goal was to educate seniors about the benefits of specific play activities and to engage with them in play. We developed the following action objectives:

• Identify a local senior center for collaboration.

• Visit a senior center to determine its needs.

• Collaborate with the center's directors and seniors to determine action components.

• Apply for a PTK-Mellon Foundation HIA grant.

• Plan a play day at the senior center.

• Brainstorm activities to do with seniors

• Design PowerPoint slides to share research.

• Prepare goodie bags.

• Conduct an exit survey.

Our goal was to collaborate with:

• HGTC Research Librarian.

• Senior center director.

• Seniors attending the center.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Officers investigated Honors Study Topic Themes 2, 5, and 6 in the Honors Program Guide. Our

initial research focused on nostalgic play and seniors, but we realized it would be difficult to develop a project. We then found research on play as a stress reducer, so we refocused and explored the effects of play on stress reduction with college students. We developed a survey assessing how our students manage stress. The results indicated that most of our students practiced good stress-relieving habits, so there was no need for a project. We revisited our initial research and discovered the benefits of active play for seniors, which finally gave us a direction to develop an action component.

The Burr (2019) study was particularly enlightening. We tend to associate play with children, not with seniors. This study indicated play is important throughout the lifespan, and continued active and passive play, especially for seniors, contributes positively to mental and physical health. This new information led us to select Theme Two, Economics of Play, and develop our research question: How does engaging in active play benefit seniors, and what kinds of play activities are most beneficial? One benefit of active play is reducing cognitive decline (Wion, 2020). Adcock’s (2020) study indicated that seniors who played exergames, such as Wii™, had higher cognitive functions. This was confirmed by the Torre (2022) study, which found benefits of Wii™ exergames also included improved global cognition, processing speeds, attention, and numerous physical benefits. In addition to exergames, low-cost games and activities can increase life expectancy and improve mental health (Moboraki, 2022). An additional important factor we had not considered was the importance of group play. Lindsay-Smith’s (2020) study emphasized that engaging in physical group activities improves both physical and mental health. Another unexpected finding was that engaging in activities that decrease cognitive decline can reduce falls among the elderly (Zhao, 2020, Levinger, 2022). A surprising finding from a 2002 British study revealed that seniors who play Bingo™ have increased memory, better handeye coordination, and improved concentration compared to younger players (Winstone, 2002).

CONCLUSIONS

We learned from our research that seniors who engaged in both active and passive play activities have improved hand/eye coordination, improved

brain activation, flexibility, greater muscle endurance, and delayed cognitive/physical disability. Psychological benefits include increased happiness, reduced stress, and a sense of wellbeing. A common theme in our research was that play in a group setting was more effective than individual play, and physical play was more effective than social activities on both physical and mental well-being. We recognized the impact this research could have on our local senior population and decided to share it with them through a presentation and day of play.

ACTION

Our college research librarian created a library guide based on our chosen theme. We collaborated with him to acquire difficult-tofind sources and to learn how to use the library guide effectively. We planned a 90-minute event to inform and engage seniors in play activities to illustrate the benefits of simple, costeffective activities for cognitive, physical, and emotional health. HIA team members presented a PowerPoint based on our research about the benefits of play.

We reached out to local senior centers for opportunities to promote play with seniors and only one responded. We met with the South Strand Senior Center director and toured their facility. We collaborated with seniors to explore

how they engage in play activities. They stated they have difficulty hearing and remembering called Bingo™ numbers and expressed a desire for a large electronic Bingo™ board (Figure 1). Additionally, they stated that a karaoke machine would be fun, as would a putting mat. They also mentioned that their Wii™ was broken, and several seniors longed to bowl again. We researched the cost of the items and applied for the Mellon grant. After collaborating with the senior center director, we scheduled a day to visit the center, educate seniors about how play is beneficial, and engage them in a variety of play activities. At a subsequent chapter meeting, members brainstormed low-cost play items and created charade cards, such as pilot, ballerina, swimming, and fishing. We also collected random items for a play box and created goodie bags for each senior.

At the event, seniors selected a card and acted out the activity, which chapter members had to guess. During the tallest tower competition with spaghetti and marshmallows, we created three groups and chapter members assisted each (Figure 2). Seniors selected a random item from the play box and were asked to share how to use it in an unexpected way. They were quite creative, using a loofah for a hair bow, a Pringles® can and pen as a noise maker, and a deflated beach ball as a sailor’s hat. We donated a golf putting mat, golf balls, and putters to the center to encourage

Figure 1

active play. We surprised them with play items purchased with Mellon grant funds, including a karaoke machine. A chapter member and a senior engaged everyone with a rousing rendition of “I Will Survive,” which brought much laughter and enjoyment. Officers connected the Nintendo Switch™, and two seniors bowled several frames after we taught them how to work the controllers. A 100-year-old senior was overjoyed to be able to bowl again (Figure 3). Our grand finale item was the electronic Bingo™ system, which we

connected and demonstrated. Thirty-four people enjoyed Bingo™ the following week (Figure 1). After the activities, we conducted our exit survey to assess what the seniors learned.

IMPACT

After completing Research Edge and the research workshop created by our college research librarian, members developed academic research skills for lifelong learning. We learned how to better research by using the right search terms and filtering through results to find relevant sources. On the day of our event, two advisors and eight students educated 20 seniors on the benefits of play and engaged them in three low-cost play activities our research indicated would be beneficial. We purchased an electronic Bingo™ board, Nintendo Switch™, and a karaoke machine totaling $1,200. We donated a putting mat, three putters, and ten golf balls.

We provided 30 goodie bags containing largeprint puzzle books, lip balms donated by a chapter officer, hand sanitizers, and gripper socks. These items cost $100, and chapter funds were used to pay for them. We also donated three $25 local restaurant gift certificates, which the Center Director would use as a Bingo™ grand prize. Two advisors, who are also seniors, were so inspired by our research that they each bought a Nintendo Switch™ for personal use.

According to our exit survey, seniors benefitted from our event. They shared the following comments:

• “I had no idea Bingo™ improved hand and eye coordination.”

• “Charades were easy and fun and easy to recreate.”

• “Now everyone can enjoy Bingo™! No one will be missing numbers because they couldn’t hear or couldn’t remember what numbers had been called.”

• “The teamwork with the tall towers was great.”

Through our research, we learned many ways play can benefit seniors. One member commented how she could use the information to enjoy playing with her grandparents. We also learned the value of sharing time with seniors. Upon

Figure 3

reflecting on our event, we learned that play can be fun without spending a great deal of money. We were amazed to see the variety of spaghetti and marshmallow structures and were surprised at the level of creativity seniors displayed using random items. One officer stated, “On a personal level, after all the effort put forth in the research and planning stages, I did not attend the event to truly see the fruits of our labor, and I regret that. I let my insecurities of being in social settings and around the aging population influence my decision not to go. I missed out on not only an opportunity for personal growth but also the blessing of seeing the joy our event brought to the seniors.” The senior center director sent us this note: “A huge thank you to Phi Theta Kappa, they blessed us with some awesome toys, a Nintendo Switch™, an electronic Bingo™ board, a karaoke machine, and a putting green. They also played some simple but fun games, plus each member got a special gift bag to take home. But nothing beats the smiles, laughter, and joy they brought to us today. Thank you so much!” We also received a handwritten thank you note signed by all of the seniors.

RESOURCES

Adcock, M., Fankhauser, M., Post, J., Lutz, K., Zizlsperger, L., Luft, A. R., Guimarães, V., Schättin, A., & de Bruin, E. D. (2020). Effects of an in-home multicomponent exergame training on physical functions, cognition, and brain volume of older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Medicine, 6, 321. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2019.00321

This research showed that to maintain brain health, active interaction involving sensory, motor, and cognitive systems is necessary. The group of older adults who used exergames showed improvement in higher older adult cognitive functions. We included this information in our presentation, and it was a factor in our donation of Nintendo Switch™ and Nintendo Switch™ Sports Games.

Burr, B., Atkins, L., Bertram, A. G., Sears, K., & McGinnis, A. N. (2019). “If you stop playing you get old”: Investigating reflections of play in older adults. Educational Gerontology, 45(5), 353–364. https://doi.org/10.1080/0360 1277.2019.1627058

Play activities such as exercising, working in the yard, playing board games, and doing crossword puzzles are not only enjoyable but also important ways to stay physically and mentally active. This study helped us understand that play is not just for children and can have lasting benefits as we age. It influenced our selection of activities to engage seniors.

Levinger, P., Dunn, J., Panisset, M.G., Haines, T., Dow, B., Batchelor, F., Biddle, S., Duque, G., & Hill, K.D. (2022). The effect of the ENJOY seniors exercise park physical activity program on falls in older people in the community: A prospective pre-post study design. Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 26, 217–221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1724-1

This Australian study focused on parks containing outdoor exercise equipment designed for older adults. Participants reported improved physical health, and those who engaged in a regular exercise routine dramatically reduced the risk of falls. We included this finding in our presentation.

Lindsay-Smith, G., Eime, R., O’Sullivan, G., Harvey, J., & van Uffelen, J. (2019). A mixedmethods case study exploring the impact of participation in community activity groups for older adults on physical activity, health and wellbeing. BMC Geriatrics, 19, 243. https:// doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1245-5

This case study explained that group physical activities can maintain good physical and mental health. We shared the information with seniors, and it influenced our game purchases and play activities.

Mobaraki, N., Esfahani, M., Azimkhani, A., & Azizi, B. (2022). Investigating the relationship between quality of life and adherence to physical activity with life expectancy at leisure time in the elderly. Eurasia Journal of Sports Sciences and Education, 4(1), 56-66. https:// doi.org/10.47778/ejsse.1108793

This Iranian study concluded that engaging in low-cost physical activities, being aware of the benefits of physical activity, and having the support of friends and acquaintances increases life expectancy and improves physical and mental health. We incorporated low-cost games and included this information in our presentation.

Torre, M. M., & Temprado, J.J. (2022). Effects of exergames on brain and cognition in older adults: A review based on a new categorization of combined training intervention. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fnagi.2022.859715

This French study provided an analysis of several previous studies on the physical and cognitive effects of various gaming systems, such as Wii™ Sports. Benefits of Wii™ exergames included improved global cognition, processing speeds, and attention. Physical benefits included improved physical strength, balance, aerobic capacity, and motor coordination. This information was shared in our presentation and led us to purchase the Nintendo Switch™ game system because Wii™ is no longer being produced.

Wion, R. K., Hill, N. L., Mogle, J., Bhargava, S., Berish, D., & Kolanowski, A. (2020). Scoring of leisure activities for older adults according to cognitive, physical, and social components. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 13(1), 13–20. https://doi.org/10.3928/1940492120191022-01

Engagement in cognitive, physical, and social leisure activities, especially those requiring higher levels of effort, may prevent cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia in older adults. Activity engagement has shown promise in reducing the risk of cognitive decline. This study led us to seek a setting with a social aspect for our action component.

Zhao, D., Li, J., Fu, P., Hao, W., Yuan, Y., Yu, C., & Jing, Z., Wang, Y., & Zhou, C. (2020). What role does activity engagement play in the association between cognitive frailty and falls among older adults? Evidence from rural Shandong, China. Gerontology, 66(6), 593602. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000510639

This Chinese study explained that falls are a major public health issue related to cognitive frailty. It found that engaging in a variety of activities can improve balance and functional mobility, which play a protective role against falls. This information led us to incorporate activities involving movement, balance, and coordination in our action component.

Welcome to the MindTap

Pi Pi Chapter

Jefferson State Community College Birmingham Campus Birmingham, Alabama

Theme

Soul of Play

ABSTRACT

An interest in art during our chapter’s evaluation of “The Art and Science of Play” led to discussions of spirituality and mindfulness, prompting chapter members to ask, “How does art, when utilized as play, inspire mindfulness?” Inspired by our collaboration with the Birmingham Museum of Art and the scholarship of Peter Gray and Ellen Langer, the chapter developed an art and mindfulness dubbed the MindTap. Our goal was to provide participants with a playful space to engage their thoughts and emotions without judgment or criticism. The chapter debuted the MindTap at Pioneer Con, an annual conference/convention hosted at our college, to positive results. Participants expressed that through moments of creativity, they were able to connect with their emotions in a “satisfying” and “cathartic” manner. The chapter has plans to recreate the MindTap in different places and different populations in 2024.

OBJECTIVES

Our research objectives were:

• Develop an Honors in Action Committee to lead discussion of themes, oversee the research process, and synthesize research.

• Use Peter Gray’s definition of play to develop experiential learning opportunities related to each theme of the Honors Study Topic.

• Require all officers to complete Research Edge.

• Work with college librarians to find at least twenty academic sources that engage in the intersection of mindfulness, art, and play.

• Contact the Birmingham Museum of Art to tour facilities and see firsthand how they integrate play into the museum.

• Utilize research to design stations for a mindfulness room at Pioneer Con.

• Submit a proposal for participation at Pioneer Con.

• Apply for an Honors in Action (HIA) grant and use the money to buy art supplies.

• Coordinate with Sigma Kappa Delta to create prompts for each art station.

• Develop and distribute a survey to gauge the impact of the art and mindfulness room on participants.

• Digitize participant artwork to memorialize in the Jefferson State Digital Museum.

• Collaborate with potential campus and community partners to recreate the mindfulness room in early 2024.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

The chapter began the research process by reviewing Peter Gray’s definition of play, which heavily influenced our work last year. Gray argues that play is any activity that disrupts conformity or normalcy and has the potential to release enjoyment. With that definition in mind, the VP of Scholarship formed a committee that developed an ambitious calendar to review each theme in the Honors Study Guide. Pairs of officers were assigned a theme and given free rein to present it to the group. The only rule was that it had to disrupt our normal flow. We went bowling, played video games, engaged in meditation, and doodled on paper. We leaned strongly into art and mindfulness activities and noted that the two overlapped during our investigation of Theme 5: The Soul of Play. The chapter ultimately inverted the theme’s guiding question, asking: In what ways does art, when utilized as play, inspire mindfulness?

At the beginning of the summer term, the Honors Committee challenged everyone to complete the Research Edge program. They sent reminders and encouraged members to post their progress on the chapter’s GroupMe. Everyone completed the course before meeting the college librarian, who led two research workshops focused on answering our research question. Art, we learned, can help people and communities cope with trauma. Mindfulness is achieved not through the art itself but by engaging in artistic expression.

We wondered how we could encourage artistic expression that also engages mindfulness. We then recognized that we had overlooked an integral research question: “What is mindfulness?”

We scoured the bibliographies of our existing research to discover that Harvard scholar Ellen Langer had written the seminal work on the subject, Mindfulness, in 1989. The American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) website and a 2022 issue of The Journal of Social Work Education provided us with an updated definition: mindfulness is “the awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings in order to help people avoid destructive habits by learning to observe their thoughts, emotions, and other presentmoment experiences without judging or reacting to them.” That definition remained written on our chalkboard for seven months.

CONCLUSIONS

Our final evaluation of the research led to two conclusions. Mindfulness can be achieved through almost any art form. Evidence pointed to music, visual arts, storytelling, and performance as artistic means for achieving nonjudgmental awareness of oneself. However, practitioners warned that mindfulness was not achieved through unstructured play but rather through deliberate, unprompted action. Mindfulness must be stimulated and any project we developed had to take that into account. Buying art supplies and telling students to simply play with them was not likely to help us achieve our goal. Rather, we would need to develop purposeful activities that engaged participants in reflection and healing.

ACTION

After we completed our research, the chapter turned to the Birmingham Museum of Art for inspiration. The Director of Marketing and Communications coordinated a meeting with one of the museum’s visiting scholars and a guided tour of the collection. Chapter members also met with the Visitor Experience Specialist, who encouraged us to complete an adult scavenger hunt in the main gallery and interact with the Museum’s SMARTlab, a series of digital screens and tactile installations aimed to inspire visitors. Finally, we toured ArtVenture, the museum’s

immersive and interactive gallery designed for young people. It became our muse. Stations dedicated to fabric weaving, printmaking, pottery coloring, and stop-motion animation greatly influenced the direction of our project.

The chapter easily concluded that we wanted to create our own ArtVenture that allowed people to engage in art. We used our research to determine which types of art were most effective at achieving mindfulness. We designed four stations, each with prompts that would encourage mindfulness. Building on Hernandez-Ruiz and Dvorak’s work, we designed a music station where participants would listen to a song and react to a prompt. Jiang, Ma, and Yue’s work on narrative animation inspired creative writing. Carsley and Heath’s work with college students and test anxiety produced a station for visual arts that utilized paper, canvas, paint, crayons, and miniature figurines. Articles on street fighting and marital arts yielded a performing arts station in which participants wrote their frustrations on balloons, blew them up, and then popped them as a means of catharsis. Finally, we named our project “The MindTap.”

With the project designed, the Honors Committee turned its attention to funding and space. We won a grant through Phi Theta Kappa for $1000 to purchase supplies for the MindTap. We also wrote a proposal for space at Pioneer Con, one of the college’s most well-attended events. It is part academic conference, part comic convention centered around a theme. This year, it was lore. To make the MindTap align with the theme, we collaborated with Sigma Kappa Delta, the English Honor Society, to condense stories from civilizations across the world. Participants received a story like “The Turtle that Went to War” from the Sioux tradition or the Sunni “Tunjur Tunjur,” which they carried to each station. At the creative writing station, for example, the prompt asked participants to envision themselves in the story and to think about how they would react to those events as participants. They could write a short story, a poem, a song, or any type of writing that helped them to express their inner self.

Two weeks before the event, the Honors Committee set up the MindTap stations and developed procedures for moving people around the room, providing support and clarification

at each station, and recruiting Pioneer Con participants to experience our mindfulness space. The event went smoothly. A week later, we digitized participants’ art and used it as an entry for the Jefferson State Digital Museum. We also agreed to recreate the MindTap at other places. Ashley Kitchens, the Associate Dean at one of our smaller campuses, asked us to set up our stations at her campus during Midterms. The chapter also reached out to the Director of the Magic City Acceptance Center, a safe space for LGBTQIA+ teens. We are currently in talks to make it a featured event this spring.

IMPACT

The MindTap ran for six hours at PioneerCon on October 26. Forty participants filled out the survey upon completion of all four stations. Of those forty, thirty-two were students, six were faculty, and two were community members. To keep the survey brief, the chapter decided to forgo any other demographic information. The second question provided participants with the chapter’s definition of mindfulness and asked them, on a scale of one to five, “How mindful were you during this activity?” The average rating among all respondents was 4.41 out of 5 (88.2%); Twentyfour respondents rated the MindTap a 5/5, eleven scored it a 4/5, three gave it a 3/5, two rated it a 2/5, and no one scored it a one. The chapter interpreted this as an overwhelming success.

Qualitative data also supports this conclusion. One respondent wrote, “I forgot where I was for a while and got lost in the art. It was just me being in touch with myself. Thank you for doing this! I needed it.” Another wrote, “It helped me feel a lot better facing trauma I have encountered. It felt really good to create art with friends old and new and to be able to have a shared space to do so.” A third participant wrote, “I pushed down my desire for perfection, and the words began to flow, and I felt myself driving into a pace where I could relax and express myself clearly.” Each of these responses clearly articulates the goal of mindfulness.

When asked what they felt during the activity, responses ran the gamut of emotions. Words like calmness, tranquility, happiness, peace, and catharsis appeared side-by-side with fear and

anger. The balloon-popping station proved very popular. As one person wrote, “writing down [my frustrations] and popping the balloon gave me a sense of letting go.” Another concurred, describing the experience as “satisfying.” One respondent said of the entire experience, “After completing everything, my problems feel so small.” Finally, one respondent unknowingly linked the MindTap with Peter Gray’s definition of play, bringing everything full circle. “I feel like this was a great distraction, like a break from school. Thank you.”

When reflecting on the MindTap, chapter members expressed disappointment in the small number of surveys collected. However, that problem revealed something we did not anticipate: that mindfulness takes time. We expected people to move through the room in 3045 minutes, the length of a normal Pioneer Con panel. Doing so could accommodate over 100 participants. Most participated for over an hour; at least three stayed for three hours. One faculty member, in an email to the chapter, mentioned that she didn’t make it to every station. “Having time to visit only one more station, I chose the balloon stress relief station and was carried away with emotion.” With this feedback, the chapter realized that it was more important to track how long people spent in the MindTap rather than how many people came through. Mindfulness takes time, and it is, therefore, a better metric with which to judge success.

Our reflection on results mirrors our growth as leaders and scholars. This project taught chapter members how to understand research and data. We recognized the limits of our quantitative data and how to fix them. Earlier in the process, we used specific research to shape our project. This is a concept we hear about in classes but rarely experience ourselves. Additionally, chapter members became adept at filling out applications, whether for grants, entry into a conference, or requests for chairs, computers, and other items. We grew as a team as well. The use of play days during our brainstorming phase and our visit to the Birmingham Museum of Art were great teambuilding activities that prepared us for the work of planning procedures for the MindTap. Those planning skills were sharpened as we budgeted and shopped for art materials to use in

the MindTap. The success of the MindTap and the demand for more has validated the chapter’s hard work and is a a testament to the power of play.

RESOURCES

Carsley, D., & Heath, N. L. (2020). Effectiveness of mindfulness-based coloring for university students’ test anxiety. Journal of American College Health, 68(5), 518–527. https://doi.org /10.1080/07448481.2019.1583239

Results of this study show that providing college students the opportunity to color before completing a test lowered test anxiety. When coupled with mindfulness prompts, the coloring test anxiety dropped even further. These conclusions persuaded the chapter to create a visual arts station for our project

Connell, G. E. (2020). Caring for place with AIDS memorial quilts in Dublin, Ireland. Geographical Review, 110(3), 253–269. https://doi.org/10.1080/00167428.2019.168 4196

This article examined the way that a local AIDS quilt in Dublin functioned as a form of “therapy, activism, and commemoration” and served as a “field of care” for those who have been affected, both directly and indirectly, by the AIDS pandemic. It helped the chapter understand the intersection of art and healing.

Her nandez-Ruiz, E., & Dvorak, A. L. (2021). Music stimuli for mindfulness practice: A replication study. Journal of Music Therapy, 58(2), 155–176. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thaa018

Researchers replicated an experiment with undergraduate nonmusicians to understand why “mindfulness practices are enhanced with music.” Although their results were inconclusive, they did add to the overwhelming evidence that music and mindfulness intersect. This article inspired the music station in our project.

Jiang, Q., Ma, L., & Yue, M. (2022). Animation narrative on stress relief and psychological cognitive development in adolescents. Occupational Therapy International, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/1111488

This article concludes that creating animated narratives can potentially lead to self-reflection, self-actualization, and self-rescue, which are essential elements of mindfulness. It inspired the chapter to develop a visual art station and a narrative writing station for our project.

Krucoff, C., Carson, K., & Krucoff, M. (2021). Mindfulness and psychological health in practitioners of Japanese martial arts: A crosssectional study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine & Rehabilitation, 12(1), 1–10. https://doi. org/10.1186/s13102-020-00225-5

This article argues that the mind-body practices in martial arts help ease frustration and depression and raise overall mindfulness. The researchers’ insistence that kinesthetic action is beneficial for achieving mindfulness inspired the chapter to include tactile elements in our project.

Notar, M. K. (2022). Mindfulness 101: MSW students’ reflections on developing a personal mindfulness meditation practice. Journal of Social Work Education, 58(4), 667–681. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2021.194 3583

This article provided the chapter with a definition of mindfulness: “a state of nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment.” The author reviews the positive outcomes attained with mindfulness-based therapies and encourages social work practitioners to adopt them as well.

Ryzova, L. (2020). The battle of Muhammad Mahmoud Street in Cairo: The politics and poetics of urban violence in revolutionary time. Past & Present, 247(1), 273–317. https://doi. org/10.1093/pastj/gtz029

During the Arab Spring, street fighting evolved into a form of performing art that allowed protestors to voice their aggression and inspired street artists whose works had a healing effect on their community. This intersection of aggression and art moved the chapter to develop a performing arts station.

Van Lith, T., Beerse, M., & Smalley, Q. (2022). A qualitative inquiry comparing mindfulnessbased art therapy versus neutral clay tasks as a proactive mental health solution for college students. Journal of American College Health, 70(6), 1889–1897. https://doi.org/10.1080/07 448481.2020.1841211

An experiment revealed that structured mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) more successfully addresses and relieves stress and anxiety in college students than unprompted, free-form art projects. This information encouraged the chapter to provide directions at each art station in our project.

Pretty Terrific Tweens: Inclusion, Belonging, and Play

Beta Lambda Delta Chapter

Jefferson State Community College

Shelby-Hoover Campus Birmingham, Alabama

Theme

Systems of Play

ABSTRACT

Inclusion and belonging (IB) matter. IB allows young people to feel safe, explore, and thrive. Last year, our chapter created a series of picture books promoting inclusive play for children with disabilities. These books’ pedagogical effectiveness inspired this question: Could play serve as a catalyst to address more mature IB topics for older kids? To investigate this topic, we surveyed 364 students/faculty/staff members about the relationship between play and social identities. We then conducted focused academic research, analyzing over 80 scholarly sources. After identifying a need to educate tweens on inclusive play, we acted by:

• Writing, illustrating, and publishing the Pretty Terrific Tweens literary series, which educated intermediate- and middle-school students about multiple DEI and play topics by utilizing a variety of literary genres.

• Sharing our work by:

• Distributing our project locally in schools.

• Circulating our pieces globally on our website.

• Promoting our series via non-profit organizations.

• Presenting our work at academic conferences.

• Sponsoring an essay contest for intermediateand middle-school students.

• Assessing/reflecting upon our project.

Our series became part of the curriculum for 11,651 students at 20 Birmingham-area schools,

and participants reported increased awareness of and commitment to IB and inclusive play.

OBJECTIVES

Initial research objectives included:

• Conducting a collegewide survey on attitudes towards IB and play.

• Completing Phi Theta Kappa’s Research Edge course, which helped us to evaluate scholarship critically by:

• Recognizing credible and non-credible sources.

• Identifying key arguments.

• Detecting biases.

• Considering how sources could inspire action objectives.

• Creating four research teams, each team tasked with investigating the intersection of IB and play for one of the following subtopics: 1) Language barriers, 2) Socioeconomic class, 3) Gender identity and expression, or 4) Educational policies and best practices for intervention.

• Utilizing various source modalities, including scholarly books, articles, and interviews.

• Holding a symposium to discuss/debate our findings and articulate our research conclusions.

As our project took shape, phase-two research objectives included:

• Investigating the pedagogical effectiveness of different artistic genres, such as graphic novels and the visual arts.

• Examining best educational practices for reaching intermediate- and middle-school students.

• Learning about print and electronic publication and distribution.

Our research conclusions showed that identity markers—such as language use, household income, and gender norms—affect older children’s access to and inclusion in play. They also showed that the arts can serve as a powerful tool for addressing play access barriers through IB education. These action objectives emerged from and aligned with our research conclusions:

• Creating a literary series for older kids to educate them about IB and play (RC1).

• Using multiple artistic mediums—including visual arts and prose genres—to reach students with different learning styles and artistic preferences (RC5).

• Using our project to address:

• Multilingualism (RC4).

• Socioeconomic class (RCs 2 and 3).

• Gender stereotypes (RC4).

• Sponsoring an IB and play essay-writing competition for students (RC5).

Collaboration objectives included:

• Obtaining educational endorsements from statewide agencies.

• Partnering with topic specialists to ensure our project’s factual accuracy and content sensitivity.

• Working with translators to present our pieces in Spanish.

• Joining with non-profit organizations to disseminate our work further.

• Displaying our work in JSCC’s digital museum.

• Presenting our project at national conferences.

• Writing for and receiving grant funding.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

We began by conducting a collegewide IB/Play Equity Survey, receiving 364 responses. Fifty-four percent of respondents agreed that boys’ and girls’ play preferences occur naturally, yet 62% disagreed that toys should be designed with specific genders in mind. Sixty-nine percent of respondents believed socioeconomic barriers affected adolescents’ access to play. Most importantly, 89% of respondents agreed that tweens perceived as being socially or culturally different were at a greater risk of being bullied or marginalized. This statistic became our impetus for moving forward to focused academic research. We formulated two research questions:

1. Do characteristics such as language use, socioeconomic class, and gender identity/ expression affect tweens’ access to play?

2. If the above characteristics influence tweens’ access to play, what interventions can increase access and improve outcomes?

Our four research teams studied and annotated at least 20 scholarly sources per team relating to their subtopic. Each team gained valuable research experience via interviews with experts, scholarly books, and academic journals. The teams came together to analyze and critically debate each source. For example, teams debated whether today’s cultural climate endorses or disrupts binary gender stereotypes.

Pretty Terrific Tweens Series (Figure 1)

• Top Left Corner Language Concept Poster

• Top Middle Socioeconomics Short Story

• Top Right Corner Gender Stereotypes Graphic Novel/Comic Book

• Lower Frames/Pages from Graphic Novel

1

CONCLUSIONS

The following research conclusions (RCs) emerged:

RC1. Representations of gender and play in children’s and adolescents’ literature can both reinforce (Coyne et al., 2021) and challenge (Endendijk et al., 2014) gender stereotypes.

RC2. Adolescents’ leisure/extracurricular activities often have hidden costs, impeding participation from students from lower-income households (Hagerman, 2018).

RC3. Middle- and upper-middle-class students who play sports often gain competitive advantages for college admissions over poorer students who cannot afford sports activities (Lareau & Weininger, 2008).

RC4. Students whose native language is not spoken in their classrooms frequently feel excluded (Picchio & Mayer, 2019); however, play and artistic expression can serve as mechanisms for including these students at school (Adhasafari, 2023).

RC5. The arts—especially the literary arts—can be a powerful vehicle for teaching DEI to students (Garber, 2020).

ACTION

To act, we wrote, illustrated, copyrighted, and distributed the Pretty Terrific Tweens (PTT) series,

found at www.prettyterrifickids.com (Figure 1). Our creations explored play for older kids and the social barriers that could make play less inclusive. This three-part series consisted of:

• I Animo, Diego! This concept poster featured Diego, a young student from Mexico who moved to the United States. Diego was nervous about making new friends as he spoke little English. Diego and his classmates used football (American soccer) to learn how to communicate and play together successfully.

• “Marching Togetherness:” This short story follows two best friends, Cam and C.J. Both wanted to play instruments in their school’s marching band, but Cam’s family could not afford his school’s band fees. The story explores how Cam and C.J. worked together to solve problems so Cam could march in the band.

• ON A ROLE: This anchor piece of our series was a graphic novel. Inspired by Art Spiegelman’s MAUS, this text with 118 corresponding illustrations featured Rory, a lion princess who wanted to play basketball. Rory’s friend, Dane, was a boy who wanted to study ballet. Rory and Dane partnered to convince their families and school that kids should choose activities based on their talents and interests, not gender stereotypes.

We created supporting materials that teachers could use with PTT in their classrooms. We also sponsored an essay contest for schoolchildren

Figure

Pretty Terrific Tweens Essay Contest

Grades 4-8 (Figure 2)

• Directions: Write an essay about how you can promote inclusivity in play. Please choose from one of the following three prompts:

• How does diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in play benefit everyone?

• What can you do to include others at your school, both in classes and extra-curricular activities?

• How can differences make us stronger?

• Prizes:

• First Place: $100 Walmart Gift Card

• Second Place: $75 Walmart Gift Card

• Third Place: $50 Dollar Walmart Gift Card

• Please email your completed essay (400 words or less) to betalambdadelta@gmail.com by December 31, 2023. Winners will be notified via email.

Figure 2

grades 4-8 where students could apply what they learned from PTT and express how they would work to include others in their own play and extracurricular activities (Figure 2).

Finally, we presented our work virtually at two national academic conferences-- NISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development) and NOSS (National Organization for Student Success).

We were fortunate to partner with collaborators whose objectives aligned with our research conclusions. These collaborators greatly enhanced PTT's content and outreach to local and global communities.

• The Alabama Literary Alliance endorsed PTT, enhancing its pedagogical credibility (RC5).

• The Greater Birmingham-Area YMCA introduced PTT to area students by sponsoring readings at afterschool programs (RCs 2 and 3).

• The Magic City Acceptance Center advised us on accurate, sensitive, and nuanced representations of gender in our graphic novel (RC1).

• The Latino Student Association translated portions of our project into Spanish, helping us to model inclusivity by making PTT more accessible (RC4).

• JSCC’s digital museum displayed our project to over 11,000 viewers (RC5).

• The Mellon Foundation awarded us a grant for our website, helping us distribute our IB lessons worldwide (RC5).

Planning and subsequent implementation meetings-held over Zoom--with our first five collaborators allowed us to incorporate their continuous input. Collaborators coached us on content decisions, artistic and literary techniques, and distribution strategies. Thus, all collaborators contributed their guidance and expertise on an ongoing basis.

IMPACT

Quantitative results included that 20 area intermediate and middle schools used our curriculum, reaching 11,651 students. We surveyed these students to measure what they learned. The 418 students who responded showed a 56% increase in their knowledge of IB and a 54% increase in their commitment to including others in play (Figure 3). In addition, our website’s tracking confirmed that PTT reached readers in eleven countries, including China, France, Ireland, Mexico, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam.

Tween students reported qualitative results through our essay contest. Excerpts include:

• “ON A ROLE inspired me. I am going to start a co-ed basketball team at school!”

• “Marching Together” made things easier for me to talk about. I am not the only kid whose family struggles to pay for activities.”

• “I am going to learn Spanish so that I can include ALL of my friends when we play after school!”

Post-Curriculum Survey (Figure 3 Before and After Results Highlighted)

3

• Our JSCC partners noted that collaborating on PTT strengthened student organizations’ relationships. A member of the Latino Student Association stated: “We must continue working together! We learned from each other through this work. ¡Unidad!”

• Community collaborators, such as the YMCA, appreciated learning more about inclusive play and pledged to incorporate IB into their programs.

• Chapter members documented their growth by keeping reflection journals throughout our project. At our end-of-project assessment/ reflection meeting, they shared:

• “Seeing PPT’s effect on kids made all our hard work worth it. We met our goals of educating students—locally and globally- about IB and play.”

• “There is still so much work to do! As a kinesiology major, I will continue studying IB and play.”

• “I will use this work in my pediatric clinical psychology practice someday.”

Chapter members unanimously reported that IB has become one of their lifelong core values. Our lead artist plans to pursue a career in illustrating children’s books to continue promoting inclusive play.

While the PTT series often seemed lighthearted, its message could not be more serious. The world urgently needs IB. Almost daily, we see attacks aimed at immigrants, impoverished people, girls and

women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized groups. However, IB can respond to these hostilities, showing a better, more loving way forward. IB can create communities where all feel invited to play and create.

Our project alone cannot change the world. However, the young people who learned from PTT will carry its lessons forward. We wholeheartedly believe that THEY can and WILL change the world by playfully working for IB.

RESOURCES

Aghasafari, S. (2023). Virtual visual art integration and biology: More favor or challenges for emergent bi/multilingual high schoolers. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 12(1), 44. https://www.ojed.org/ index.php/jise/article/view/5184/2579

Aghasafari, a Professor of Art at the University of South Carolina, linked theoretical discussions concerning inclusive (and noninclusive) play to practical pedagogical applications by showing how play and artistic expression helped create inclusive spaces for speakers of different languages within a single classroom. Aghasafari demonstrated how the playfulness of the visual arts effectively engaged bilingual and multilingual students by enhancing their learning processes and communication skills, creating a sense of belonging for non-native English speakers (RC4).

Figure

Coyne, S. M., Linder, J. R., Booth, M., Keenan, K.S., Shawcroft, J.E., & Yang, C. (2021). Princess power: Longitudinal associations between engagement with princess culture in preschool and gender stereotypical behavior, body esteem, and hegemonic masculinity in early adolescence. Child Development, 92(6), 2413–2430. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13633

These Brigham Young University professors posited that exposure to Disney’s “princess culture” would lead to body dissatisfaction and lower levels of ambition in girls. Surprisingly, they found the opposite to be true. Princess culture positively affected girls and boys, with 21st-century princesses displaying more autonomy and less dependence on romantic relationships. While we found that popular culture representations of gender are often harmful, this source served as a significant corrective to the assumption that they are universally detrimental (RC1).

Endendijk, J.J., Groeneveld, M.G., van der Pol, L.D., van Berkel, S.R., Hallers-Haalboom, E.T., Mesman, J., & BakermanKranenburg, M.J. (2014). Boys don’t play with dolls: Mothers’ and fathers’ gender talk during picture book reading. Parenting: Science & Practice,14(3/4), 141-161. https://doi. org/1080/15295192.2014.972753

This group of Dutch professors observed parents reading to their children. They found that when a character’s gender was not named, parents generally assumed that the character was a male. In addition, while it was acceptable for female characters to perform “boy activities,” it was much less acceptable for male characters to perform “girl activities.” This source showed us that boys, along with girls, could suffer harm from gender stereotypes and expectations (RC1).

Garber, E. (2020). “Social justice and art education.” In S. Travis, J. Stokes-Casey, & S. Kim, (Eds.), Arts education in action: Collaborative pedagogies for social justice (pp. 11–36). University of Illinois Press.

Garber, a University of Arizona art education professor, asserted that art education brought together multiple social justice issues, including gender identity and expression, multiculturalism, and community activism. In addition, various art modalities, such as literature and visual arts, were effective conduits for teaching about social justice. Garber’s scholarship helped us conclude that using multiple literary genres was an effective approach

for creating IB educational materials (RC5).

Hagerman, M.A. (2018). White kids: Growing up with privilege in a racially divided America. NYU Press.

Mississippi State University Professor Margaret Hagerman argued that many play/leisure activities could unwittingly exacerbate racial inequality. For example, extracurricular activities, such as soccer and ballet, required money for lessons, equipment, and uniforms/costumes. Hidden costs also existed, such as access to reliable transportation. Professor Hagerman noted that even wellintentioned, progressive white families often perpetuated inequities through their economic access to extracurricular/play activities. Hagerman’s arguments illuminated the power economics could play in reproducing unfair advantages (RC2).

Lareau, A., & Weininger, E.B. (2008). Class and the transition to adulthood. In A. Lareau and D. Conley (Eds.), Social class: How does it work? (pp. 118-151). Russell Sage Foundation.

Professors Lareau (University of Maryland) and Weininger (University of New York, Brockport) demonstrated how play could profoundly affect a child’s upward mobility. Their case study showed that middle and upper-middle-class parents knew how to push their children toward sports, which created future competitive advantages in college applications. Students from lower economic brackets often miss out on these advantages. This source confirmed that play can be quite serious, serving as a class-based portal for upward educational and social mobility (RC3).

Moeller, R.A, & Bencel, K.E. (2021). Recommended reading: Comparing elementary/middle school graphic novel collections to recommended reading lists. Children and Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 19(2), 6-13. https://doi. org/10.5860/cal.19.2.6

These Appalachian State University professors noted that school librarians often hesitated to include graphic novels in their collections. However, research showed that graphic novels ranked among libraries’ most circulated items. In addition, the rise of technology has increased adolescents’ “visual literacy,” which graphic novels engage. This source convinced us that graphic novels, while playful, could also be powerful instructional tools within classrooms (RC5).

Picchio, M., & Mayer, S. (2019). Transitions in ECEC services: The experience of children from migrant families. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 27(2), 285-296. https://doi.org/1080/1350293X.2019.1579552

Professors Picchio (Italian Research Council) and Mayer (The University of Chicago) analyzed the experiences of migrant children arriving at school for the day. They found that migrant children experienced a “double transition.” While many children experienced stress when separating from their parents at school, migrant children underwent intensified anxiety resulting from cultural and language barriers. We concluded that multilingualism should be a significant part of our IB discussions (RC4).

Importance of and Advocating for Play in Senior Citizen Care Facilities in Our Community

Beta Lambda Mu Chapter Lone Star College-CyFair Cypress, Texas

Theme

Economics of Play

ABSTRACT

Focused on The Art and Science of Play, Beta Lambda Mu began its academic research with an HIA retreat where chapter members and officers gathered for two days at the end of the spring semester to research the proposed themes. The research continued over the summer, meeting virtually weekly to share new research and eliminate topics to develop the research question. Through discussion and research, the chapter realized that play is important for resilience, and it is a way to help people with their mental, physical, and emotional growth at every stage of life. Additionally, play has been used as therapy for practicing motor skills and more (Anguerra et al., 2013). The previous led the chapter to craft a question specific to the research. With a research question crafted, the chapter sifted through the gathered relevant research to find eight strong sources. They determined quality and relevant sources by predominantly using JSTOR and verifying the credibility of the chosen sources by using only sources written within the last ten years and published in credible academic journals by clearly identified authors with the credentials listed. Regarding the project’s action - research shows that even though play is an important factor in quality of life and the preservation of the elderly community, insufficient funding goes towards engaging the elderly (Mitchell, 2015). To address this, the officers/members spoke with activity directors at three local senior care facilities and learned they were underfunded/have no budget despite the engagement of devoted personnel. The chapter acted by using HIA grant monies to purchase/

donate games to the three centers and gathered volunteer information so members could continue impacting the community through play. Analyzing the Society's Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play,” the chapter found the topic woefully undervalued, providing PTK chapters the perfect opportunity to fill research gaps and highlight the topic’s importance. At every facility the chapter visited, the activity directors shared that seniors are the community’s forgotten population. The HIA project allowed the chapter to have a direct impact on the lives of 375 senior citizens as the chapter helped bring “play” into elderly lives through the game donations. The chapter will continue this impact through future volunteer work.

OBJECTIVES

The officers developed the Honors in Action team by focusing summer meetings on the HIA project and making members who showed passion and commitment part of the team. The team included HIA updates at the end of each member meeting and encouraged any members to engage in the project. To develop a stronger team, certain tasks were delegated to specific officers and members, such as lead researcher (coordinated concerted research efforts by members and keeping the research collection organized), scholarly research verification (checked the credibility and relevance of gathered sources), action researcher (research options for local community action that related to the academic research), and action coordinator (reached out to partner facilities and planned action steps to ensure successful implementation).

Altogether, since May 2023, the chapter collected over 75 research articles while narrowing the topic. Once the topic was chosen, the HIA Team Lead Researcher reduced the research to 12 for the purposes of crafting a research question before finally determining the 8 most impactful to the chapter's research. Research conclusions were determined by the HIA team based on the connections drawn that linked one piece of research to another to discover the common thread among the research findings. The team visualized these connections through meetings that utilize journal notes taken on the project throughout the HIA project process, and the utilization of the dry erase board in the PTK office.

The team's reflective objectives included:

• Discuss how the project strengthened the officer team’s leadership growth and helped them foster a sense of fellowship and intentional scholarship among chapter members.

• Analyze how the HIA project helped the chapter embody the four hallmarks of PTK.

• Discuss the end results of the HIA project compared to the early planning stages to gauge the chapter's ability to accomplish set goals, identify weaknesses, and seek improvement for future projects.

• Reflect on the action portion of the project and brainstorm ways to continue making an impact after the HIA project is over.

We developed our project timeline: 1) Research began with the two-day HIA retreat in May 2023 and continued throughout the summer; 2) Every other week (from June to August), the HIA team would meet virtually over summer break, eliminating one of the eight topics at the end of each meeting based on which topic had the least collected research; 3) In September, the research question was fully crafted, and the research was narrowed down to a dozen pieces for deeper analysis and discussion among the HIA team; 4) In October, the querying and researching for action opportunities began, looking for opportunities that best reflected the research that had been conducted; 5) November is when the action portion was meant to take place. Unforeseen complications and roadblocks pushed this to December; 6) In January, the HIA team began drafting and editing the HIA entry for submission.

The objectives the chapter hopes to accomplish with the HIA project are 1) coordinating active efforts for chapter members to continue working with the local senior care facilities by volunteering their time to play games and interact with the seniors; 2) giving a presentation on campus discussing the importance of playful volunteer work with the elderly in the hopes that other peers on campus would seek out volunteer opportunities that align with our research and improve the lives of seniors in our local community; and 3) continue to foster an interest in the scholarship and service hallmarks within the chapter even when the HIA project is over.

The chapter’s action was to implement research findings regarding play and its impact on senior citizens in senior care facilities near the college campus by the end of the fall semester of 2023. The action was to be a collaboration between chapter members/officers and the care facility directors and residents. To obtain the action and collaboration objectives, the team reached out to three senior care facilities to donate various games and to meet with their activity directors. The HIA team wanted to work with the people who were dedicated to advocating for the economic benefits of providing play and engaging activities to seniors and who believe it is worth the economic costs entailed therein. The donations of the various games were the chapter's attempt to address the lack of funding these centers face in providing play to their seniors (Figure 1). The chapter also commenced gathering information demonstrating how to volunteer in the future at these centers for chapter members to actively engage in play with seniors notwithstanding the project’s end.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Utilizing the Honors Program Guide, the officer team decided it was important for their two-day retreat to explore the Honors Study Topic with

a broad examination of the Art and Science of Play. The retreat attempted to avoid initial biases toward subjects that may have blinded the chapter to other research and obtain an understanding of why the Honors Study Topic matters. Throughout the academic research phase, the lead researcher and chapter president reminded members to look for quality academic research by using scholarly databases such as JSTOR, using the keywords identified in the theme question to improve relevance, and ensuring the source had clear, accurate, and appropriate citations of the work. Additionally, it was confirmed that those sources were published in a peer-reviewed journal or scholarly source by a credible researcher/scholar. Being an International Honor Society, it was important to the chapter to include international research in their investigation. After deliberation, members were interested in research related to the economics of play. In the beginning, low-income families and their children's access to play were considered; however, as research continued, the scope and nature of the question changed. The HIA team became passionate about research related to the importance and economics of play for senior citizens. The research question became: What are the financial, physical, and psychological costs and benefits for seniors in care facilities that provide residents with access to forms of play?

While discussing the research findings, the HIA team looked for information that overlapped with other research and for gaps in the research information. The team compared the results of each article to see if the different studies had any common conclusions. Bookman and Kimbrel's (2011) research talked about the cost of institutional care, which led the chapter to reach out to senior care facilities to understand what is needed, the possible cost of needed resources, and how the chapter could help. With the academic research, the HIA team reached out to the activity director at three different senior care centers to discover what emphasis was placed on providing play to seniors and what the economic costs and benefits were to provide such activities for seniors. Multiple activity directors made note of the measurable improvement in the seniors’ behaviors, willingness towards self-care, and inclination for socialization when provided with stimulating games and activities, all of which aligned with the team’s research.

Figure 1

CONCLUSIONS

The chapter’s research conclusions indicate that providing seniors with opportunities to experience play and creative activities is crucial for learning needs, fighting against Dementia and Alzheimer's, and improving their quality of life mentally, physically, and socially; however, there is a severe lack of financial support for elderly care centers, making them unable to provide such activities to their seniors. The financial lack forces the centers to rely heavily on community involvement and volunteer work, but the centers struggle with that.

ACTION

Reading about the importance of social and memory play whilst researching the Honors Study topic inspired the choices of donated games to the senior care facilities, as the games either encouraged playing with others or challenged memory. The research regarding the lack of financial resources dedicated to providing play to seniors, and having this finding echoed by the activity directors, resulted in donating games to provide resources that foster play at the centers. Our chapter worked with Cypress, Texas activity directors at Bristol Park at Cypress, Brighton Senior Living of Cypress, and Avanti Senior Living. The centers were chosen because of their receptiveness and willingness to discuss needs related to play. The activity directors were incredibly grateful and verbalized the donations' future impact on the seniors as they do not often receive similar donations. Additionally, the chapter engaged in advocacy and awareness campaigns by sharing impactful information regarding play and senior citizen centers regularly at chapter and RSO meetings.

IMPACT

Qualitatively, the numbers impacted by the chapter project include three care facilities visited by the chapter with a total of approximately 375 residents who are managed by three activity directors at the different facilities. There were 25 members, two shadow officers, and eight officers engaged in the project, with six to seven games donated at each facility. Volunteer impact equates to a potential of 207,747 citizens in Cypress, Texas, potentially volunteering at 22 care facilities within that service area; amongst those 207,747 citizens would be the students that

make up the 50 registered student organizations at Lone Star College-CyFair with whom the chapter shared volunteer opportunities at the RSO meetings. After researching the financial, physical, and psychological costs and benefits for seniors in care facilities that provide residents with access to forms of play, we reasoned that we would make the most impact by donating games and resources to care centers. By making these donations, we improved the facilities' capabilities to provide engaging, fun play for the seniors, positively impacting their lives. Additionally, we impacted the awareness of chapter members and college students by sharing the need in chapter meetings and in Student Life RSO meetings. Through creating an engaging research environment, the chapter officers provided multiple opportunities for chapter members to grow as scholars and learn new tools to improve their future academic research endeavors. By doing the Research Edge as a group and delegating HIA project tasks to chapter members, the officers gave the members a sense of agency and responsibility that pushed them to be leaders amongst their peers.

RESOURCES

Anguera, J. A., Boccanfuso, J., Rintoul, J. L., AlHashimi, O., Faraji, F., Janowich, J., Kong, E., Larraburo, Y., Rolle, C., Johnston, E., & Gazzaley, A. (2013). Video game training enhances cognitive control in older adults. Nature, 501(7465), 97–101. https://doi-org. lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/10.1038/nature12486

Video games affect the cognitive functions of the elderly and improve task management processes that usually deteriorate with age. They effectively improve interference resolution, working memory, and sustained attention abilities.

Bookman, A., & Kimbrel, D. (2011). Families and elder care in the twenty-first century. The Future of Children, 21(2), 117–140. http:// www.jstor.org/stable/41289632

The U.S. population is aging rapidly but is illinformed about the reality of providing elders with personal care and social support. Although the poorest elders have access to some subsidized services and the wealthiest can pay for services, many middle-class families cannot afford services

that allow elders to age in their homes and avoid even more costly institutional care. The authors close by reflecting on the need for a coordinated, cross-sector movement to create an "agingfriendly" society in the United States, which spoke to the economics portion of our research question.

Dsouza, J. M., Veigas, J., Dsouza, N. D. R., & Bhat, S. U. (2022). Effectiveness of interaction with children on happiness among the elderly: A pilot study. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science, 21(2), 318–322. DOI:10.3329/bjms. v21i2.58064

Playing with children markedly improved the quality of life for seniors.

Howarth, L. C. (2020). Dementia friendly memory institutions: Designing a future for remembering. The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion, 4(1), 20–41. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48644523

A push for economic backing providing play to seniors is imperative to improving memory for seniors with Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.

Kramkowska, E., Danilewicz, W., Prymak, T., & Constâncio, J. P. (2019). Exploring learning and teaching needs of elderly people: A comparative study. In W. Danilewicz, M. Kowalczuk-Walêdziak, A. Korzeniecka-Bondar, & G. Lauwers (Eds.), Rethinking Teacher Education for the 21st Century: Trends, Challenges and New Directions (1st ed., pp. 381–397). Verlag Barbara Budrich. https://doi. org/10.2307/j.ctvpb3xhh.29

This article involved seniors from three project partner countries: Poland, Portugal, and Bulgaria. This made it possible to determine general educational expectations of elderly people and identify issues specific to each country and how to engage with seniors.

Matsuura, T., & Ma, X. (2022). Living arrangements and subjective well-being of the elderly in China and Japan. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(3), 903–948. https://doi-org. lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/10.1007/s10902-02100430-0

This research on Japanese and Chinese elderly populations suggested that males might struggle

more with depression if alone than females and, therefore, would be in greater need of the social benefits that come from play and active engagement with others.

Mitchell, H. R. (2015). Dementia, music and biometric gaming: Rising to the dementia challenge. Leonardo Music Journal, 25, 21–24. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43832524

In 2012, the U.K. government launched its Dementia Challenge, authorizing additional funding for dementia research and health care. This research showed the benefits of dedicating financial backing toward providing play opportunities to those with dementia.

Najafi, Z., Kooshyar, H., Mazloom, R., & Azhari, A. (2018). The effect of fun physical activities on Sarcopenia progression among elderly residents in nursing homes: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Caring Science, 7(3), 137–142. https://doi- org.lscsproxy. lonestar.edu/10.15171/jcs.2018.022

The elderly in the enjoyable physical activity group exercised for eight weeks. Their balance, walking distance, and muscle strength were considerably higher in the enjoyable physical activity group than in the control group. This showed us that when an activity is made more fun and playful, it has a greater impact.

Impacts of Gaming and Racing Facilities on Local Communities

Alpha Beta Psi Chapter

National Park College

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Theme

Economics of Play

ABSTRACT

Our chapter’s investigation into the Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play,” led us to develop a research question that best fits theme two, Economics of Play. Many of our team members observed some positive effects that our local gaming and racing facility has on our campus and community. We began to wonder what other effects the presence of these facilities have on the local communities. This led us to develop our research question: What are the impacts of racing and gaming facilities on the local community? Through our research, we discovered that there are many benefits as well as many negative effects that gaming and racing facilities have on communities. Positive effects include academic scholarships, employment opportunities, and economic growth. Negative effects include significant individual impacts such as financial problems, increased drug/ alcohol abuse, increased domestic violence, and increased mental health disorders. After learning about the significant negative effects, our team unanimously agreed that we must take action to help combat them. Through collaborative efforts, we were able to create and distribute 3000 informational cards that included impacts of local gaming and racing facilities, signs of problem gambling, and QR codes to helpful resources for problem gamblers to over 40 unique locations in our area and 8 counties in Arkansas. We also donated $500 to the nonprofit group Arkansas Problem Gambling (ARPG) Council. Our project gave us hope that our local population will be more informed on the advantages and disadvantages that our local racing and gambling facility has on our community. We are confident that our donation to the ARPG Council enabled them to advance their mission to help the citizens of our state.

OBJECTIVES

Our academic research was inspired by the impacts that local racing and gaming availability has on various populations in our community. Our HIA team refined our research question multiple times, ultimately coming to a group decision to focus on the impacts of racing and gaming facilities on the local community. We set the following research objectives:

• Form a research team with at least four individuals

• Develop our refined research question involving the impacts racing and gaming facilities have on the local community

• Find eight articles per person on our team (32 total) that provide information on our research question that covers a broad range of our topic

• Narrow down the articles to the most relevant 4 from each researcher

• Further narrow and annotate/format citations for our top 8 sources

• Analyze the research to better target our action

• Complete the research by the beginning of July 2023

• Apply for an HIA grant from PTK and the Mellon Foundation to assist with our project

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Our team met to discuss what we had observed in our area that would tie to the Honors Study Topic and which theme we would like to explore. We decided to explore the impacts that racing and gaming facilities have on the local community. After much discussion on the current Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play,” we felt that theme two, Economics of Play, best fit our research interest because we were truly interested in exploring the financial, physical, and psychological costs and benefits of racing and gaming facilities on the local community. Based on our observations and discussions, we formulated the following research question to guide our efforts: What are the impacts of racing and gaming facilities on the local community? Through our research, we discovered that the impacts included both positive and negative effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Broadly, the impacts of racing and gaming include financial, mental health, economic, and social categories.

Positive effects of gaming and racing facilities include:

• Academic scholarships.

• Job opportunities.

• Entertainment.

• Enhanced health functioning in elderly gamblers.

• Economic growth.

• Increased tax revenue.

• Increased tourist revenue.

• Legalized/regulated betting that reduces risks associated with underground gambling.

Negative effects include:

• Financial problems.

• Decrease in work productivity.

• Increased mental health disorders.

• Increased drug/alcohol abuse.

• Increased partner violence.

• Decreased charitable gambling revenue.

• Disproportionate tax burden on low-income earners.

Analysis of our research findings clearly indicated that local racing and gambling facilities have broad impacts on local communities. We discovered that negative impacts are significant on the lives of individuals. This led us to explore an action focused on informing individuals about problem gambling and how to obtain resources for those affected.

Analysis of our research findings clearly indicated that local racing and gambling facilities have broad impacts on local communities, with negative impacts being significant for problem gamblers and those close to them. During our research, our team struggled to locate available resources to help with problem gambling in our community. This led us to explore an action focused on informing individuals about problem gambling, supporting efforts to help problem gamblers, and sharing information about how to

locate assistance with problem gambling. We set the following action and collaboration objectives:

• Extensively explore available resources for problem gambling.

• Identify collaborators who are involved in helping problem gamblers.

• Explore ways to support current efforts to combat the effects of problem gambling.

• Create a resource card that includes the impacts of local gaming and racing facilities, signs of problem gambling, and links to available resources for problem gamblers.

• Distribute the resource card around our local area and beyond.

ACTION

After learning about the significant negative effects that gaming and racing facilities have on communities, our team unanimously agreed that we must take action to help combat these serious effects. Our action plan was to inform individuals about problem gambling, support efforts to help problem gamblers and share information about how to locate assistance with problem gambling. In our extensive exploration of resources, we discovered the Arkansas Problem Gambling (ARPG) Council and the Gamblers Anonymous websites. We discovered that Gamblers Anonymous requires a compulsive gambler to start a local meeting so we were unable to collaborate with them to establish a local resource, but their website provided several options for various meeting formats that we could direct people to for help. We then called ARPG’s Executive Director, Vena Schexnayder, to discuss a collaboration and obtain more information. We held a preliminary phone meeting with Ms. Schexnayder about the ARPG Council and arranged for her to come to a chapter meeting to discuss problem gambling, the work of the ARPG nonprofit organization, and how we could collaborate to help problem gamblers and the ARPG Council’s current efforts. Through our exploration, we gained the information and collaborators we needed to implement our action fully.

Our action included:

• Production of an informational card that included the impacts of local gaming and racing facilities, signs of problem gambling, and QR codes for Gamblers Anonymous meetings and the ARPG Council Website (Figure 1)

• Distribution of the informational card around our local community and beyond

• A donation of $500 to the ARPG Council to help support their efforts to combat problem gambling

Our collaborators included:

• Vena Schexnayder, Executive Director of ARPG Council, who served as our expert interview and helped us gather the information and resources for our informational card

• Ramona Marshall, Senior Account Executive at Wheeler Print, who helped us design and print our informational card

• The Mellon Foundation, which provided the HIA grant funds to PTK for use to fund our project

• Our PTK members and non-members who helped us distribute our informational card around our local area

IMPACT

Quantitatively, our project resulted in:

• The printing of 3,000 informational cards that included the impacts of local gaming and racing facilities, signs of problem gambling, and QR codes for Gamblers Anonymous meetings and to the ARPG Council website.

• Distribution of informational cards to over 25 unique locations in our area and one other city in Arkansas that has a gaming facility.

• The donation of $500 to the ARPG Council to help them with their efforts to combat problem gambling in Arkansas.

Quantitatively, our project resulted in:

• The printing of 3,000 informational cards that included the impacts of local gaming and racing facilities, signs of problem gambling, and QR codes to Gamblers Anonymous meetings and to the ARPG Council website

• Distribution of informational cards to over 40 unique locations in our area and in 8 counties in Arkansas.

• The donation of $500 to the ARPG Council to help them with their efforts to combat problem gambling in Arkansas.

Qualitatively, our project resulted in:

• A strong partnership with the ARPG Council.

• The sharing of helpful information for individuals who may be affected by problem gambling.

• Confidence that our local population will be more informed on the advantages and disadvantages that our local racing and gambling facility has on our community.

• Satisfaction that we were able to make an impact through our donation to the ARPG Council.

Our project opened the eyes of our chapter officers and members to the broad effects that our local casino and racetrack have on our community. Before undertaking this project our knowledge of these impacts was limited to the scholarships our campus students receive and the equipment our campus has had funded by their foundation. We grew immensely as scholars through our research process, developing skills in navigating research databases, identifying valuable sources, and formatting citations. Through our action component, we developed valuable leadership skills, especially through our outreach to collaborators. This opportunity was particularly valuable to our personal growth because we learned how to prepare for and conduct a professional interview. These skills are especially valuable to us as we prepare to enter the professional workforce.

RESOURCES

Facts about Arkansas ballot issue 4: 2022 Arkansas ballot issues. Facts about Arkansas ballot issue 4 | 2022 Arkansas Ballot Issues. (n.d.). https://www.uaex.uada.edu/ business-communities/voter-education/docs/ Issue4_2018.pdf

This article discusses the positive and negative outcomes of opening four casinos in our home state, Arkansas. The pros include economic benefits such as hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue going to counties, scholarships, and public services. The cons described are insufficient funds going towards casino gambling addiction as well as increased crime and socioeconomic inequality.

Hing, N., O'Mullan, C., Mainey, L., Nuske, E., & Breen, H. (2023). Intimate partner violence linked to gambling: cohort and period effects on the past experiences of older women. BMC Women's Health, 23(1), 165. https://doi. org/10.1186/s12905-023-02316-0

This article describes a study conducted on 70 women who had experienced intimate partner violence in relation to gambling addiction. The study links mental and physical spousal abuse to casino gambling.

Kodish, S., Gittelsohn, J., Oddo, V. M., & JonesSmith, J. C. (2016). Impacts of casinos on key pathways to health: Qualitative findings from American Indian gaming communities in California. BMC Public Health, 16(1). https:// doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3279-3

This study examines the impact of American Indian-owned casinos on individual and community health. Casinos were found to have positive effects, such as job creation and improved cash flow, leading to wellness programs and better services. However, they also correlated with negative health behaviors like drug and alcohol abuse.

Latvala, T., Lintonen, T., & Konu, A. (2019). Public health effects of gambling – debate on a conceptual model. BMC Public Health, 19,1077. https://bmcpublichealth. biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889019-7391-z

This article assesses the financial, labor/ employment-related, and health impacts that gambling has on a community. Negative health impacts include increased drug and alcohol use among problem gamblers, along with prominent mental health disorders. A positive impact is improved physical and mental health functioning for gamblers aged 65 and older.

O’Gilvie, P. J. (2022). The impact of casino proximity on northeast urban communities: Aliterature review. Nature, 9(1), 36. https:// doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01055-1

This paper highlights the relationship between casino proximity and urban communities,

emphasizing the potential negative socioeconomic outcomes. The author calls for further investigation into the impact of urban casinos on host communities.

Roukka, T., & Salonen, A. H. (2019). The winners and the losers: Tax incidence of gambling in Finland - Journal of Gambling Studies, 36. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/ s10899-019-09899-0

The study found that lower-income individuals receive proportionally less benefits relative to their income when gambling. This study is important to our HIA research because it demonstrates how more poverty-stricken areas do not benefit proportionally from gambling taxes, as some believe.

Scavette, A. (2022, July). Casinos and regional economies: Has the game changed? Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. https://www. richmondfed.org/publications/research/ economic_brief/2022/eb_22-28

This article discredits the idea that casino tax revenue goes to “a social good.” When casinos are added to a town, problem gambling is estimated to affect up to 2 percent of the population and indirectly increases divorce, binge drinking, drug use, and alcohol-related traffic accidents. The article also identifies that adding commercial casinos where other legal gambling options are available does not increase net state tax revenues because the public substitutes their spending away from consumer products.

Schexnayder, V. (2023, Sept. 9). Changing the rules of the game: Problem gambling addiction and responsible gaming through harm reduction [Guest Presentation at Chapter Meeting]. Arkansas Problem Gambling Council 2023 Conference, National Park College, Hot Springs, AR, United States.

This interview with the executive director of the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council included a discussion of how local communities are affected by gambling addiction. She also discussed the harm reduction protocols the state of Arkansas is taking to reduce the negative aspects of gambling. This interview was instrumental to our action because we were able to identify resources for problem gamblers as well as establish a collaboration.

Magic in Higher Education: Motivating, Active Learning, Gamifying, Imagining, and Collaborating

Alpha Eta Chi Chapter

Passaic County Community College

Paterson Campus

Paterson, New Jersey

Theme

Architecture and Design of Play

ABSTRACT

MAGIC in Higher Education: Motivating, Active Learning, Gamifying, Imagining, and Collaborating, a convergent parallel design, mixed-methods study, assessed how embedding play into the architecture of a classroom can improve students' learning process. We aimed to identify if changing the natural passive environment of a classroom to an active, play-driven environment would influence learning outcomes. Considering low national retention and graduation rates within community colleges, we examined concepts highlighting embedded play in the lesson as an extrinsic motivator to augment the learning process.

We hypothesized that creating an abstract classroom learning environment that considers both passive and active learning can positively impact comprehension and the student learning experience. We collaborated with faculty and administration to investigate learning environments and teaching practices. We focused on the architecture and design of the classroom environment and how engaging students in play might strengthen its structure, increasing comprehension of the subject material. Our research revealed that play promotes positive experiences for students focusing on active learning.

The survey data exposed a dichotomy between teaching and learning; faculty primarily engage in passive lecture-based teaching, whereas students prefer active play-based learning. We recognized

that a natural classroom environment is subjective depending on the discipline and pedagogy. Therefore, we engaged faculty to redesign a lecture to include play-based learning aligning with their discipline. The data from the active learning investigation revealed that participating in the playful activity significantly improved students’ understanding and application of the lesson’s content. Reflecting on our research and outcomes, we created a forum to showcase our data to faculty, administration, and students. This showcase has launched a play-based, active learning Community of Practice (CoP) for faculty professional development.

OBJECTIVES

We planned committee meetings to develop a timeline and project tasks. We explored the Honors Study Topic (HST), “The Art and Science of Play,” to understand the investigative and analytic process. We completed Research Edge and attended Libary Services and Institutional Research (IR) workshops to strengthen our foundation. Subsequently, we examined scholarly sources related to active and passive instruction, play-based learning, and mixedmethods research.

We established the following research objectives:

• Recruit a committee of at least 10 members to conduct intentional research.

• Review at least 40 sources to examine how integrating playful learning activities within an academic environment affects students' outcomes.

• Assess the relationship between play-based learning and student outcomes.

• Reflect on the architecture of play in the classroom regarding active and passive learning research.

• Hold weekly committee meetings to examine and analyze empirical research to guide our action.

Our research conclusions aided us in establishing the following action objectives to measure the efficacy of play-based learning infused into pedagogical practices:

• Present the differences between passive and active pedagogy and play-based learning to faculty and administration

• Conduct a convergent parallel mixed-methods study.

• Recruit at least five faculty members in various disciplines to integrate play-based learning and assess the impact on student outcomes. Submit the HIA grant to procure funding to execute our action phase.

To conclude the action phase, we set the following collaboration objectives:

• Work with IR to formulate quantitative and qualitative measures to assess faculty and student interpretation of play-based learning.

• Partner with TEP to develop faculty training to include play-based and active learning within pedagogical architecture.

• Collaborate with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to organize a seminar to present our findings.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

After reviewing the Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play,” we developed a shared interest in the relationship between play and learning among community college students. We compared the national graduation and retention data to our colleges and learned that nationally, 28% of students graduate, whereas our college graduates only 14%. Reflecting on our classroom experiences, we reviewed 15 sources that targeted how play impacts the classroom. These findings led us to examine how the natural classroom environment and pedagogical practices affect the learning experience, increasing the potential for attrition.

Researching play’s relevance in higher education, we found that the role of play in the learning process promotes friendly, competitive experiences, focusing on active learning instead of regurgitating knowledge. We reviewed a documentary suggesting that faculty move away from processes that rely on memorization rather than comprehension. Continued investigation revealed that Short-Term Memory (STM) is necessary to establish Long-Term Memory (LTM). We learned that the repeated stimulus that triggers STM would eventually lead to the implementation of LTM due to increased synaptic plasticity. We connected passive learning as the repetitive stimulus to STM that builds LTM. This finding supported that passive learning was integral to the active learning process and drew us further into researching classroom environments.

We identified that a natural classroom environment is subjective depending on the discipline and pedagogy. Our research guided us to an abstract classroom environment, the “Magic Circle.” Magic Circle is a learning model that combines passive and active learning to create a constructive, immersive atmosphere for students to engage in play. We found passive learning essential to the process of developing a foundation of knowledge, which can effectively support an abstract learning environment.

We considered that play embedded in pedagogy increases the potential for critical thinking and comprehension. Our investigation led us to focus on the architecture and design of the classroom environment and how play might strengthen its structure, leading to increased comprehension of the subject material. This focus prompted our research question: “How can play-based learning methods when embedded in natural academic environments, influence learning outcomes for community college students?”

CONCLUSIONS

Combining our findings of passive and active learning, memory, and classroom engagement guided the integration of data collection as an action component for the project. We researched methods to measure the impact of teaching models and learned about the convergent parallel mixed-methods research process. We determined that simultaneously collecting quantitative and qualitative data would help us conceptualize play's effectiveness in pedagogy. Testing our hypothesis inspired our final action component: collaborating with the Teacher Excellence Project (TEP) to incorporate pedagogical practices.

ACTION

Our research revealed that learning environments are fundamental to connecting how we convert material into long-term memory. Our investigation helped connect our findings to Theme 4, Architecture and Design of Play, leading to our action and collaboration objectives. We shared our examination of the empirical literature with the administration, which helped determine our collaborations and study design.

We presented our theme to IR, TEP, and CTL to assess retention and graduation rates to understand the value of integrating play-based learning. We discussed creating surveys to identify if play-based learning exists on campus. IR provided training to construct non-biased surveys. TEP, CTL, and our advisors presented the importance of collecting qualitative data to support the survey results. These trainings led us to investigate methodology, arriving at a convergent parallel mixed-methods study process. We aimed to study natural and abstract environments to determine the correlation between pedagogical practices and retention rates.

Our study included a faculty survey (Figure 1) to assess if play is incorporated into their pedagogy, a student survey to assess if they experienced playbased learning and their feelings toward it, and a faulty focus group to conclude the findings of the play-based integration. To augment our research question, we developed sub-questions to drive our survey and focus group development:

• How do our current classroom environments encourage or restrict playful learning?

• How can we differentiate between a natural and abstract classroom environment?

• How does the role of passive learning inform active learning when including play-based models?

To test our hypothesis, we collaborated with the TEP Coordinator to find potential faculty interested in integrating play-based pedagogy. We identified seven faculty members credentialed by the Association for College and University Educators (ACUE) from the following departments: Human

Figure 1

Services, Psychology, Computer Science, Radiography, Economics, and English. We presented our research findings that passive learning can support active learning and how a play-based curriculum's architecture helps create a long-term understanding of the material. We invited the faculty to design a play-based lesson aligned with a course outcome and asked them to measure its impact.

We collaborated with faculty, alumni, TEP, IR, and our advisors to develop the survey. Together, we reviewed seven iterations of the questions. IR assisted us in formatting and distributing the surveys. We sent two reminders during the collection period and used email to communicate with faculty regarding the focus group.

As departments responsible for faculty professional development, we collaborated with TEP and CTL to host a data-collection focus group with the seven participating faculty members. They aided in collecting and analyzing the qualitative data derived from the multimodal play-based activities. The focus group results confirmed that deviating from the natural classroom environment by integrating play-based learning improved student learning outcomes.

We returned to the TEP and CTL departments, who assisted with the final analysis of our findings. Together, we hosted a luncheon for the community. We showcased the importance of integrating an abstract pedagogical model, the effectiveness of reshaping the natural classroom environment with play-based learning, and how active learning helps students develop more intrinsic motivation to engage with the material. Working with TEP, CTL, and the seven faculty inspired the CoP to integrate our findings into faculty professional development and training

(Figure 2). The CoP will be the outlet for followup data collection to evaluate the experiences of the students who participated in the redesigned lessons. The funds from the HIA grant helped us purchase thank-you gifts for the faculty, food for our luncheon, and incentives for participation.

IMPACT

Our research culminated in a faculty CoP to promote play-based learning. Architecture and Design of Play solidified that classroom environments play an integral part in motivating students to learn and how they retain information. We realized there are significant differences between passive and active pedagogy, but by integrating play-based learning, these two divergent approaches can support one another.

To conduct our study, the 11 committee members evaluated their strengths and needs to complete the project. This included identifying collaborators to assist in training and provide opportunities to grow as scholar-servant-leaders. We appointed a research team to ensure all sources were vetted and a journal keeper who worked to ensure all members’ notes were organized. After our training in methodology, we identified members to draft survey and focus group questions and coordinate collaborations to analyze our results. Our secretary and two other members became our writing and editing team.

To determine whether play is integrated into learning, we created two surveys, one for faculty and the other for students. We surveyed 163 faculty and 2601 students.

The faculty survey results revealed:

• 95% agreed that active learning improves the learning capacity of students.

• 90% agreed that they would integrate play into their future lessons.

• 68% believed that incorporating play in the curricula. enhances students’ learning experience.

• 47% implemented play in their teaching.

The student survey (Figure 3) results revealed:

• 90% agreed they feel more enthusiastic when play is included in the lesson.

• 90% agreed that play-based learning serves as a motivation to attend class.

Figure 2

• 71% said playing in the classroom improves their problem-solving skills. (These margins look off.)

• 70% agreed that integrating play-based learning in the classroom enhances comprehension.

The faculty focus group revealed the following:

• Human Services used Jeapordy to assess the effects of drugs on society, resulting in a 40% increase in test scores. A second Human Services faculty member used roleplay to measure skill-based learning; after the role-play, students reported having a deeper understanding of skills. One stated, “The role-play seemed scary at first, but it became obvious that acting out the skills makes the connections to the theories.”

• Computer Science used a memory game play to measure algorithm sorting, resulting in a 29% increase in test scores.

• English used trivia to review the components of writing research papers; students reported that this play effectively enhanced their comprehension and expressed a desire to incorporate more games in their lessons. One stated, “The game helped me remember the material, and I did well on the exams.”

• Psychology used a sorting game in two sections to compare play-based learning with lecturing. The play-based group scored 13% higher on the test than the lecture group.

• Economics used pre and post-testing, applying Game Theory to play Prisoner’s Dilemma, resulting in a 38% increase in test scores.

• Radiography integrated a concept-mapping game to measure the radiolysis of water; students reported feeling more prepared for the exam at the end of the activity, and it was strategic in encoding the concepts into LTM.

• Collaborating with faculty clearly defined the correlation between passive and active play-based learning. Presenting our findings to the campus community highlighted that incorporating pedagogical practice to increase retention rates is imminent, as the new generation of students is well-versed in gaming.

RESOURCES

Creswell, W. J. & Plano Clark, L.V. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage Publications.

This text introduced the design and process of mixed methods research and served as guidance for data collection using a convergent parallel mixed method study.Capello, P. P., Elfeqi, R. S. A., Kaldur, T.,

Duman, E. (2023, October 18). Learning and memory [Lecture]. Columbia University, New York, New York.

Duman’s lecture supported our findings on how passive learning, as a foundation of knowledge, supports active learning to allow students to analyze content while playing. This informed the idea of integrating passive learning into preparing pedagogical change.

Figure 3

Forbes, L. (2021). The process of playful learning in higher education: A phenomenological study. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 15(1), 57-73. https://doi.org/10.22329/jtl.v15i1.6515

Fobes explores the dimensions of playful learning: curiosity, creativity, and collaboration in higher education. This study helped us set our research objectives to explore the play-based learning processes in higher education.

Handford, E. (Director). (2023). Rethinking the way college students are taught [film]. American Public Media.

Handford highlights the limitations of traditional, lecture-based teaching methods, arguing that they lead to rote memorization rather than genuine understanding. This source aided in conceptualizing the classroom architecture, strengthening our research conclusion regarding the necessity of integrating passive and active learning.

Koeners, M. P. & Francis, J. (2020). The physiology of play: Potential relevance for higher education. International Journal of Play, 9(1), 143-159. https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2020.1720128

This study explores the psychological aspects of play and its potential to revolutionize its relevance in higher education. The authors suggest that integrating a play-based learning environment increases engagement, which helped us differentiate the natural classroom environment from what can be achieved in an abstract classroom environment.

Macdonald, K. & Frank, C. M. (2016, August). When does passive learning improve the effectiveness of active learning? Proceedings of the 38th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, Department of Psychology Stanford University. https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/309127332.

The authors explain that merging passive and active learning is fundamental to the learning process. This study helped to broaden our understanding that passive learning supports active learning and informed our mixed-methods study to address these diverse viewpoints.

Nørgård, T. R., Toft-Nielsen, C. & Whitton, N. (2017). Playful learning in higher education: Developing a signature pedagogy. International Journal of Play, 6(3), 272-282. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/21594937.2017.1382997

This article introduces a pedagogical practice that incorporates animated scenarios to help students learn effectively. Through the Magic Circle, active learning can occur in a space that allows students to explore subject matter within the natural classroom environment. This source inspired our action and collaboration with faculty to implement play-based learning and measure its impact.

Tinto, V. (2004). Student retention and graduation: Facing the truth, living with the consequences [White paper]. Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. https://files. eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED519709.pdf

Tinto highlights the consequences of low retention and graduation rates. He discusses how enhancing the classroom environment through collaborative pedagogies can promote learning, leading to higher retention and eventual graduation. This source inspired us to pursue Theme 4: Architecture and Design of Play.

A Gallery of Art and Story: Play as Muse for Public Art and Civic Memory

Beta Tau Gamma Chapter

Pearl River Community College

Forrest County Campus

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Theme

Soul of Play

ABSTRACT

In Play and the Human Condition, Thomas S. Henricks declares, “Play’s distinctive disposition is curiosity . . . it opens up . . . interpretive possibility.” Though we had yet to read these words, our research team approached "The Art and Science of Play" Honors Program Guide, determined to locate a theme of interpretive possibilities: a project that allowed us to experience play alongside intellectual curiosity. We chose Theme Five: Soul of Play. In the Honors in Action Guide for The Art and Science of Play, the first line in the explanation of Theme 5: Soul of Play is a quote from the Odyssey, which states, “Sing in me muse, and through me tell a story.” The story that many of the youth in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, don't know is that the city was critical in the Civil Rights movement. As we furthered our research, we asked, "How can we showcase this suppressed story of Hattiesburg and inspire others to tell their story?" We began to research different academic sources on how art affects a community and how art in a community affects the morale of those who live there. Challenged to address a community need, we committed to scoping out play opportunities in our city with the potential to inspire creativity. We played with purpose: Could local public play spaces inspire creative curiosity? We were delighted by the social media announcement the Parks and Recreation Department posted for “Play Hattiesburg,” celebrating fun things to do in the city. At the

same time, the Convention Commission called “on all adventurers and travelers” to participate in their new program, which encouraged firsttime visitors and surrounding area residents to explore public art spaces. As we researched the classical idea of play as the muse for creativity, we embarked on a journey of discovery in our civic playground. We observed that play certainly leads to the production of works of aesthetic value. As our project unfolded, we worked with the city government and local artists to advocate for creating a public mural in a specific historic neighborhood rich with stories about the “Freedom Summer” Civil Rights Movement but without any commemorative art. Our advocacy included securing a local artist to design a mural and providing coloring sheets of the proposed mural to city schools to promote individual artistic play.

OBJECTIVES

The thrill of seeing passionate students walk on stage to receive research awards encouraged work on our 2024 Honors in Action Project before we ever got back to campus following our Spring 2023 Catalyst experience. When the semester ended, new chapter officers were in place, and our HIA team was established. The chapter endorsed our advisors’ mantra that research matters most and elected to use our core officer team to serve as our Honors in Action research team. While reading the Honors in Action program guide, we discussed which theme might fit our team best, but we intentionally chose a theme to represent our community. We quickly established the following research objectives:

• Receive research training from our college librarian to better understand the complexities of locating and evaluating sources.

• Submit a grant proposal to the Mellon Foundation to fund our project.

• Challenge all Honors in Action team members to complete Phi Theta Kappa's "Research Edge" interactive curriculum.

• Identify at least 30 peer-reviewed articles researching the connection between play and creativity.

• Divide into smaller groups to locate resources to answer our research question: To what extent might local public play spaces and experiences

evoke creative curiosity and passion for creating?

• Divide into smaller groups to intentionally play in our community.

• Complete the research stage of our project before the end of September based on our outlined project timetable.

As we worked on our project, we learned a great deal about the research process: research spreads out branches before the researcher can trim them back to a more manageable size. Our initial research question was, “To what extent might local public play spaces and experiences evoke creative curiosity and passion to create?”

More questions spawned when we separated into smaller groups to conduct academic searches, which might integrate different perspectives on play's significance in generating creative energy. Each group read peer-reviewed articles from EBSCO Host and Google Scholar databases. We intentionally looked for classical resources matching and expanding on a few of the resources mentioned in Theme Five’s introduction. Of course, more recent publications provided us with a contemporary perspective of the current attitudes toward play and creativity. The focus of our question grew and shifted as we explored the play spaces in our community and the way civic history played into their creation. The combination of play, experience, and study opened up new ways of thinking about our theme, and our list of questions grew.

After reviewing our academic research, we decided our two main action objectives were to tell a story through art and facilitate an environment in which the youth have a voice in play that happens in their community. The community we chose was Palmers Crossings. Leaders there attracted national attention during Freedom Summer 1964, and this year marks the 60th anniversary of this pivotal movement. Our team wanted to collaborate with our community leadership to tell the story of Freedom Summer using public art to inspire creativity and voice one of our community’s too-little-told stories.

Our action in the community was determined by our research and included quite a few collaborations:

• We collaborated with the Hattiesburg Arts Council and Visit Hattiesburg (HAPA) to create a public mural in the Palmer’s Crossing neighborhood.

• We collaborated with local schools, including educators and students from Hattiesburg High School, Oak Grove High School, Petal High School, William Carey University, the University of Southern Mississippi, and Earl Travillion Attendance Center.

• We collaborated with community artists, including Chris and Taryn Holzinger, Chatham Kemp, Hector Boldo, and Martina Sciolino, for information on mural design. Chris Holzinger, who holds a master’s degree in art and teaches art at a local public school, agreed to do all design and planning for the project for a fraction of the cost that other artists quoted. Holzinger had recently completed a public mural project for a public library in the area. We used our Mellon grant to pay Holzinger.

• We distributed an expressive coloring page with great historical significance to community students.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

When our research stage was complete, we all agreed that play inspired creativity and that the “play” we experienced during exploration revealed our community's “artistic soul.” Our research found events like the Mobile Street Festival, which uses play to educate on their rich history through music and art integral to the black community, such as jazz, blues, poetry, etc. With 47 murals, 43 creatively designed utility boxes, and 23 sculptures — and more in the works — the city has positioned itself as a top destination in the country for public art. “Our vision is to have 100 murals in the next five years,” said Visit Hattiesburg's executive director, Marlo Dorsey.

“Art is not just an afterthought; it’s integral to our city’s fabric and growth.” Our city operates as a gallery that integrates history and storytelling through art.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research conclusions include the following:

Play is an ideal way to teach and practice creativity with everyone in a community.

Play experiences allow people to become more emotionally expressive.

Play stimulates creativity but also promotes the importance of story.

Play spaces are integral to community development and the overall positive morale of its citizens.

ACTION

Advocacy might seem like an easy way to approach a project, but it is not. The process seemed daunting, so we applied for a grant to attend the annual State Arts Conference in the state capital. We planned our conference agenda to include attending the keynote address by Adam Trest, recognized by the New York Times as a Bestselling Illustrator who tells stories through his paintbrush. We intentionally chose the breakout session, “Creating and Maintaining Public Art,” which included panelists from our community: Hector Boldo, Hattiesburg-based painter and muralist, and Marlo Dorsey from the Visit Hattiesburg Office. Following the session, we spoke with Ms. Dorsey, who enthusiastically embraced our public mural proposal to contribute to the goal of adding art to our city. She emphasized that telling a story through public art inspires the community to participate in art, music, and craftsmanship.

Following our return from the conference, we collaborated with local muralists, one of whom was a dual-enrolled high school student in our chapter. They explained the process of mural design. We also collaborated with the county Board of Supervisors, specifically Supervisor Rod Woullard, whose district includes Palmer’s Crossing, the neighborhood whose story we hoped to share.

previously conducted by a community museum. To fully understand our community's intersection of play, art, and history, we invited the Hattiesburg Arts Council Director to discuss artistic events with our chapter (Figure 1). Impressed with our research and passion, he asked us to serve on a newly formed Junior Arts Council. Since that invitation, five of us attended the Hattiesburg Arts Council meeting and were announced as the inaugural members of the new council.

IMPACT

We interviewed and selected a local mural artist, Chris Holzinger, to render a design, and working with the mayor’s representative from Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art, we selected Earl Travillion Attendance Center as the site for the mural (Figure 2). This site is significant to the history of Freedom Summer since civil rights legend and president of the local NAACP, Vernon Dahmer, attended this same school. Dahmer’s daughter teaches at the school today. While wading through the red-taped process of community and state government paperwork and approval, we asked our mural artist to further adapt his design as a coloring sheet that

critical civil rights story. Holzinger adapted three panels of mural into one to accomplish this.

Our action in the community was determined by our research and included quite a few collaborations:

We collaborated with the Hattiesburg Arts Council and Visit Hattiesburg (HAPA) to create a public mural in the Palmer’s Crossing neighborhood. We collaborated with local schools, including educators and students from Hattiesburg High School, Oak Grove High School, Petal High School, William Carey University, the University of Southern Mississippi, and Earl Travillion Attendance Center. We collaborated with community artists, including Chris and Taryn Holzinger, Chatham Kemp, Hector Boldo, Aubrey Sparkman, and Martina Sciolino, for information on mural design. Chris Holzinger, who holds a master’s degree in art and teaches art at a local public school, agreed to do all design and planning for the project for a fraction of the cost that other artists quoted. Holzinger had recently completed a public mural project for a public library in the area. We used our Mellon HIA grant to pay Holzinger.

Figure 1

We distributed an expressive coloring page with great historical significance to community students.

RESOURCES

Bakhtin, M. (1981). The dialogic imagination. Translated by M. Holquist and C. Emerson. University of Texas Press.

Bakhtin asserts that writing, especially the novel, is the art form that expresses the "zest" of life itself. His ideas also extended to other art forms and were particularly useful for our understanding of art as a story.

Brown, S. (2009). Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul. Avery.

Human beings are designed to flourish through play. Creativity and intelligence depend on play. This message appears throughout our project.

Freud, S. (1958). On creativity and the unconscious. Edited by B. Nelson. Harper and Row.

Though Freud may be discounted today, his conversations on creativity and imagination used Sophocles, Plato, and Nietzsche in ways that were more accessible and democratic for our group. Freud said that the creative was not simply for the divine but for everyone. Everyone is creative, artistic, and poetic. Everyone dreams in metaphor. How lovely a thought!

Henricks, T.S. (2015). Play and the human condition. University of Illinois Press.

Henricks' book discusses the significance of play as one of the most important ways that we learn about ourselves and the world. Through acts of play, we generate life strategies and develop ideas about the possible. Play shapes visions that we can make happen. They push us into new territories. These ideas are central to Theme 5: The Soul of Play. Our interpretation of Henricks' thesis is that play pushes us to be creative

Mata-McMahon, J. (2019). Finding connections between spirituality and play for early childhood education. International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 24(1), 44–57. https:// doi.org/10.1080/1364436X.2019.1619528

This article looks at 33 surveyed U.S. early childhood educators’ perceptions of nurturing creativity and spirituality through open-ended and free play.

Mercier, B. (2023, August 15). Personal interview.

The entire chapter met with Ms. Mercier, the director of Parks and Recreation, to discuss the philosophy behind our city's play spaces.

Merrill, T. R. (2018). Phenomenology in the field of play: direct experience, aesthetics and interpretation. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 18(3), 1–7. https://doi. org/10.15845/voices.v18i3.2582

Figure 2

Merrill's article is an homage to music therapist Carolyn Kenny, who believed that "playing" in the arts gave access to creativity.

Pérez de Arce., R. (2018). City of play?: An architectural and urban history of recreation and leisure. Bloomsbury Visual Arts.

This book presents how modern urban areas now define playgrounds and how conceptions of civic spaces must incorporate play and imagination.

"Oh, I Am a Scientist!"- Designing Activities to Help Children Identify Themselves as Scientists

Rho Pi Chapter

Phoenix College Evening Division

Phoenix Arizona

Theme

Archtecture and Design of Play

ABSTRACT

With deep thought and intention, the Rho Pi Chapter implemented Theme 4: Architecture and Design of Play of the 2022/2023 Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play.” The Honors Program Guide foundationally governed our interpretation of Theme Four, as we focused on designing scientific lesson plans with play centralized in the learning modalities. Our members noticed and raised concerns that access to STEM education is limited or absent in the elementary education curriculum in some low-income neighborhoods. Geared toward pre-k through fourthgrade students, the 5E lesson plan architecture was implemented and aligned with AZ Department of Education (AZDE) standards. This project aimed to bridge the STEM curriculum gap in a local elementary school, Encanto Elementary School, a school where students are not engaged with STEM lessons consistently. We ensured accurate lesson plans while focusing on engagement and building scientific identity within young students, hoping to associate the wonder of play and collaboration with science education.

OBJECTIVES

Our Chapter’s HIA project began in May 2023, using the Honors Program Guide as our primary focal point for inspiration. A shared sentiment that motivated us was the need for more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students and improved STEM K-12 education. We began our endeavor by creating a set of research objectives to

focus our efforts. Our summer research objectives included:

• Select a theme connected to the issue(s) that motivates us.

• Complete Research Edge.

• Develop a broad research question.

• Complete preliminary research (annotate one to two articles).

• Hone research question and consult with a librarian to select key terms for research

• Create connections with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) educators on campus.

Empowered by our preliminary research, each team member spent the end of the summer finding and annotating at least eight additional articles, totaling 51 articles, including global perspectives. As the fall semester started, the team compiled the research findings to guide our project’s direction.

Supporting effective and efficient communication between participating individuals and organizations was vital to ensuring shared common objectives.

Our initial action objectives were:

• Collaborate with the College’s STEAM coordinators for their annual community-wide STEAM Day event.

• Based on the research conducted, design scientific lessons using play as the main focal point of our instructional architecture to engage K-4, 5-8, 9-12, and adult learners.

After multiple meetings with the STEAM coordinators, a drastic change in their plans was revealed, which would preclude offering sessions to those outside the college. To continue our chapter’s values for community outreach, we sought out new collaborators to access how we could help their programs. This venture led to our connection with the Education Placement

Coordinator (EPC) introduced us to the Future Educators Club, the early education STEM specialists from the STEMteachersPHX Organization, and the principal of Encanto Elementary School (Encanto). These connections led to a new action plan. Our objectives were to:

• Attend multiple meetings with the EPC.

• Attend an all-day early educator's STEM workshop with the STEMteachersPHX Organization.

• Interview the principal of Encanto about science education.

• Collaborate with the College’s Instructional Design (ID) faculty to help with lesson development and leverage artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help design multiple lesson plans.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Our initial research question was: How can play be used to increase confidence in STEM education? We first sought to understand the current state of STEM education. According to a study by Hira (2022), national efforts should focus on creating diversity, equity, and better working conditions for STEM professions to make these jobs more appealing. Based on these findings, we are increasing STEM success factors for underprivileged communities by centering our project on inner-city communities.

Analysis of 51 articles showed that multiple factors determine student success in STEM curriculums. According to Blotnicky et al. (2018), one major factor affecting students’ confidence in pursuing STEM professions was knowledge of STEM careers. Thus, we connected our activities with applicable STEM careers. Other factors, illustrated by Borman et al. (2016) and Roberts et al. (2018), were STEM exposure in multiple facets of students' lives, parental attitudes towards STEM, and informal STEM experiences that build familiarity and confidence. Teacher efficacy and resource accessibility also require much-needed improvement (Burton et al. 2022 and Nikolopoulou and Tsimperidis 2023). Thus, teachers need readymade lesson plans to be better prepared to teach STEM topics.

Lesson plans should involve group and interactive demonstrations to engage participants without trivializing the information (Locritani et al., 2020) and build a sense of scientific affiliation through understanding and executing the scientific process (Pittinsky & Diamante, 2015). We conducted a study across multiple age groups to associate engaging science demonstrations with self-belief that participants could pursue science professions.

Initially, we spoke with the college’s STEAM coordinators to create engaging, play-filled lessons for elementary through high school students. Their focus pivoted, but ours did not. Our research convinced us that we needed to offer STEM instruction to young learners so they could see themselves as scientists. So we pivoted, interviewed, and collaborated with the principal of Encanto Elementary School, early STEM education specialists, and STEMteachersPHX.

CONCLUSIONS

As our work progressed, our research question evolved: Does structured and thoughtfully designed play increase openness to learning STEM concepts for K-4 students, and can it increase positive association? Our research objectives included understanding how play increases positive sentiments for STEM in young learners and what kind of structured play is conducive to this goal. Our work shows that early developmental exposure to STEM is crucial to future STEM engagement. Continued experience through playful, educational opportunities increases success in future STEM courses.

ACTION

This project focused on young scholars engaging in scientific processes that introduced them to the idea of becoming future scientists. Connecting with the college’s EPC was essential for building our connections to the community and gathering information on how best to focus our efforts. The EPC suggested we attend a STEMteachersPHX workshop to understand early STEM education in our state. This workshop was highly beneficial as we learned that lack of teacher education in STEM has detrimental impacts on students' confidence in the STEM curriculum (Figures 1 and 2). They gave us the inspiration and tools needed to create lesson plans and the affirmation that our research and direction were accurate. We learned the 5E lesson design (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) and how this practice gives teachers a format that effectively engages young learners in STEM concepts.

Our college’s EPC introduced us to the principal of Encanto, a Spanish immersion school. Our college’s goal for the year was to achieve the Seal of Excelencia, and our work with Encanto assisted in this accomplishment. Additionally, we collaborated with members of the Future Teachers Club.

In our interview with the principal of Encanto, our chapter learned that state testing for science is not conducted for K-4. Therefore, a consistent STEM curriculum does not begin until third grade. Due to No Child Left Behind legislation, Encanto’s primary focus shifted from science/math to reading/writing. Science classes for Encanto were only offered for half a day on Wednesdays. Therefore, there was a much-needed improvement in STEM engagement at Encanto. Although we initially planned to integrate our lessons with the teachers’ curriculum, there was no set lesson plan. Therefore, we made our own lessons based on AZDE standards with assistance from the college ID Faculty and Magic School AI software. Encanto teachers and the Afterschool Program Director agreed to chaperone our members to conduct STEM lessons every Monday for three weeks.

Concepts included the food chain, plant development, and stimuli to organisms. For the food chain, we created artistic depictions; for plant development, we helped the students pot their plants; and for stimuli testing, we allowed the children to test the pH of common foods and how taste buds react to food. These topics, designed and led by chapter members, were organized into hour-and-a-half lessons on separate days.

Figure 1

Figure 2

The lesson design template was as follows:

• “Engage” - utilize children’s literature to introduce the topic, initially playfully simplifying the concepts.

• “Explore” - use interactive activities to provide hands-on learning experiences.

• “Explain” writing in personal scientific journals to create analysis and data-collection skills.

• “Elaborate” – use a second piece of literature to debrief the activity.

• “Evaluate” participation in a group discussion, using formal scientific terms, emphasizing the concept's challenging nature.

Various materials were purchased, but the most pertinent to our goal of developing scientific affiliation was to provide personal lab coats, goggles, name tags, and scientific journals. We endeavored to create an environment where play and discovery were at the forefront of the lesson, as

emphasized by STEMteachersPHX. Additionally, by dressing as scientists, the children could further feel connected to the activities they were performing.

Before the three-week event, we had a final meeting with the Afterschool Program Director and principal at Encanto, and all participants were excited to be involved. As the project was datadriven, we ensured we could collect survey data and sent photos and food allergy English and Spanish permission slips home (translations from our college’s World Languages Chair).

IMPACT

Chapter members participating in HIA gained valuable skills through completing Research Edge, working with library faculty to gain research skills, collaborating with multiple professional organizations and departments, and learning to create realistic goals. These skills all contribute to us becoming lifelong learners. In addition, we learned Instructional Design skills and techniques for creating science lessons for young scholars. We developed skills in prompt engineering for utilizing AI software for lesson plan creation.

Quantitative post-event data showed that we had an impact on 52 students. Our surveys utilized a tool developed with the help of one of our Anthropology faculty to gather information from the children about their degree of liking science and their belief that they could be scientists. In the beginning, 47.06% of students said they felt they could be scientists. At the end of the threeweek endeavor, this number grew to 62.5% (Figure 3). Additionally, we saw a growth of 15.1% in the number of students saying they like science (an initial amount of 41.2%).

Qualitative data in the form of comments showed that the students' confidence grew as the weeks progressed, but their excitement to learn STEM was evident on the first day. Multiple students conveyed sentiments of wanting more STEM lessons, requesting us “to come back tomorrow.” In their written surveys, the students mentioned how they “feel like a scientist” and “like chemistry.” Our data showed an innate affinity for STEM, and we saw a growth in this mindset through the wonder of play and discovery. Further, students’ guardians said, “I didn’t know this science. My child is teaching me,” conveying the impact on families and how early STEM education ripples through the community. As a group of non-education majors, it was

Figure 3

interesting to step into the role of “teacher.” We took this role seriously. From our research, we learned how formative and effective science instruction was for children. We wanted to get it right. Based on the quantitative and qualitative data - we did get it right. The children helped us access our inner child through play, reconnecting us to our roots and community. Being able to share our knowledge with the teachers of Encanto and the Afterschool program emphasized that we never stop learning and that only through reaching out may our horizons expand collectively.

RESOURCES

Blotnicky, K. A., Franz-Odendaal, T., French, F., & Joy, P. (2018). A study of the correlation between STEM career knowledge, mathematics selfefficacy, career interests, and career activities on the likelihood of pursuing a STEM career among middle school students. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1), 22. https://doi. org/10.1186/s40594-018-0118-3

This study on middle school students' STEM career knowledge and mathematics self-efficacy (MSE) found that those with better knowledge of STEM careers and higher MSE were more likely to choose a STEM career. However, students generally have limited knowledge about STEM careers, a predictive element of STEM career interest.

Bor man, T., Rapaport, A., Jaciw, A., LiCalsi, C., & Zacamy, J. (2016, August 1). Exploring the foundations of the future STEM workforce: K-12 indicators of postsecondary STEM success. Stated Briefly. REL 2016-170. ERIC. https://files. eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565641.pdf

Learning opportunities and STEM interest predict postsecondary STEM success, but racial/ethnic minority students face challenges. They take fewer advanced courses despite similar interests, leading to lower success rates. Giving students opportunities for STEM achievement through workshop completion and exposure was essential to increasing STEM confidence.

Burton, M., Maiorca, C., & Tripp, L. O. (2022). The relationship between teacher candidates’ affective dispositions and instructional planning actions in STEM. Education Sciences, 12(2), 82. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020082

Teacher candidates with virtual STEM learning experiences showed positive teaching dispositions. However, a misalignment between expressed dispositions and actual STEM lesson planning was observed. The study emphasizes the value of early childhood teacher candidates receiving positive STEM learning and planning experiences to enhance confidence and other affective aspects. While these experiences influenced lesson plans, there’s a need for more opportunities to deepen understanding and connect values to integrated STEM teaching.

Hira, R. (2022). Is there really a STEM workforce shortage? Issues in Science and Technology,XXVIII (4), 31-35. https://issues.org/ stem-workforce-shortage-data-hira/

The STEM workforce shortage debate, led by a few with limited data, must shift focus. Beyond economic concerns, diversity, equity, and improving STEM workers' quality of life are critical. A 60-year track record emphasizes the need for concerted efforts by the science policy community. Rather than assuming shortages, a systematic investigation is crucial to understand their existence in specific fields and navigate the complex labor market for effective solutions.

Locritani, M., Merlino, S., Garvani, S., & Di Laura, F. (2020). Fun educational and artistic teaching tools for science outreach. Geoscience Communication, 3(2), 179–190. https://doi. org/10.5194/gc-3-179-2020

To effectively communicate scientific concepts to the public, it's crucial to simplify without trivializing them. Collaboration between scientists and artists is valuable, using tools to influence emotions positively and capture attention. Playful educational activities and visual language, such as group games and image-based concept visualization, are key in conveying interest and facilitating learning

Nikolopoulou, K., & Tsimperidis, I. (2023). STEM education in early primary years: Teachers’ views and confidence. Journal of Digital Educational Technology, 3(1). DOI:10.30935/jdet/12971

The study explores Greek teachers' confidence in implementing STEM education in early primary years. With 140 participants, it finds strong positive perceptions, with over 80% feeling confident in facilitating inquiry-based learning in math or science. Practical obstacles like resource limitations and time

constraints are noted, emphasizing implications for educational policy and practice.

Pittinsky, T. L., & Diamante, N. (2015). Going beyond fun in STEM. Phi Delta Kappan, 97(2), 47–51. https://kappanonline.org/goingbeyond-fun-in-stem/

The U.S. needs to enhance STEM education as interest wanes in later years despite efforts. The author criticizes the focus on intrinsic motivators like fun, emphasizing the importance of grit for tackling STEM challenges. Extrinsically motivated factors, such as success and social utility, are seen as valid and powerful. The current emphasis on individual fun in K-12 STEM education is deemed inconsistent and insufficient, and we should focus on building confidence by allowing students to see the challenge in STEM rather than minimizing it.

Roberts, T., Jackson, C., Mohr-Schroeder, M. J., Bush, S. B., Maiorca, C., Cavalcanti, M., Craig Schroeder, D., Delaney, A., Putnam, L., & Cremeans, C. (2018). Students’ perceptions of STEM Learning after participating in a summer informal learning experience. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/ s40594-018-0133-4

The study examines how an informal STEM summer learning experience impacts students' preparation for in-school classes and their perception of STEM learning. Informal environments boost interest in and pursuit of STEM careers. Students' attitudes are influenced by motivation, experience, and self-efficacy, with social interactions playing a crucial role in informal learning, in contrast to solitary formal learning.

Fighting Your (Inner) Dragons Through Play: Dungeons & Dragons, Mental Health, and Social Connectivity

Xi

Pi Chapter Polk State College Winter Haven Florida

Theme

Play it Forward

ABSTRACT

Xi Pi read the Honors Program Guide in May, identifying which Honors Study Topic theme would create the most significant communal impact. After conducting extensive research about the effect of Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs), specifically Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), on players' mental health, our investigation revealed a correlation between our Honors Study Topic (HST) and D&D’s positive psychological effects on players. Many articles addressed TTRPGs’ therapeutic potential by enhancing stress relief and social connections. During challenging periods, like the pandemic lockdown, playing D&D provided communal interaction, creating a haven from stress and anxiety. Our research also revealed that TTRPG engagement could significantly mitigate mental health issues, leading to additional long-term social well-being benefits. To verify these assertions, we distributed a digital survey throughout the college and community, assessing the mental health of players and non-players during the pandemic. We also discovered increased interest in playing D&D; however, most people did not know how or where to start. We collaborated with community partners to create a tailored guidebook for D&D beginners,

particularly highlighting the mental, social, and societal benefits. We aimed to ensure that every individual could engage in TTRPGs, enhancing their long-term mental health and social well-being.

OBJECTIVES

Discovering that several chapter members play D&D regularly sparked a conversation about why people play TTRPGs. Once we established our project’s HST theme, our research focused on this subject, particularly D&D's interactive and communal nature. As campus and community leaders, we felt responsible for increasing awareness about any positive mental and social benefits that playing TTRPGs could provide. Our primary research objective was uncovering recently published articles about the relationship between D&D and player mental health and social engagement, especially during the pandemic. Our secondary research objective was to investigate the mechanisms that all TTRPGs use to provide these benefits and to see if positive results could

be regularly achieved. Our third research objective examined any drawbacks that may exist due to playing D&D regularly.

Our research recognizes the significant mental health benefits of playing TTRPGs. Adams’ data particularly illustrates how D&D can fulfill social needs and provide a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie, valuable commodities during heightened stress. The social interaction from playing TTRPGs was paramount to players maintaining a positive outlook during COVID-19. Additionally, players can, consciously or unconsciously, utilize gameplay to problem-solve, working through various emotions over time. Inspired by these findings, we sought to make TTRPGs more accessible, providing a supportive and engaging environment for individuals to improve their mental well-being.

Our primary action objective sought to enhance community mental health through play activities.

Figure 1

With many expressing an interest in D&D but unsure how to begin, we created a comprehensive digital TTRPG guide. This resource includes how and where to find game groups, personal stories from players, and the benefits of playing. We sought to provide a creative and engaging outlet while fostering community engagement, particularly for those still impacted by COVID19’s isolating effects. This guide includes local businesses working with us and offers discounts and introductory game sessions for those beginning their D&D journey.

Our secondary action objective occurred during our research phase. We developed a survey about the pandemic’s impact on the mental health of TTRPG players compared to non-players. We aimed to gather comprehensive, authentic data to reinforce our primary action component. We circulated this survey among college students, community members, and faculty during two campus events, each lasting five hours. We also distributed the surveys digitally via QR code through local businesses to increase our number of respondents (Figure 1).

Our actions required partnerships with those who shared our goals. Our primary collaboration objective was to enlist local businesses, especially game and comic stores, known D&D groups/ players, and PSC’s Traditional Gaming Club. Our secondary (and consummate) collaboration objective is partnering with significant members of the D&D community to amplify this project's outreach. While anyone can create and distribute D&D materials, popular influencers often hold more sway than major corporations or media outlets. By developing relationships with multiple D&D influencers, we can increase our project’s credibility and connect to audiences worldwide.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Initially, we familiarized ourselves with the HST guidebook. After each team member read it thoroughly, we collectively voted on our top three themes. Subsequently reading those three aloud together, we voted again, picking our chosen theme. Preliminary research efforts centered on D&D and TTRPGs in general, noting articles that address their effect on players’ mental health compared to non-players. This initial research involved seven team members providing two articles each. Professor Cornett, our advisor,

instructed us to utilize only peer-reviewed research papers, books, and government reports. With COVID-19’s lockdown long past, its toll on our community’s mental health was becoming more apparent. Our research became more imperative as COVID-19’s infection rates rose steadily throughout the fall. We expanded our research focus to include how playing TTRPGs could combat isolation and loneliness and serve as a coping mechanism or therapeutic tool. Our research questions evolved into:

• How do TTRPGs, like D&D, influence players' mental health and social well-being?

• What specific gameplay elements in TTRPGs contribute to the psychological benefits of players, and how can these elements be effectively utilized in community initiatives to support mental health and social interaction?

As our project's scale increased, we realized we were underprepared for research on this scale. We completed PTK’s Research Edge to combat this, mainly focusing on the HIA portions. We also collaborated with Jarrod Jones, Polk State College (PSC) librarian and database specialist. He developed an academic research webinar to ensure our team knew what databases were available and how to find credible academic sources. Being a niche subject, academically supported articles about D&D, particularly its relationship with mental health, were uncommon. Therefore, our team researched the effect of other TTRPGs and therapeutic role-playing on mental health and social engagement. To increase effectiveness, each team member was assigned a particular subject area concerning D&D. We compiled relevant peer-reviewed research, creating a small library of 35 articles. These articles’ citations were APA formatted for easier accessibility and sorted by topic into Google Drive folders. Over eight weeks, we read articles covering one subject area weekly, discussed this research in online meetings, and then voted on which articles provided the biggest impact. Initially whittling the articles to 18, subsequent meetings narrowed our featured articles to eight.

CONCLUSIONS

Researchers from Smith College found that D&D can provide an emotional buffer between the player and past traumas, allowing them to accept previous experiences in a controlled, safe environment.

Gutierrez highlighted concerns that D&D could potentially induce mental breaks in those already struggling to accept reality. While acknowledging these concerns, they rarely occur, and D&D typically benefits the player's mental health significantly without issue. O’Reilly uncovered that the D&D’s vicarious nature allows individuals to experiment with different social roles, lowers anxiety, and improves self-esteem, particularly in those with issues expressing themselves socially. Combining these findings with several studies detailing the short- and long-term consequences from COVID19’s lockdown, including increased anxiety and depression, we focused on the posited therapeutic effects of TTRPGs. Our research also exposed common misconceptions associated with playing D&D and the public’s general lack of awareness about its benefits. This scarcity of information and available resources formed the basis of our action component.

ACTION

Our project team met with Dr. Falconetti and her President’s staff (upper-level administrators) to discuss our project's direction after our initial academic investigation. We presented our analysis over several discussions, with each member presenting what their academic research uncovered. After approving our project’s action component, she asked that we collaborate with Tamara Sakagawa (Associate VP, Office of Communications and Public Affairs), who supervises all press, media, and PSC branding. This significantly increased our credibility when contacting local business owners.

We approached Coliseum of Comics, Cool Stuff Games, and Gods & Monsters, all local comic/ game shops, to promote our survey. Their interest peaked after explaining how peer-reviewed research supports our efforts. They provided feedback and constructive criticism during the guide creation process. Once completed, they happily agreed to serve as distributors via QR code and provided a 10% discount to anyone who purchased D&D materials if they mentioned the guide. Collaboration with these businesses and gamers supports our local efforts and our push for a national audience as the guide circulates.

In addition to our local partnerships, we contacted the representatives of several D&D influencers,

including actors Joe Manganiello (who runs a D&D game for celebrity players), Deborah Ann Woll, Kevin Smith, guitarist Tom Morello, and Matthew Mercer, founder of the web/comic/TTRPG Critical Role. All are intimately connected to D&D, have played for decades, and have developed official game modules/adventures. A partnership with any of these prominent individuals connected to Wizards of the Coast’s management (D&D’s publisher) would greatly impact our project by establishing considerable credibility and increasing networking opportunities within the greater D&D community.

Our ultimate goal is to gain approval and publication from Wizards, enabling us to positively impact our community and the global population. By sharing the mental and social benefits that D&D provides, we can also end the persistent stigma that D&D encourages negative behavior and instead showcase its positive social connections, joyful experiences, and collaborative, communal play.

IMPACT

Our survey was taken by 65 people: 28 TTRPG players and 37 non-players. All results indicate that TTRPG players not only have a more positive mental health outlook due to playing TTRPGs during the pandemic but a generally more positive perspective on life. The first six questions were given before asking if the person played TTRPGs.

A “no” response to question seven triggered the survey’s end. For questions 1-2, TTRPG players performed marginally better than non-players (under 2%). However, for questions 3-6 (table 1a), TTRPG players performed much better than nonplayers, reporting a 4.18% decrease in feeling a burden to others, 7.69% decrease in feeling a motivation loss, 7.47% decrease in feeling helpless, and a whopping 12.47% decrease in feeling sad or withdrawn. These data show that TTRPG players generally live happier lives than non-players, even during an international pandemic.

A “yes” response elicited four new questions. Questions three through six asked players about their mental health, specifically about playing TTRPGs during the pandemic (Figure 1). Two were only marginally better than their prior answers, 2.86% and 0.71%, concerning whether playing

TTRPGs made players feel more motivated or less of a burden, respectively. However, increases of 17.14% and 11.43% were reported when TTRPG players were asked about whether playing made them feel less sad or lonely and less helpless. This clearly demonstrates that TTRPGs have a profound positive effect on player mental health.

Our chapter members’ desire to grow as scholars and leaders was prevalent throughout all project stages. We developed two Edge series workshops, emphasizing Competitive Edge’s lessons in leadership development and Research Edge’s importance in honing research skills. Ten members completed both programs. Our team’s desire to continue developing our research skills culminated in PSC librarian Jarrod Jones’ research workshop. Buoyed by our newfound knowledge, seven members completed 21 Transfer, Employment, and Healthcare Edge programs despite not being a project requirement. All told, 122 badges were earned, further increasing our skill sets.

Through intentional research, our team became acutely aware of the pandemic’s short- and longterm impacts on mental health. Our project’s action component helped develop our team’s communication skills by contacting the TTRPG community, including multiple local business owners and PSC administration. All aspects of our project have impacted the lives of chapter members, fellow students, and community leaders (Figure 2). Several members began playing D&D due to our research, which increased their motivation to improve their mental health. We believe our efforts to highlight TTRPGs as an outlet for self-care through social connection and mental well-being will result in more play! Now…roll for initiative!

RESOURCES

Adams, A. S. (2013). Needs met through roleplaying games: A fantasy theme analysis of Dungeons & Dragons. Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research, 12(6), 69–86. https://doi.org/10.1525/ qcr.2013.2.2

Adams’ study explores how D&D’s gameplay elements fulfill players’ social interaction, cognitive development, and moral engagement needs. Adams highlights how playing potentially impacts

players’ real lives by addressing their various social needs through its immersive and interactive roleplaying framework.

Baker, I. S., Turner, I. J., & Kotera, Y. (2022). Roleplay games (RPGs) for mental health (why not?): Roll for initiative. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 21(6), 3901–3909. https:// doi.org/10.1007/s11469-022-00832-y

This study comprehensively explores the mental health benefits and therapeutic potential of RPGs like D&D, highlighting the enhancement of social skills, particularly empathy and creativity. This paper provided a solid foundation for understanding RPGs’ role in mental health and social dynamics.

Daniau, S. (2016). The transformative potential of role-playing games: From play skills to human skills. Simulation & Gaming, 47(4), 423–444. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878116650765

Daniau delves into RPGs' capacity to facilitate personal growth and identity exploration,

Figure 2

emphasizing the unique space created by playing in an imaginative world. Most importantly, the author states that RPGs allow players to explore their identities without fear of being judged.

DeRenard, L. A., & Kline, L. M. (1990). Alienation and the game Dungeons and Dragons. Psychological Reports, 66(3), 1219–1222. https://doi. org/10.2466/pr0.1990.66.3c.1219

Despite being from 1990, DeRenard and Kline’s points remain valid. Written during a period when D&D was bombarded with ludicrous accusations, such as the “satanic panic,” this article sheds light on legitimate issues within D&D. The authors showcase how D&D can be a double-edged sword, creating an outlet for players within its community while increasing players’ alienation towards non-players.

Fegert, J. M., Vitiello, B., Plener, P. L., & Clemens, V. (2020). Challenges and burden of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for child and adolescent mental health: A narrative review to highlight clinical and research needs in the acute phase and the long return to normality. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 14(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/ s13034-020-00329-3

This article addresses the long- and short-term effects of pandemic-related quarantines on the mental health of children and parents. Post-COVID stressors are found more frequently in those predisposed to disabilities. The consequences of limited social interaction and in-person education could potentially trigger mental health issues.

Gutierrez, R. (2017). Therapy & dragons: A look into the possible applications of table top role playing games in therapy with adolescents [Masters thesis, California State University]. CSUSB ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/ etd/527

Gutierrez delves into using TTRPGs in therapy with adolescents, highlighting TTRPGs' ability to engage clients, foster social and emotional development, and provide a safe environment for exploring personal issues. He emphasizes how these games’ customizable nature allows players to engage regardless of issue. Gutierrez discusses using TTRPGs to help those with loose grips on reality and the risks of potentially suffering derealization episodes.

Henrich, S., & Worthington, R. (2021). Let your clients fight dragons: A rapid evidence assessment regarding the therapeutic utility of ‘Dungeons & Dragons.’ Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 18(3), 383–401. doi:10.1080/15401383.2021.19 87367

This article expands on the potential use of D&D as play therapy. By facilitating a creative and collaborative play environment, D&D emerges as a medium for play in social connections. It emphasizes D&D’s increased social interaction as a mental health benefit, particularly during the pandemic.

O'Reilly, K. (2023). Coping through dungeon crawls: Relationships between Dungeons & Dragons and coping with anxieties and depression [Bachelor of Arts Honours Psychology thesis, National College of Ireland]. National College of Ireland Repository. https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/6718

O’Reilly reveals a notable link between D&D and lower anxiety levels. D&D’s interactive play world establishes a supportive environment conducive to player relaxation. This study also elucidates that playing D&D can allow individuals to express themselves and experiment freely with social roles, often ones vastly different from their real-world identity.

Play for Play's Sake: How Playing for Fun is Needed for All Ages Including College Students!

Alpha Epsilon Pi Chapter

Raritan Valley Community College

North Branch Campus

Branchburg, New Jersey

Theme

Systems of Play

ABSTRACT

Theme 3, Systems of Play, of the 2022/2023 Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play,” shaped our research and project. We sought to understand how different population identities may impact the accessibility and nature of play experiences. Our team found conclusive evidence that play benefits a healthy lifestyle and neurological development. We wanted to see how this affected the college student population and proposed the research question: “How do college students play, and how do they benefit from play?” We found extensive research supporting how structured play on college campuses improves academic performance, comprised of campus-involvement activities like athletics, student-led organizations, and extracurricular activities. We found conclusive data reinforcing how unstructured play for children is critical for their growth and development. However, we could not identify research on the play college students engage in and how unstructured play benefits them. This ‘Play-for-Play’s-Sake’ is critical yet not prioritized as we age. Our organization wanted to bring unstructured play to our community college campus by hosting a semester-long campaign to bring ‘Play-for-Play’s-Sake’ to our population and research how our student population experiences play. When we thought about college play, we thought of stereotypes

from college movies. We investigated by analyzing popular college movies with a media code, finding instances of play to understand how the media portrays college play. We then surveyed our college population to understand if the stereotypical narrative delivered by mass media accurately represents our student body, submitting our findings to an undergraduate research conference. During our campaign, our students got to learn about and experience the benefits of unstructured play through multiple environments and activities.

OBJECTIVES

• Examine 18-24 scholarly sources that provide diverse perspectives regarding play across various contexts to inspire our project.

• Organize research sources into the following groups: benefits of play, college student structured play, adult unstructured play, and cultivation of media messages.

• Understanding limitations community college students have around play.

• Intentionally discuss and compare sources to form conclusions on different aspects of play for college students allowing us to determine what actions we should take.

• Understand how media portrayals of students differ from actual student play.

Based on our research conclusions, our action objective was to understand how college students play, facilitate unstructured play on our campus, and educate the community about the benefits of play. The chapter partnered with Student Life, Student Government, the science department, and a communication professor to achieve our objectives. The first two groups ensured our actions were connected to the student body and provided training and funding. We approached the science department after learning they were hosting a ‘Little Scientist Night’ to collaborate on an exhibit about the science of play (Figure 1). With support from these groups, we held events as part of our ‘Play-for-Play’s-Sake’ campaign to bring play activities to our student body. Finally, the communication professor taught us the most effective and ethical ways to produce surveys and helped us write the code for our media analysis to make our research significant and conclusive. We surveyed our peers about play to understand their perspectives and actions surrounding play behaviors. Our team presented our findings by

hosting an event on campus and submitting a conference proposal. We educated the college population and will inform the scholarly community about play.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

Each team member read a different book about play and shared what they learned. After completing this initial step, we identified the book Play by Stuart Brown as an instrumental source. Our team then researched the benefits of play for various populations, including hospitalized or underprivileged children. While we found various sources outlining the benefits of play for these populations, specifically in cognitive development, we also identified that we did not have access to these populations. Since Brown’s book identified the numerous benefits of play across ages, we focused on young adults. Asking the question “How do college students play and how do they benefit from play?”, we explored research that addressed how this population may experience play differently.

CONCLUSIONS

We arrived at several conclusions:

• Play can be defined as structured vs. unstructured play. Structured involves rules and regulations, such as varsity sports or student organizations/clubs. Unstructured play would be more self-directed or exploratory.

• We found that most research addressing college student play concentrated on structured play. Further, we found a lack of research addressing unstructured play in college students.

• College students involved in organized extracurriculars experienced higher academic achievements, greater college involvement, and improved mental health.

• Adults embrace more structured play patterns potentially because of the embarrassment related to the concept of Play-forPlay’s-Sake.

• Communication chains can influence the stereotypes communicated within popular movies, further cultivating perceptions ofthe correct form of play for people in your age group.

These conclusions helped us create our action, which was the ‘Play-for-Play’s-Sake’ campaign.

ACTION

Theme 3 of “The Art and Science of Play” inspired us to create a campaign of unstructured play and conduct research about college students’ play. Our team hosted a ‘Human Bingo’ game at our involvement fair, designed for students to get to know each other. We held a ‘Day of Play’ where students could use school-provided equipment, such as cornhole and Spike-ball. Both events were designed to give students a stress-free fun experience while promoting the benefits of ‘Play-for-Play's-Sake.’ The team hosted an exhibit at ‘Little Scientist Night,’ which was an event promoting STEM for children. Working with the science department resulted in our exhibit being one of the largest and most well-attended. It focused on the science behind play, which helped promote the idea that play can be beneficial for children and adults even if it does not have a distinct purpose.

Our member volunteers got to explore the benefits of unstructured play while facilitating our exhibit. We planned a free Six Flags trip for students, to provide a unique opportunity to participate in unstructured play. Unfortunately, the trip was canceled due to last-minute operating hours changes. To learn about society’s perceptions of college student play, our team collaborated with a communication professor to conduct a media analysis, reviewing films from a list on the website Stacker titled “45 of the Best College Movies.” To design a code for content analysis, we identified 13 patterns of play, each with subcategories, such as athletics and illicit forms of play. To ensure intercoder reliability, coders were trained, and each film was coded at least twice by different coders. As a result of our content analysis, we concluded that popular media often portrays negative stereotypes about the ways that college students play, including binge drinking and illicit play.

To share our findings, we hosted a ‘Popcorn Pop-Up’ event on campus where we handed out flyers with our research attached to bags of popcorn. Using an IRB-approved survey that the communication professor assisted us with, we then surveyed our students about how they participate in play to compare those results to our media analysis. The results of the survey demonstrated that our students had significantly different play experiences than what the media portrays. Our research was submitted

and accepted at an Eastern Communication Association conference, and we will be sharing our findings with a much wider audience, primarily professionals in the communication field. While executing multiple projects, we worked closely with Student Government and Student Life, who were instrumental in approving budget requests, finding locations for events, and providing guidance throughout the logistics of event planning.

IMPACT

Our chapter implemented several activities on campus to shift the perception of play for students, with an emphasis on ‘Play-forPlay’sSake.’ Quantitatively, event participation varied greatly. For ‘Human Bingo,’ we distributed over 100 boards to students. The ‘Day of Play’ had 7 total participants, which was limited by oncampus construction. Nevertheless, participants were pleased with the event and expressed that they had fun, which was the intention. One student said, “I really enjoyed playing cornhole with my friends. I didn’t know the school had any of this equipment.” Organizing this event, we helped Student Life catalog the equipment and created a streamlined process for reservations, making the equipment accessible on campus. Our exhibit at ‘Little Scientist Night’ was visited by over 150 community members. 75 volunteers helped operate the event, many of whom were PTK members. This event was not only successful in giving children the opportunity to play, but the adult volunteers as well. While the Six Flags trip was canceled due to circumstances beyond our control, the initial response brought in over

Figure 1

60 interested students in less than two days. At signup, these students were provided our research findings. For the ‘Popcorn PopUp’ event, our team handed out our findings to over 150 students and received a total of 106 responses to our survey. To encourage students to play, we handed out sensory toys. The students were excited, one saying that her “day was made” by the toys.

Our anonymous survey collected 106 responses, providing valuable quantitative data on the play habits and perceptions of college students. 91% of students surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that participating in play or recreational activities has a positive impact on their overall college experience. Our research showed that students have a narrow concept of play, often not considering their leisure actions as play. Many respondents answered that they do not play, do not have time, or playing is not a priority. Through this data, our students clearly value play but do not engage in it often. This is a concerning attitude and is emblematic of the wider message that many students receive, that work comes before everything else, and play is often seen as childish or embarrassing. One of our students said in our survey, "We feel a shame in play or taking time for ourselves.” Our results mirror the lack of discussion in society and insufficient research on play for adults.

The projects successfully influenced the perception of play not only for students but the college administration, as we defended and argued each project, expanding their understanding of the importance and longstanding stigma that only children play. Our project effectively raised awareness among all college participants about the importance of play, encouraging them to reconsider their definitions and become more involved. Qualitative data highlighted the feelings of shame associated with play and showed that the project challenged stereotypes and encouraged a healthier view of leisure. Members had the opportunity to explore play, changing their perception of play for adults, and had unique opportunities to interact with administration and students. Students improved their leadership skills, learned to communicate with a variety of constituencies, and gained invaluable research experience. Through trial and

error, members of the chapter developed as social scientists and individuals.

RESOURCES

Bar nett, L. (2011). How do playful people play? Gendered and racial leisure perspectives, motives, and preferences of college students. Leisure Sciences, 33(5), 382–401. https://doi.or g/10.1080/01490400.2011.606777

This article undertook a study about college students’ use of leisure time to fill a gap in the literature on adult playfulness. The results indicated that students with lower playfulness scores were less likely to find ways to entertain themselves and less likely to be aware of leisure opportunities. This is connected to conclusions 1, 2, and 3. As it is difficult to know which students are more naturally playful, we decided to provide activities for all students to play on campus.

Brown, S. L., & Vaughan, C. C. (2010). Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul. Scribe.

This book launched the rest of our research and led us to conclusion 1. It provided a thorough understanding of play as a system of learning and the ways in which it develops our cognitive functions and understanding of the world around us. Play is also crucial to human happiness, and its importance spans from infancy to adulthood. This source describes multiple forms of play, from organized games to imaginative activities, which inspired us to delve further into structured and unstructured play for college students.

Deterding, S. (2018). Alibis for adult play: A Goffmanian account of escaping embarrassment in adult play. Games and Culture, 13(3), 215–321. https://doi. org/10.1177/1555412017721086

This article examines how embarrassment might stop adults from engaging in play. The author states, “The social meanings of play sit at odds with norms of responsible and productive adult conduct. To be ‘caught’ playing as an adult therefore risks embarrassment.” Adults must frame their play as purposeful to avoid feeling embarrassed by their behavior. This finding

led us to conclusion 4. It also connected to our understanding of why college students might not want to admit that they play and why there may be a research gap, inspiring our further study of college student play.

Gerbner, G. (1998). Cultivation analysis: An overview. Mass Communication & Society, 1(24), 175–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/1520543 6.1998.9677855

Based on our collaboration with a communication professor, we explored how media messages influence our attitudes and beliefs about certain ideas, in this case, the idea of play in college students, which led us to conclusion 5. This foundational article explores the methodology of cultivation research. This helped us understand how to conduct an analysis of media portrayals of “play” specifically for college students. The cultivation hypothesis grounded our content analysis research on how themes present in the media influence the attitudes held within our society.

Henricks, T. S. (2014). Play as self-realization: Toward a general theory of play. American Journal of Play, 6(2), 190–213. https://files. eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1023798.pdf

This article broadened our understanding of what play is and the many theories of play that have been proposed. One area addressed was the idea that play is hard to define and that benefits have been found for a variety of types of play, including structured (ritualistic or rule-bound) and unstructured (spontaneous or improvisational). This inspired us to research how college students use these patterns of play in their own lives, leading to our awareness of a research gap and to conclusions 1 and 2.

Kulp, A. M., Pascale, A. B., & Grandstaff, M. (2019). Types of extracurricular campus activities and first-year students’ academic success. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 23(3), 747–767. https://doi. org/10.1177/1521025119876249

This article highlights the importance of college students getting involved in extracurriculars and

other college-sponsored activities and how that is directly correlated to higher GPAs, persistence, and retention. This source contributed to our understanding of the importance of structured play but also further indicated the lack of research on unstructured play for students, connecting to conclusions 2 and 3.

Lyons, A., & Kashima, Y. (2003). How are stereotypes maintained through communication? The influence of stereotype sharedness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(6), 989–1005. https://doi. org/10.1037/0022-3514.85.6.989

This article explores how communication chains influence the maintenance of stereotypes, leading to conclusion 5. Researchers found that the shared nature of stereotypes led to their persistence. Understanding how communication chains influence this pattern inspired us to explore the media’s portrayal of play among college students. We conducted a content analysis of films that depict college students, coding for various play examples.

Schiller, K. R. (2020). “I think adults play by spending time with their friends and by participating in leisure activities”: How college students conceive of, and experience play in their everyday lives [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign.

This dissertation was the only academic research we found that directly addressed college students' perceptions of play. It found that the participants in their study believed that “adult play is structured and organized while children’s play is more unstructured.” This finding inspired us to address the research gap regarding unstructured play in college students. The participants in this study also reported that they do not actually play, supporting why research might not concentrate on play for adults. This source connects with conclusions 2-4.

Heart, Head, and Soul: It's Not Just for Children

Alpha Beta Upsilon Chapter

Redlands Community College

El Reno, Oklahoma

Theme

Nostalgia as Play

ABSTRACT

Play has been well-documented as fundamental to child development, offering myriad benefits from physical, cognitive, and emotional perspectives. The benefits of play do not suddenly stop at the end of childhood, and a growing body of research indicates play is equally as beneficial throughout the lifespan, including older adulthood. These benefits mirror those of childhood. The heart, head, and soul of play for senior adults encompasses the holistic benefits of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social wellbeing.

Heart (Physical Well-being) includes activities designed to contribute to the maintenance or improvement of physical health. These activities focus on mobility, flexibility, and strength. Physical activity boosts energy levels, provides a sense of well-being and physical competence, and may contribute to managing chronic health issues. Head (Cognitive Stimulation) play activities incorporate strategy, memory, and problemsolving, stimulate cognitive function, and can contribute to better memory capacity and cognitive flexibility/adaptability. Play requires concentration and, at times, rule-following, contributing to focus ability and attention span. Soul (Emotional and Social Well-being) in play recognizes the potential for emotional expression through art, music, and dance. It provides a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment and fosters a social connection, an aspect critical to senior adults who may be battling loneliness and lack a sense of belonging. Together, these aspects of adult play provide multidimensional support for

play in adults, particularly senior adults. After examining the Honors Study Topic research question, "What are the benefits of play for senior adults, and how can activities be structured to take advantage of these benefits?" the HIA Project Team partnered with the senior citizens' exercise group, Silver Sneakers. The group has a chapter that uses the Redlands Community College’s fitness facilities. Historically, Silver Sneakers members were engaged only with other members,

OBJECTIVES

Research Component Objectives:

• Use academic, peer-reviewed research materials from both a practitioner and participant perspective.

• Explore a variety of types of play/activity in senior adults and its inherent benefit

• Explore the means of structuring activities to maximize benefit.

Collaboration Objectives:

• Collaborate with the SilverSneakers Program Director to assist with exercise classes and create new opportunities for seniors participating in the program.

Action Objectives:

• Develop a participation schedule to assist in group exercise classes conducted in the fitness center for senior citizens.

• Create handouts, cards, or other graphic devices to promote activity, exercise, and engagement.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

The HIA Project Team originally focused on Honors Study Topic Theme 4: Architecture and Design of Play, as several team members are very active in gaming and eSports. They wanted to explore more about design principles. The focus shifted after two team members were injured playing soccer and had extensive physical therapy. During sessions, they became exposed to other clients, namely older adults, and heard them talking about, “I used to play soccer and tennis…” and “I used to dance every week….”

Those conversations resonated with Theme Six: Nostalgia of Play, and they shifted focus to explore aspects of play and exercise as they relate to senior adults.

Our primary research question was, “What are the benefits of play for senior adults, and how can activities be structured to take advantage of these benefits?”

Beginning with interviews with the Athletic Director, who has licensure as an athletic trainer and extensive experience with geriatric clients, and the Activity Director for Silver Sneakers, a senior fitness program offered on our campus, the HIA Project Team began exploring the overall topic, generally exploring adults and play/activity. The team worked with a research librarian associated with an area medical school to help craft search terms and recommended online databases related to the overall topic. Leveraging the refined research process, a total of 51 peer-reviewed sources, 3 books, and over 20 nonacademic/popular press sources were collected and annotated to guide learning and action.

Key findings by areas included:

Overall, physical play and activity are cited as offering a wide range of health benefits, including but not limited to reduction in disease, increases in cardiovascular/respiratory function, and increases in physical fitness, as well as protecting against cognitive decline, social isolation, and general frailty. Benefits can be divided into Heart, Head, and Soul categories.

Heart (Physical Well-Being)

Physical well-being is enhanced through play in terms of physical health, energy, and, in some instances, pain management or chronic ailment management. Physical activity contributes to the maintenance and improvement of physical health, specifically in areas related to mobility, strength, and flexibility, improving cardiovascular health and reducing risks of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma. Closely related to benefits associated with chronic illness are those associated with the management of chronic pain. Purposeful exercise

can improve range of motion, flexibility, balance, and mindfulness can manage or minimize pain, particularly in cases where chronic pain has limited activity and finding new alternatives. Other “Heart” related benefits are related to energy levels and vitality, allowing seniors, in particular, to feel more physically competent.

Head (Cognitive Stimulation and Agility)

Memory enhancement, focus/attention, and adaptability are all tangible “Mind” benefits. Physical activity and play activity, especially those that require problem-solving, adherence to rules, memory, and sequences of activity, all provide cognitive stimulation. In using the body to exercise the mind, mental faculties can be maintained or improved, and research has mitigated age-related and dementiarelated cognitive impairment. Mental agility is a desired quality at all ages, particularly in geriatric demographics, and learning new games, activities, yoga moves, dances, and sports assists in that mental agility and adaptability. Soul (Emotional and Social Well-Being)

Loneliness and social isolation are documented as being significant issues associated with aging, in part due to perceptions of diminished self-worth post-retirement, geographic distances from family, and, unfortunately, the mortality of one’s peer group. Play of all types enhances engagement. For example, social engagement is facilitated in group activities in which seniors are able to have shared experiences, combat loneliness, and build

new relationships outside of traditional outlets of family and church. At the same time, even individual activities such as Wordle or the daily crossword and comparing results with others also promote engagement. In a similar vein, social media has socioemotional and connectivity benefits.

Play, particularly physical activity, has documented benefits for senior adults with respect to physical well-being, cognitive stimulation and agility, and emotional and social well-being. Finally, research literature supports the notion of intergenerational activities as a way to foster mutual understanding, eliminate or mitigate stereotypes, and promote empathy. These interactions allow for a supportive environment and strengthen both the individual demographics and the overarching community.

CONCLUSIONS

Research from Smith College found that Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) can provide an emotional buffer between the player and past traumas, allowing them to accept previous experiences in a controlled, safe environment. Gutierrez highlighted concerns that D&D could potentially induce mental breaks in those already struggling to accept reality. While acknowledging these concerns, they rarely occur, and D&D normally benefits the player's mental health significantly without issue. O’Reilly uncovered that the D&D’s vicarious nature allows individuals to experiment with different social roles, lowers anxiety, and improves self-esteem, particularly in those with issues expressing themselves socially. Combining these findings with several studies detailing the short- and long-term consequences of COVID-19’s lockdown, including increased anxiety and depression, we focused on the posited therapeutic effects of TTRPGs. Our research also exposed common misconceptions associated with playing D&D and the public’s general lack of awareness about its beneficial aspects. This scarcity of information and available resources formed the basis of our action component.

ACTION

The Project Team recognized the integrated benefit to Heart, Head, and Soul and wanted an action project that could encompass all

Figure 1

three areas. Our campus fitness center is one of approximately 15000 locations participating in the Silver Sneakers program, a fitness initiative targeting Medicare and Medicare Advantage patrons, and with this program already available to community members, they wanted to leverage scheduled access to seniors. Our primary collaborators for this action project were the Director of Fitness For Life at the College and the Athletic Director, both of whom provided first-hand information on the types of exercise available at the center for SilverSneakers participants, safety issues associated with the demographic group, and scheduling information. The AD also provided training on the use of the AED located in the Fitness Center.

Team members developed a schedule in which they would volunteer to serve as fitness aides during the classes and provide supplemental support during formal activities. They attended at least two sessions per week and assisted with chair yoga, adaptive aerobics, weight training, and other more formalized activities. They suggested integrating other activities with both a physical and social component, including cornhole, ring toss, and darts, as well as those with a mental agility component such as charades and dance. Among the most popular activities were dance days, in which team members taught SilverSneakers line dances such as Cha Cha Slide see attached document), Macarena, and Copperhead Road, and the seniors taught the team members polka, Charleston, and swing dancing.

Members used graphic design and public domain materials to create Fitness Cards (Figure 1), which highlighted specific exercises or movements associated with low-impact activities, nutrition hints, and a list of senior discounts in the area. These cards/handouts are available for all SilverSneakers members and have been good reminders.

Ultimately, the project worked to connect seniors and students with respect to HEART, HEAD, and SOUL. Both groups exercised together and encouraged each other's progress, the new faces motivated the seniors, and being able to teach and lead classes enhanced confidence and leadership for members. From a heart

PART A

The Cha Cha Slide

LYRICS

1. It’s time to get funky

2. Clap your hands

3. To the left,

4. Take it back now ya’ll

5. 1 hop this time,

Right foot let’s stomp,

Left foot let’s stomp,

8. Cha Cha real smooth

PART B

9. Turn it out,

10. To the right now

11. Slide to the left,

12. Slide to the right

13. Crisscross

14. Let’s go to work

PART C

15. Hands on your knees

16. Freeze, 17. How low can you go?

18. Can you bring it to the top?

19. Reverse, Reverse

20. Charlie Brown

DANCE MOVES

1. Move on your own (some funky dance move)

2. Clap your hands in time with the music

3. Grapevine Left with Touch

• 1-2: Step left to left side, cross right behind left

• 3-4: Step left to left side, touch right beside left

4. Stroll Back with Touch

• 1-2: Step back right, step back left

• 3-4: Step back right, touch left beside right

5. Hop forward with both feet

6. With weight on left, stomp right foot forward

7. With weight on right, stomp left foot forward

8. Jazz Box with Attitude

a. 1-2: cross left over right, step back right

b. 3-4: step left to left side, step forward right to meet left

9. 360 degree spin

10. Repeat #2 but starting with right

11. Step with the left and slide right into meet left

12. Step with the right and slide left into meet right

13. Jump feet apart, jump feet together crossing right over left (on beats)

14. 360 degree spin

15. Knock-knees together, criss-crossing hands over knees

16. Strike a pose and freeze

17. Twist down as low as you can go

18. Raise arms waving to the beat

19. Moonwalk for 3 steps

20. Charlie Brown:

• 1-2: Jump forward with both feet with head turned to the right

• 3-4: Jump backward with both feet with head turned to the left

• Repeat (4x total)

2

perspective, members worked with physical activity and more traditional exercises, with some leisure-type activities added into the mix. From a head perspective, they worked on learning sequenced activities, which worked on memory and focus and shared learning. Finally, from a soul perspective, the project allowed a connection between the two groups and was viewed positively in combatting isolation and loneliness, which is typical in both demographic groups.

IMPACT

QUALITATIVE:

Chapter members who participated in this project gained a better understanding of and lack of validity in generational stereotypes. Namely, chapter members changed their perception that seniors are frail, inactive, and unwilling to learn new things, and seniors changed perceptions about college-aged students being self-absorbed and technology-bound. Together, they found a lot of commonalities and developed an adoptive grandparent/grandchild relationship in many ways, as evidenced by weekly check-ins from both sides (students texted seniors about errands or

Figure

general encouragement, and seniors contacted students regarding exams and academic stress). Relatedly, seniors began attending more events at the College, including soccer and basketball games, and PTK game nights.

QUANTITATIVE

:

• The partnership with Silver Sneakers was a driving force in increasing participation from 15 to 30 among current members, and participation increased to an average of two sessions per week. The project was credited with increasing membership overall by seven individuals, most of whom were invited by an existing member.

• A total of 37 members assisted with at least two sessions throughout the project lifespan, with 12 members attending at least two sessions per week, allowing an almost 1:1 ratio.

• Chapter members were invited to attend SilverSneakers field trips, and 22 members accompanied the group on one or more outings, including meals, museums, and a movie night at the local theater.

• Forty sets of activity cards were distributed, and additional sets are available for SilverSneakers to distribute to new and prospective members.

• Twelve senior members attended at least two college activities: PTK game night, athletic events, legislative breakfasts, etc.

• Two SilverSneakers members donated funds for student meals during PTK travel and made donations to the college food pantry.

RESOURCES

An, H.-Y., Chen, W., Wang, C.-W., Yang, H.F., Huang, W.-T., & Fan, S.-Y. (2020). The relationship between physical activity and life satisfaction and happiness among young, middle-aged, and older adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(13), 4817. DOI: 10.3390/ ijerph17134817

Subjective well-being, including both cognitive and affective components, is an important issue in overall physical health. This resource provided an overview of age demographic differences with respect to activity/satisfaction and offered a framework for considering emotional competence

issues associated with exercise. It connected with our investigation into HEARTand HEAD.

Har|da, K. (2022, October). Effectiveness, moderators and mediators of self-regulation intervention on older adults' exercise behavior. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 29(5), 659-675. DOI: 10.1007/ s12529-021-10049-3

Self-regulation intervention, combined with group environments, can promote exercise in older adults. The study focuses on the emotional aspects/benefits of exercise in seniors and their willingness to participate regularly when provided a safe and social environment. The emotional benefits of exercising in a group setting as opposed to individual workouts were highlighted, touting the socialization aspects along with mutual encouragement. This source provided key insights as to the distinction between solitary workouts and exercise/activity in a group with the ability for social interaction, which increases and maintains vocabulary, memory, and a sense of belonging. It connected with our investigation into HEART and SOUL.

Kell, K. R. (2019, December). Increasing exercise frequency is associated with health and qualityof-life benefits for older adults. Quality of Life Research, 28(12), 3267-3272. DOI: 10.1007/ s11136-019-02264-z

Senior adults in SilverSneakers programs had improved quality-of-life measures by increasing participation, including fewer physically and mentally unhealthy days, and overall improvement in all outcome measures. This was our introduction to the research base associated with SilverSneakers, a program that provides seniors with access to a nationwide network of over 15,000 fitness centers. This source connected with our investigation of HEART, HEAD, and SOUL.

Keya, S., & Prybutok, G. (2021). A quality mobility program reduces elderly social isolation. Activities, Adaptation, and Aging, 45(1), 1426. DOI:10.1080/01924788.2019.1700881

Community programs focusing on physical activity can substantially alleviate social isolation and loneliness in senior adults, particularly when offered in a social environment with professionals monitoring safe and age-appropriate activities. This source provided information on feelings of loneliness and isolation, and the benefits of group-based approaches as an enhancer to more traditional exercise/rehab. It connected with our investigation of SOUL.

Krucoff, C., Carson, K., & Krucoff, M. (2021).

Relax into yoga for seniors: An evidenceinformed update for enhancing yoga practice benefits by reducing risk in a uniquely vulnerable age group. OBM Geriatrics, 5(1), 1-16. DOI:10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101150

Safety principles central to the practice of yoga for seniors are explored, including adaptive environments such as chair yoga and modified poses. Evidence suggests yoga itself may help individuals age with a higher quality of life, including reducing the risk of senescence, age-related disorders, cardiovascular disease, relieving anxiety and depression, and managing pain. This source provided key aspects of adaptive yoga (chair yoga), safety, and adaptive exercise environments that largely provided the framework for activity cards produced during the project. It connects with our examination of HEART and HEAD.

Pinheiro, M. B., Oliveira, J., Bauman, A., Fairhall, N., Kwok, W., & Sherrington, C. (2020). Evidence on physical activity and osteoporosis prevention for people aged 65+ years: A systematic review to inform the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(1), 1-53. DOI: 10.1186/s12966-020-01040-4

This meta-analysis of 59 studies suggests that physical activity interventions improve bone health among older adults, specifically in the areas of osteoporosis, mineral density, spinal health, and flexibility. Significant gains were realized by individuals engaged in physical activity 2-3x/week for 7+ months. Resistance exercises were particularly effective. This source provided multiple evidences and overall

recommendations for the benefits of senior fitness activities, including metrics for maximum/ ideal gain. It connected with our study of HEART, HEAD, and SOUL.

Sala, G., Jobb, D., Gobet, F., Ogawa, M., Ishioka, Y., Masul, Y., Inagaki, J., Nakagawa, T., Yasumoto, S., Ishizaki, T., Arai, Y., Ikebe, K., Kei, K., & Gondo, Y. (2019, November). The impact of leisure activities on older adults' cognitive function, physical function, and mental health. PLOS ONE, 14(11), 1-13.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225006

Engagement in leisure activities assists adults in preserving cognitive function, physical function, and mental health from a correlational perspective. The authors promoted leisure activities not typically considered "exercise" as a means or enhancing functionality in seniors. Included ideas related to cornhole, charades, and other leisure activities that can be replicated outside the SilverSneakers environment. This source connected with our examination of HEART, HEAD, and SOUL.

Seino, S., Kitamura, A., Tomine, Y., Tanaka, I., Nishi, M., Taniguchi, Y., . . . Shinkai, S. (2019). Exercise arrangement is associated with physical and mental health in older adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 51(6), 1146-1153.

Regular physical activity offers a wide range of health benefits, including an increase in life span, a decrease in disease and cardiovascular challenges, an increase in bone density and flexibility, and helps protect against frailty. One of the more comprehensive approaches to the linkage between physical activity and comprehensive health is a focus on exercising with others instead of as a solitary endeavor. This source provided a "laundry list" of benefits but specifically addressed all component areas working in concert to improve quality of life and longevity. It connected with our exploration of HEART, HEAD, and SOUL.

Music: A Pathway to Creativity

Alpha Iota Omicron Chapter

SUNY - Westchester Community College Valhalla, New York

ABSTRACT

When discussing “The Art and Science of Play,” the Alpha Iota Omicron team discovered a shared interest in the benefits of music. Our preliminary research revealed that listening to music is a form of mental play that promotes cognitive exploration and development. We completed the Research Edge program to refine our academic research skills. Following its completion, we reflected on music’s connection to each study topic theme and narrowed our focus to Theme 7: Play It Forward and developed our research question. “How does music, as a form of mental play, catalyze creative thinking?”

Our HIA team gathered 24 sources for review. After coding the research, we chose the eight sources that best answered our question. We then hosted an information session to share the value of academic research with our members and empower them to apply the skills we learned to their research endeavors. Our comprehensive research revealed that music positively impacts divergent thinking, a process closely associated with creativity. Musical elements such as tempo activate cognitive flexibility and creativity. Our goal was to collaborate with our community to create a valuable resource for them designed to ignite their creativity. We recruited the help of community members to collaborate on a public playlist consisting of fast-tempo songs that enhance creativity. This playlist and a concise summary of our research findings were shared through a mass email with our campus community. Through a social media campaign, we informed our community about the multifaceted benefits of music that can catalyze creative

thinking. We organized a creative space event to demonstrate the benefits of music on creativity and successfully provide participants with firsthand experiences of its effects.

OBJECTIVES

After reviewing the Honors Study Topic, the full PTK team met for an HIA boot camp to learn how to develop a research question. The team then established objectives and created a timeline for the project, which included the following:

• Create a shared research journal to track team progress.

• Complete Research Edge.

• Meet with a librarian to learn how to locate appropriate research sources.

• Gather 24 academic sources.

• Develop coding guidelines for a consistent review between members.

• Hold weekly meetings for feedback and updates to ensure objectives are being met.

• Select the final eight sources and complete the annotated bibliography.

• Determine research conclusions.

• Host one information session to update our community on the research and recruit PTK members to help us with the action phase.

After finalizing our research, our team set a weekly meeting and developed objectives and a timeline to provide us with a clear framework for completing our action:

• Formulate an interactive and well-thought-out action plan based on our research findings.

• Identify possible collaborators and their specific contributions.

• Determine the most effective method for sharing our research findings with the community, including passive and interactive approaches.

• Determine an assessment plan for the action phase.

• Execute the communication and action plan.

• Assess and review the efficacy of our action.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

A common interest in music from the HIA team members led to a discussion on music’s

connection to the honors study topic. While music is often regarded as entertainment and a means of improving moods, our team was interested in exploring the additional benefits of music. After preliminary research and discussion, we found that music shares similar cognitive properties with the experience of play in children. Upon examining the study topic of The Art and Science of Play, we concluded that listening to music is a form of mental play that allows adults to engage in similar cognitive exploration as children during their formative years. After completing Research Edge, we reflected on music as play within each of the study topic themes. We chose to focus on theme seven, “Play It Forward,” as it relates to playing catalyzing epiphanies, innovations, and inventions. Consequently, we formulated our research question, “How does music, as a form of mental play, serve as a catalyst for creative thinking?”

After developing our research question, we consulted with a librarian who guided us in identifying reputable and relevant sources. We collaborated with our team to gather 24 sources in total, which provided a wide range of perspectives. We met regularly to discuss coding and methodology and divided the 24 sources among our team. Each member used the agreedupon coding methodology to analyze the research to find common themes and ensure consistency in our research findings. After careful review, we selected the eight best sources.

Listening to music provides adults with similar opportunities to those during childhood for exploration and self-expression by directly enhancing creative thinking and involving cognitive functions like flexibility and inhibitory control. Studies demonstrated a correlation between exposure to music and divergent thinking, a critical skill associated with creativity that involves generating multiple novel ideas upon considering several perspectives. One study, however, stated that creativity requires both convergent and divergent thinking processes and concluded that music only enhances divergent thinking. Despite this, based on the majority of our research findings, we can conclude that while music may not have a positive correlation with convergent thinking, it does have a positive

impact on divergent thinking and, therefore, creativity nonetheless.

CONCLUSIONS

Though some studies show a relationship between mood and creativity, suggesting music helps with stabilizing emotions that contribute to creative thinking, a plethora of studies demonstrated a convincing argument that listening to music enhances creative thinking independently of mood changes. This effect can be attributed to music’s acoustical properties and lyrics that activate cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control. Findings illustrate that fast-tempo music specifically improved idea fluency and flexibility of participants. We concluded that exposure to music enhances creative thinking, independent of its impact on mood. Based on our comprehensive research, there is a clear positive correlation between listening to music as a form of mental play and creative thinking.

ACTION

After researching the benefits of music for creative thinking, we were eager to collaborate with the greater campus community and share our findings. To achieve this, we opted for a comprehensive three-part strategy involving passive and interactive elements to communicate our research findings and provide opportunities for our community to engage in creative thinking aided by music as a form of mental play. We met weekly to execute the elements of our action detailed below successfully.

Based on our research, listening to music directly boosts creativity, and our goal was to provide our community with a resource that would always be available to them. Our first step to accomplish this was to enlist the help of the members of our college community to collaborate with our chapter to gather song recommendations that had personally stimulated their creativity. We wanted to collaborate with members of our

community so that we could include various styles of music to provide the best playlist while increasing community investment in the project. We wanted to create a playlist made by the community for the community that would serve as a resource they could utilize to boost creativity in various settings.

We initiated a story on Instagram featuring a response box for viewers to submit their song suggestions. Gathering all the submissions, we curated a PTK-sponsored public playlist primarily comprising fast-tempo songs known to ignite creative thinking based on our research. This playlist was distributed to the college community in a mass email, accompanied by a summary of our research findings emphasizing the benefits of using music to enhance creative thinking. We aimed to provide students access before final exams and projects when creativity is particularly needed.

The second part of our initiative involved setting up a dedicated creative space stocked with materials for various activities such as drawing, painting, writing, building with Lego, and creating origami. Our research findings concluded that there is a distinct difference in creativity with and without the presence of music. Therefore, we started the event without music. Halfway through the event, we introduced the specially curated playlist as a form of mental play designed to stimulate creativity and provide participants with a firsthand experience of its effects. At the end of the event, participants were asked to complete a short survey created by the HIA team before the event to assess their levels of creativity before and after the music was introduced.

To finalize our action, we created an Instagram story (Figure 1) highlighting the most useful and important aspects of our research findings and incorporating interactive response scales where viewers could drag the bar to indicate how creative they felt with music playing.

IMPACT

Our three-pronged initiative successfully demonstrated the practical application of our research findings and the effective use of music as a tool for boosting creativity. With over 30 people providing songs, we created a public playlist with over two hours of music. That playlist reached 1129 community members. Three active HIA team members collaborated to establish and execute our creative space. The event was a success, with a total of 25 attendees.

Following the event, participants completed a survey assessing the influence of music on their creativity. We asked if participants were more creative or inspired in the second half of the event when music played compared to the first half with no music (Figure 2). 68.4% of participants agreed or strongly agreed, 26.3% remained neutral, and 5.8% disagreed or strongly disagreed. These findings aligned with our research conclusions. After conducting our awareness campaign through our chapter’s Instagram, 69 followers viewed the story, with 12 people actively engaging. Those 12 participants shared that they are 95% more creative when music is playing than when it is not.

Through this project, diverse community members discovered the link between music and creativity, emphasizing its potential to be integrated as a resource in various aspects of our lives. Upon completing our research, our team organized an educational session to share vital research skills. Drawing from our development of research experience after completing the research edge and leading this project, we aimed to educate our fellow community members on these essential skills. Our goal was to demonstrate how they can apply these skills to independently research any topic of interest, thus fostering their growth as scholars and leaders. Beyond our members, our multi-tiered awareness campaign provided community members with vital data on improving their creative thinking using music as a form of mental play.

RESOURCES

Azaryahu, L., Broza, O., Cohen, S., Hershkovitz, S., & Adi-Japha, E. (2023). Development of creative thinking patterns via math and music. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 47, 101196. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.tsc.2022.101196

This study explores creative thinking within mathematics and music. It assesses the efficacy of the MusiMath intervention program in improving students' creative thinking and pattern recognition skills. The results reveal that participants demonstrated superior performance in both areas and suggest that multidisciplinary approaches foster creative thinking and pattern recognition, highlighting the potential for transferability of knowledge. From this study, we learned there is a correlation between the use of music and increased creativity that can be applied beyond mathematics.

Chai, C., Shi, J. & Liao, J. (2020). Creativity performance following exposure to music, "Creativity performance following exposure to music" [Conference Session] 13th International Symposium on Computational Intelligence and Design (ISCID), Hangzhou, China. DOI:10.1109/ ISCID51228.2020.00078

This study suggests that music unlocks designers’ creativity. It specifically explores the effects of music tempo. Tempo influences emotions as it positively correlates with happy or sad feelings. The researchers concluded that fast-tempo music makes people perceive happiness and positive emotions,

which could enhance creativity. This source provides a different perspective that suggests creativity stemming from music is a result of improving mood and not a direct result of listening to music.

Eskine, K. E., Anderson, A. E., Sullivan, M., & Golob, E. (2018). Effects of music listening on creative cognition and semantic memory retrieval. Psychology of Music, 48(3), 030573561881079. DOI: 10.1177/0305735618810792.

This study explores the impact of music on cognitive abilities and creative thinking. The findings suggest that music enhances creative thinking, with improved semantic memory retrieval observed after music listening. However, there was no significant correlation between mood and creative cognition. The research highlights the potential role of music in promoting creative cognition and suggests a connection between music, semantic memory, and creativity. Contrary to other sources, this source illustrates that music can directly impact creativity, independently of mood.

Gebhardt, S., Dammann, I., Loescher K., Wehmeier, P. M.& Vedder, H. (2018). The effects of music therapy on the interaction of the self and emotions—An interim analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 41, 61–66. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.ctim.2018.08.014

This study explains the effect of music on modulating emotions and focuses on mental health disorder patients to determine the impact of music therapy on their emotion modulation. Patients without music therapy vent their negative emotions, whereas those with music therapy have more emotion modulation techniques. Since music engages the brain for creativity to take place, we selected this source because it mentions how helpful music is on emotion modulation which aligns with the idea that mood is connected to enhancing creative thinking.

Landay, K. (2019).Whistle while you work? A review of the effects of music in the workplace. Human Resource Management Review, 29(3), 371-385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2018.06.003.

This study examines the application of activation theory to understand the impact of music on workplace performance and mood. It recognizes

the distinction between music and noise and that music's effects depend on individual differences, task complexity requiring different levels of creativity, and autonomy in music selection. This research demonstrated that different musical properties or styles have different effects on creativity and task outcomes.

Linnavalli, T., Putkinen, V., Lipsanen, J., Houtilainen, M. & Tervaniemi, M. (2018). Music playschool enhances children’s linguistic skills. Scientific Reports, 8, 8767. https://doi.org/10.1038/ s41598-018-27126-5

This study explores how music helps children master linguistic skills faster. To support this notion, the academic research conducted shows that academic scores for a second language rose faster for children who played an instrument compared to non-musician children. Music increases children’s phonological awareness, reading, and naming skills. This research demonstrates that music as a form of play is directly connected to increased learning and creativity in linguistic outcomes.

Vreden, v. M. (2018). Music-inspired free play to foster scientific exploration in early childhood. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 8(1), a560. https://libproxy.sunywcc.edu:3041/ ps/i·do?p=AONE&u=valh24&id=GALE|A5486 172v=2.1&it+r.

This study explores how music can be a fun and effective way to help young children learn. It suggests that music and movement activities allow children to express themselves and develop essential skills. The article encourages teachers to incorporate music into daily offerings, fostering creativity and learning. We selected this study as it emphasizes that children’s natural curiosity can be encouraged to develop their creativity through play and musical exposure. This aligns with additional research that shows a connection between music and creativity.

Xia, T., Sun, Y., An, Y. & Li, L. (2023). The influence of music environment on conceptual design creativity. Front. Psychol. 14:1052257. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.1052257.

This study suggests that creativity includes two measurable cognitive components, such as

divergent and convergent thinking, which can be used to determine creativity. The research concluded that happy music positively impacts divergent thinking but not convergent thinking. According to this research, creative thinking evaluation requires both divergent and convergent thinking. We selected this source because it provided a different perspective from our research and illustrated additional factors needed for music to affect creative thinking.

Citizenship Games: Playing to Win!

Alpha Omicron Chapter

Tyler Junior College

Tyler, Texas

Theme Systems of Play

ABSTRACT

Our chapter reviewed the Honors Program Guide to learn about "The Art and Science of Play" and worked to identify which themes spoke to our chapter's interests. This examination led to the selection of Theme 3: Systems of Play - "In what ways do one's role, identity, and access influence the experience of play." An Honors In Action (HIA) leadership and collaboration team was developed to ensure diverse student, administrator, and community representation. HIA team members completed Research and Competitive Edge training, worked with English professors and library staff to master the art of APA formatting, and trained on interdisciplinary academic research and source analysis within our honors study topic. Our team delved into a scholarly exploration of how play contributes to learning and engagement with others, uncovered issues faced by undocumented students, and learned how citizenship affects academic and social success. Our team engaged all collaboration partners in critically evaluating ways to address problems identified by the research conclusion, and from there, the planning process for the "Citizenship Games – Playing to Win!" event began. We collaborated with the community and campus to identify resources and drafted a detailed project timeline (attached above) to ensure the successful completion of our project.

The "Citizenship Games" event was a dynamic and interactive initiative (photos attached) designed to provide accurate citizenship information, inspire empathy and understanding in current U.S. citizens, and dispel common citizenship myths. We ensured a diverse and inclusive approach by collaborating with community and campus organizations and individuals who had successfully completed the citizenship process. Over fifty countries are represented by

the student body on our campus, and many of those students were eager to join in this project. The event involved the creation of several games that used official USA citizenship test questions, emphasizing education and debunking misconceptions. Students and attendees were surveyed to gauge their awareness of the citizenship process. Results from this event will become part of our SACS accreditation report and will help direct changes in campus services to better inform and assist undocumented students in the future.

OBJECTIVES

Our chapter prepared to conduct in-depth academic research into "The Art and Science of Play" through substantive study of specific Themes. We developed three measurable academic research objectives:

• Organize and strategically develop a diverse HIA leadership team to oversee the intentional and in-depth academic research process, review multiple academic sources with varying viewpoints, and organize the eight most impactful sources into an annotated bibliography. Training should focus on strengthening team member's research and critical thinking skills.

• Explore ways to share research electronically with the team and mentors. Critically review and agree upon final research conclusions that directly lead to specific actions to be taken by the chapter.

• Draft a detailed project timeline with monthly reporting and review dates to asses progress and identify areas of concern. This timeline will keep the project on track and allow the chapter to identify research conclusions, ensuring research remains the cornerstone of our project.

Our research conclusions pushed the team to think critically about ways to dispel citizenship myths and disseminate accurate information to educate citizens and non-citizens alike on current citizenship processes in Texas. According to our research, educating TJC students on the trials, time, and expense of achieving U.S. citizenship would raise empathy and understanding for non-citizens, which indicates that a supportive environment helps mitigate the impact of "Citizenship Games" on students' academic and social success. Directed by our research

conclusions, the team formulated six action and collaboration objectives:

• Intentionally train HIA team members on current citizenship laws and processes, communication skills, survey preparation, logistics, campus services, and understanding of the college mission and goals in preparation for leadership roles, including writing an Honors in Action grant.

• Identify and recruit members from local Hispanic religious and community organizations, trusted citizenship lawyers, and at least five campus and community collaborators willing to provide legal information, guidance in obtaining citizenship, and shared personal experiences. Seek collaboration with organizations able to donate refreshments and incentives to encourage student attendance and engagement in event activities, surveys, and programming. Collaborate with media, administration, campus services, food services, and community providers.

• Explain the research behind planned activities and communication methods so all collaborators understand the value of informed decisions and planning behind specific event activities. Maintain regular communication to keep all collaborators focused on our shared objectives.

• Utilize gamification techniques to encourage student engagement at the campus-wide "Citizenship Games - Playing to Win!" event, designed to educate, inspire, and inform firstgeneration, at-risk, or uninformed students about citizenship processes, facts, and common myths that prevent support and empathy between citizens and non-citizens. Provide prizes for students, faculty, administrators, and community members who successfully answer game questions.

• Collaborate with campus and community student service providers to be on-site to engage students and answer questions. Communicate that all organizations should focus on the importance of service as a life-long endeavor.

• Partner with Institutional Effectiveness to author and distribute a 10-question survey to determine student backgrounds and knowledge gained through the citizenship event. Learn how and why to disaggregate data for internal data review. Prepare and present a final project report to our collaborative partners and college administration.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

After reviewing "The Art and Science of Play" Honors Study Guide, our team identified current events, personal issues, and various viewpoints that pointed to "Theme 3 - Systems of Play" as the overarching Theme to guide our research. Team leaders sought out HIA training at Catalyst, Regional conferences, and District meetings. Leaders were recognized with community scholarships to attend the East Texas Leadership Summit, which focused on citizenship and community issues. Summit speakers provided information on the status of citizenship processing in the U.S. HIA team members prepared by completing Research and Competitive Edge training and worked with English professors and library staff to master the art of APA formatting. Team members learned how to conduct interdisciplinary academic research and source analysis from our college institutional research team. Chapter officers assisted the HIA research team by reviewing additional academic articles, and many provided sources that contributed to our overall literary review. Our in-depth academic research provided significant facts for the chapter to consider when determining what action(s) the project should include. After training and research, participants strengthened their critical thinking skills by investigating the research evidence to determine

the most significant actions to our campus and community. The HIA team hypothesized that an individual's citizenship status significantly impacts social and academic success. After deliberately seeking out various points of view on the citizenship issue, our chapter's research question was defined as "How does citizenship status and access to citizenship resources affect a student's ability to be academically and socially successful in today's world?" With this question in mind, the team reached out to organizations on campus and within the Hispanic community to obtain better insight into the problem.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research conclusions directed a specific plan of action: create a non-threatening and inviting community event designed to increase empathy and support for non-citizens while providing accurate U.S. citizenship information and dispelling common myths and misconceptions about the citizenship process in the United States.

ACTION

Each activity area at the "Citizenship Games" event was intentionally directed by our HIA research, which showed that peer testimonials and shared real-life

Figure 1

Discover Citizenship

Your Path to a New

Beginning

ABOUT

Our Citizenship Information Event aims to foster a greater sense of awareness and empathy within our student community We're here to offer guidance to individuals considering citizenship, ensuring that nobody feels singled out or identified based on their citizenship status

November 15th, 2023 | 10am-2pm

Rogers Student Center, Apache Rooms

JOIN US! CONTACT

US!

PTK Advisor Gigi Delk- gdel@tjc.edu

Empower yourself with knowledge and explore the path to a new beginning at our Citizenship Information Event!

organizations garnered support and helped ensure strong community and campus participation. Going "live" on a local Spanish/English news station was a strategic move to reach a broader audience and maximize public awareness about our event. (Figure 2) Encouraging faculty members to bring their entire classes ensured our event reached a broad student audience. This inclusive approach helped prevent students from feeling singled out as citizens or non-citizens. Faculty participation facilitated ongoing class-wide discussions about citizenship. The collaboration with Monarca, the Hispanic Professional Association, and other civic groups contributed to strong community interest, attendance, and media coverage.

IMPACT

experiences would help attendees become more open and willing to accept information, education, and facts, like those provided by the US Citizenship test question competition. Laughter over some of the more outlandish questions and outdated citizenship myths also opened avenues to discussion. Roundtable discussions with individuals recently going through the citizenship process added a personal touch and allowed attendees to ask questions and get references. In another area, participants were reminded that citizenship issues were not limited to Texas and the U.S. Our research and conversations with representatives from some of the 50+ countries represented at TJC clearly show the global scope of this issue. Cause-and-effect scenarios helped students become more aware of how their community and personal actions affect how citizenship issues are perceived (Figure 1).

Collaboration with local Catholic organizations, our Hispanic community, well-respected attorneys, and student organizations spread awareness, provided accurate legal information, and showed our commitment to reaching a diverse audience of students and community members. These partner

The HIA team spent over 100 hours throughout the project in assessment and consistent communication with collaborators to keep team efforts on track. Team members critically considered what students and faculty most needed to know and developed "talking points" that were communicated to all collaborators. That information is being reviewed to update school recruitment materials to be more supportive toward non-citizens. HIA team members reported significant improvement in leadership, planning, time management, and communication skills and found new respect for the value of academic research.

On November 15th, twenty student-focused organizations joined PTK to host the "Citizenship Games - Playing to Win!" event featuring displays, activities, and presentations. Gamification principles made passage through the venue interactive, with a fun, game-like atmosphere. Surprisingly, less than twenty attendees received a prize for a perfect score on the "Citizenship test." Financial and in-kind donations from our collaborators resulted in over $1,500 in funding and our HIA Grant of $1,000. These donations provided lunch for all our presenters and volunteers, printed citizenship application materials, printing supplies, additional flyers in both English and Spanish (see attachments), a coffee bar/refreshment area for participants, and Día de los Muertos T-shirts, free food coupons, and other game prizes. Over 250 students, faculty, and community members attended the Citizenship Games, and over 40 student volunteers had leadership or supportive roles in this event. TJC's Marketing department shared live event interviews and photos hourly on social media.

Figure 2

Student leadership growth was exponential because of the long-term interaction with public entities and our administration; every volunteer indicated greater confidence in their leadership skills. Chapter President Gisele Martinez shared, "When I first started to work on HIA, I was lost. I had no idea where to begin, and I didn't have confidence in myself to ask questions. A research opportunity opened doors for me, and I realized that everything begins with that first question!" Feedback from the twenty campus and community organizations was overwhelmingly positive; most reported significant student engagement in the exit survey. Survey responses indicate that 11 percent of students participating were not citizens, 67 percent knew someone who was not a citizen, and 60 percent knew more than one person who was not a citizen. Given a known standard of underrepresentation on similar questions, we anticipate these numbers are much higher. Surprisingly, 56 percent still believed the fallacy that someone could marry into citizenship. Many students expressed increased interest in community outreach as they observed the value of continued community service at our event, and 95 percent recommended having this event again in the future. Overall, the project demonstrated thoughtful planning and significant community engagement and achieved our primary goal, with 87 percent of the participating students reporting feeling more positive and supportive toward students working to obtain citizenship.

RESOURCES

Akkari, A. & Maleq, K. (2019). Global citizenship: Buzzword or new instrument for educational change? Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 15(2), 176-182. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC7871750/

Authors Akkari and Maleq researched the international effects of citizenship and opportunities for change in global educational systems. The authors concluded that global citizenship education must include sustainable action towards social justice. This article supports our research hypothesis.

Cotofan, M., Dur, R., & Meier, S. (2022). Does growing up in economic hard times increase compassion? The case of attitudes towards immigration. Tinbergan Institute, 1-65. https://doi.org/TI 2022047/I

Authors Cotofan, Dur, and Meier researched an inclusive increase in compassion by comparing macroeconomic conditions experienced during young adulthood to attitudes toward immigration. The authors concluded that motives for governmental redistribution do not come from a global increase in compassion but from self-interest directed by a perceived weakening of one’s economic position. This article opposes our research hypothesis.

Pivovarova, M. & Powers, J. M. (2022). Are immigrant students disproportionately consuming educational resources? Brookings. https://www. brookings.edu/articles/are-immigrant-studentsdisproportionately-consuming-educationalresources/

Authors Pivovarova and Powers researched the effects of immigrant student status on educational outcomes. The authors concluded that in the United States, there is no direct evidence that immigrant students have lower educational outcomes than native students. This article opposes the hypothesis that citizenship status affects academic or social success. Instead, the achievement gap is more likely determined by a lack of resources proportionate to race, gender, and socioeconomic class.

Valenzuela, A. I., Perez, I., Perez, W., & Montiel, G. I. (2015, December). Undocumented students at the community college: Creating institutional capacity. New Directions for Community Colleges, (172), 87-96. DOI: 10.1002/cc.20166

The authors reviewed public knowledge about undocumented college students and stated that campuses are ill-equipped to serve students equitably. The authors concluded that colleges must consider the undocumented student experience, overview relevant federal and state policies for undocumented students, and offer support for students without citizenship. This article supports our research hypothesis.

International migration policies and data - OECD. (2024). https://www.oecd.org/migration/mig/.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) studied migration trends and the effects of global changes and potential megatrends on migration and integration policies.

The OECD concluded that countries could prepare for changes and allow more successful transitions by making migration and integration policy objectives more flexible. Challenges for migration and integration policymakers include avoiding controversial migrant selection criteria and overdependence on governmental data collection. This article supports our research hypothesis.

Kreisberg, A. N., and Hsin, A. (2021). The higher educational trajectories of undocumented youth in the United States. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 47(17), 3822-3845. DOI: 10.1080/1369183X.2020.1750947

Authors Kreisberg and Hsin researched the longitudinal effect of undocumented student success in the United States. They concluded that despite academic achievement through high school and college, undocumented students do not experience educational progression. To change this, national laws will need to be flexible and progressive. This article supports the idea that citizenship is an international issue.

Murillo, M. (2017). Undocumented and collegebound: A case study of the supports and barriers high school students encounter in accessing higher education. Urban Education. 56(1), 004208591770220. DOI: 10.1177/0042085917702200

This study illustrated how navigational resources are crucial in undocumented student success.

Author Murillo also explored the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an act that delays deportation for undocumented citizens who arrived as children, and its approach to student success. This article supports our research hypothesis.

Valadez, M., Ayón, C., Enriquez, L. E., and Jefferies, J. (2021). Legal vulnerability and campus environment: Assessing factors that affect the academic engagement of undocumented college students. Journal of Latinos and Education, 20(3), 276–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.202 1.1949988

Authors Valadez, Enriquez, and Jefferies studied the effects of the campus environment on the academic success of undocumented students. They concluded

that positive campus involvement significantly affects undocumented students' success and academic participation. This conclusion supports the chapter's research under Theme three. Researchers also concluded that there was a lack of financial and legal support for undocumented students on campus.

Discovering Play in Powwows: How Nostalgia in Native American Cultures Strengthens Multigenerational Bonds

Beta Gamma Pi Chapter

Yavapai College

Prescott, Arizona

Theme

Nostalgia as Play

ABSTRACT

Each culture is individualized and provides a framework for beliefs and values. Within a culture, play reflects those same values and norms. When our chapter chose to complete Theme 6, The Nostalgia of Play, as our lens to examine the Honors Study Topic, “The Art and Science of Play,”we sought to gain a deeper understanding of the culture of our Native American neighbors. Native American culture is frequently overlooked, misunderstood, or disregarded. Recognizing this, our chapter investigated how play among Native American Nations and Indigenous People fosters a shared nostalgia or triggers memories of their cultures, inspiring future generations. After preliminary investigation, it became apparent that there is a lack of current research regarding the role of play within Native American communities. With this discovery, our Honors in Action( HIA) project aimed to educate people on games and activities significant to our local tribes. We sought to analyze the play components present within a Powwow and establish the significance of play in the memories of the tribal members.

While Beta Gamma Pi's project primarily centered on Native American games, we also viewed it as an opportunity to provide a platform for

our Native American community members to share insights and educate on current affairs and concerns within their tribes. This education and understanding occurred through an event that highlighted different games and presentations by members of the Yavapai-Apache and other local Tribes. The project included regalia demonstrations, games, craft presentations, discussions, and information regarding resources available to Native Americans, Native American Veterans, and their families. Our project's goal and focus helped us discover that games serve as a bridge to understanding the nostalgia of a culture, illustrating its values and norms.

OBJECTIVES

As our team sought to establish how to execute intentional research, we assigned each officer and HIA team member to complete the Research Edge program. Once the members achieved that goal, we selected the research topic, question, and objectives with local significance. The developed research goals aimed to investigate Native American cultures and how play contributes to nostalgia and cultural continuation. The team created and acted upon the following research objectives:

Academic Research

• Find reliable, peer-reviewed articles.

• Research the definition and meaning of play.

• Members investigate the cultural significance of Powwows.

• Research whether a Powwow contains aspects of play and its significance within broader Native American cultural tradition.

• Establish through research whether Powwows fall under the category of "play."

• Discover what personal perspectives are associated with participating in a Powwow.

• Investigate how Powwows and Native American Play illustrate sources of nostalgia.

• Members identify types of play from local Native American tribes.

• These objectives were achieved through reading academic sources on each topic.

Primary Research

• Obtain original research by interviewing members of our local tribe in person.

• Encourage all HIA team members to attend and observe a local Powwow. to provide a cultural understanding of our chosen topic.

• Survey participants during the action project regarding their understanding of nostalgia and play in a cultural context before and after the event.

Action Project Goal

• Complete and present the action project on our campus during Native American Heritage Month.

• Increase understanding of Native American culture and play activities through broad participation during our action project event.

• An understanding of how nostalgia with play enhances and preserves culture.

Our HIA project aimed to educate our college and local community on the cultural impact, importance, and value of play in the Indigenous community. We sought to raise awareness of activities significant to local tribes, providing a platform for Native American community members to inform and educate on current tribal affairs or concerns and share their rich cultural heritage. The project (Academic Investigation and Action) reached diverse audiences, including the college and the community.

Collaborators played substantive roles based on the chapter's research conclusions. Our objective included respectful inclusion of our tribal neighbors to provide authentic involvement in teaching Native American games and a valuable partnership with the local Veterans Administration (VA). With the many Native American Veterans in our community, the VA helped secure several speakers and collaborators. We also researched the childhood games of local tribes (Pueblo, Apache, Navajo, and Zuni). We involved children from our college's on-campus Family Enrichment Center (FEC) in traditional tribal games and activities. The FEC is a child development center located on our main campus.

ACADEMIC INVESTIGATION

During our weekly meetings, the team decided to study the reciprocal impact between culture and play. Given our state's 22 recognized Native American tribes, we saw an opportunity

Native American Heritage Month

Wednesday, November 15

Activities: 10 am - 11 am

Forum: 11 am - 1 pm

Yavapai College Prescott Campus

Building 19, Room 147

to research, connect, and learn about Native American culture. This decision was influenced by our community's rich heritage with the indigenous people, including the history that our community college is built on land donated by the Yavapai-Apache Tribe. Focusing on Native American culture through play seemed important due to their underappreciation and underrepresentation. Additionally, team members were familiar with Powwows, which exhibit aspects of play, i.e., dance, song, competition, and social gathering. With this knowledge, the team developed the research question: "Is participation in a Native American Powwow considered play, and what memories and nostalgia does it evoke for its participants?"

Through research, the team discovered a broader perspective of traditional play in Native American culture. Traditional games hold ceremonial and spiritual significance, and participation contributes to

a more significant existence. Reviewing our previous play definition, it was apparent that activities like Powwows encompass more solemn aspects, such as honoring veterans and handling sacred objects, that do not fit the traditional Western definition. Ultimately, through our research, we found a variety of global perspectives on play that included contextual understanding. In a Western context, people assume that play is more focused on entertainment value, yet it plays a role in crystallizing and continuing crosscultural unique norms and values.

Our research on Native American games and Powwows helped us discover that play serves various purposes, from religious to recreational. Play allows children to learn essential skills and encourage social interaction within the tribe and with other tribes. Various forms of play elicit nostalgia by building a connection between generations by sharing experiences and traditions. Serious topics, including spirituality, coexist with the activities' playful elements without reducing the derived benefits. Global theories and definitions support the contention that Powwows are a form of play, indicating that games and activities hold essential significance with different purposes outside of producing fun. Finally, we explored various perspectives of play and culture, examining whether play can exist within practices that are not purely recreational. As part of our research, team members attended a local Powwow. Our experience reinforced the above belief that "play" can exist within practices that are not purely recreational.

CONCLUSIONS

We decided to compromise between differing theories, concluding that Powwows are more than mere play. While embodying play's characteristics and benefits, referring to them solely as play would trivialize their weight and dimension. Powwows create a nostalgic connection across generations, serving as a bridge for teaching customs and traditions from the older to younger generations. After concluding, we adjusted our research question to: "Does participation in Native American Powwows, which may involve play elements, enhance the transmission of memories and traditions among Native American participants?" The new research question aligns more directly with our research, indicating that participation in play enables preserving culture and legacy. Being a player allows you to connect to the past, and participating in these activities as an adult evokes nostalgia. One of our project collaborators illustrated this concept when she

Figure 1

joined a traditional Navajo children's game during our event. She fondly reminisced about the game and her own childhood experiences.

ACTION

Our research highlighted the misunderstood nature of Native Americans. Focused on enhancing awareness and educating our local and college community, we sought to help our community members understand the rich Native American culture, history, and current struggles (Figure 1). We collaborated with local partners, including the VA and the FEC. Our event had multiple components. First, we sought to help educate our community on play in Native American culture. This component was done through hands-on activities and games. Next, our event featured speakers like Jerry Geronimo, a direct descendant of Geronimo. Mr. Geronimo attended the event in his traditional Native American dress, sharing insight into his attire with the children. The VA contributed four Native American presenters, reaching approximately 1400+ individuals. The VA was a valuable partner as they helped us bring awareness to a larger audience (Figure 2).

Additionally, the VA has a large Native American population in our area, providing a valuable resource for insight and information on our topic. The Family Enrichment Center helped us engage younger children, solidifying cultural learning through games. Our outreach extended to the over 300 college staff, resulting in a robust and community-reaching event.

IMPACT

Our project yielded positive outcomes. Quantitatively, we educated over 16 children through a fun, interactive, and social experience, fostering an understanding and appreciation of a different culture. The children's favorite activity was dancing along with Powwow competitors. Though survey responses were limited, they suggested increased awareness and education about Native American culture and history among attendees despite not reaching statistical significance.

Qualitatively, presenters valued an event dedicated to their culture, providing a platform to share their Native American perspectives on life. A presenter who helped teach the tribal games emphasized the significance of preserving traditions through play, highlighting the importance of creating a memorable learning experience. The children actively participated in every

American Native Games

Figure 2

game, showing enthusiasm by asking questions and attentively listening to the historical background of each game. The children were curious about the customs of these games and how they were used for teaching traditions.

Our HIA team members viewed this project as a valuable opportunity to learn correct and in-depth research basics. It provided an excellent opportunity to understand Native American cultures beyond assumptions, combat misinformation, and contribute to an awareness campaign about Native American culture. Our team discovered the importance of altering our research question as we acquired additional information through the research process. Within our team members, the project facilitated learning and awareness about the significance of play within indigenous cultures. It showed us how invaluable play is in helping to foster the longing, continuation, and nostalgia of the Native American Community.

RESOURCES

Aicinena, S. J., & Ziyanak, S. (2021). Contest powwow: Sport and Native American culture. The Qualitative Report, 26(1), 2751. https://doi. org/10.46743/2160-3715/2021.4517

Aicinena and Ziyanak (2021) explore traditional and competitive powwows and find that the traditional focus on social benefit by embodying and perpetuating cultural values, while competitive ones, which are enjoyed to the same or greater degree as traditional, are more reminiscent of a sport due to their nontraditional competitive nature. The study is relevant to our project as we identify characteristics of powwows correlated with play and connect them to the experience of attending a powwow.

Capello, P. P., Elfeqi, R. S. A., Kaldur, T., Mägi, M., Bachmann, K., Morel, U., Maipuu, N., Wengrower, H., Coburn, S., Coburn, D., Mcconnell, J., Nathan, D., Ho, G. W., Catay, Z., & Jewette, K. O. (2022). The 2021 International Panel: Dance of the ancient healers: How modern-day dance/movement therapy practices have evolved from the wisdom of the past. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 44(1), 93–106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10465-02209363-4

Capello et al. (2021) describe how dance, specifically the Jingle Dress Dance, is used as a creative and healing part of dance movement therapy. Dancing has always been essential to Native American Indigenous people, with the importance of the dances changing over time from everyday occurrences to special events and ceremonies. The Jingle Dress Dance is closely linked to the strength that women hold within the tribe and as individuals. Dancers dance for those who are no longer able to support the community, spread history, healing and medicinal purposes, and commune with nature. Although not directly linked to play, this Jingle Dress Dance is used to support the community, prepare for upcoming events, and connect with past and present tribe members.

He, C. (2023). The evolution and continuation of powwows in Native American communities. Studies in Art and Architecture, 2(1), 47-53. http://doi.org/10.56397/SAA.2023.03.07

He explains the ceremonial and spiritual importance of a powwow, exploring the aspects of song, dance, and regalia to uncover the powwow’s cultural significance to Native Americans. Powwows, as described by He, are deeply involved rituals involving many characteristics of play.

Kelley, D. F. (2012). Ancient traditions, modern constructions: innovation, continuity, and spirituality on the powwow trail. Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies, 11(33), 107–136. http://jsri.ro/ojs/index.php/jsri/article/ view/654/567

Kelley explores how powwows serve to unite Native American communities in honoring the history and educating the future of the tribe through means of creative spiritual and artistic Native expression that is unique to each tribe and each Native American. While these events effectively connect and enthrall Native communities and non-Native people alike, care needs to be taken to prevent the commodifying of the events for non-Natives do not lose the sacred connections the powwow was created to uphold for those actively involved.

Luna-Firebaugh, E.M., & Fox, M.J.T. (2010). The sharing tradition: Indian gaming in stories and modern life. Wicazo Sa Review, 25(1), 75-86. https://doi.org/10.1353/wic.0.0059

Luna-Firebaugh and Fox (2010) explain the significance of traditional Native American games by naming cultural preservation, wealth distribution, teaching, connecting to community roots, and entertainment as purposes of the game. Engrained within them are rituals and storytelling. They are inherently culturally or religiously significant. The authors also distinguish between different game types: skill-based versus luck-based. The article is relevant as it helps clarify the Indigenous perspective on play.

Neuman, L. K. (2008). Indian play: Students, wordplay, and ideologies of Indianness at a school for Native Americans. American Indian Quarterly, 32(2) 178–203. http://doi. org/10.1353/aiq.2008.0021

This article provides relevance to the topic theme in a section that focuses on "Indian Play" and

preserving cultural heritage or generational identity/ memory. Additionally, the author focuses on the use of wordplay, one aspect of play (Neuman, 2008).

Shahidi, M. (2012). Research article culture within play and play within culture. International Journal of Current Research, 4(10), 282-286. https:// www.researchgate.net/publication/298419737_ CULTURE_WITHIN_PLAY_AND_PLAY_WITHIN_ CULTURE

Shahidi (2012) defines culture and argues that play is molded around and perpetuates culture, as play within different communities reflects specific cultural values. The article presents "belonging" as an emotional experience in childhood when engaged in the social aspect of play. This connection between play and culture relates to the project as it shows that heavier cultural topics can pervade play despite contrasting lighthearted associations. It also provides insight into emotions people associate with their past related to culture and play. For this project, the Native American culture was examined using these parameters.

Vigil, K.M. (2023). Language, water, dance: An indigenous meditation on time. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, 44(1), 168-182. https://doi.org/10.1353/fro.2023.0009.

Vigil (2023) discusses the focus of the Jingle Dress Dance, which is used mainly for healing and pride. It is utilized to bring people together, celebrate those of the past and present, and as a form of wellness and celebration. The dance celebrations remind the indigenous people of their power to survive and thrive despite adversaries. Through this dance, the people are connected with those of the past and can draw upon the survivalist motive and drive across all times to overcome current struggles. This connects the current people with the culture and mindset of those centuries ago.