Reflection Blog: Infinite Learning

For years, I wondered why one of the core culture values of my workplace (the Salt Lake City Public Library) was playfulness. As an extreme introvert, being playful with individuals I have not known for a long time just does not come naturally. However, the infinite learning module has really reinforced the importance of the power of playfulness when it comes to building knowledge.

Learning can be overwhelming (or at least it is to me). There are so many avenues to explore and rabbit holes to go down that it is impossible to know everything. This is likely tied to my perfectionism, which is combated directly by a sense of play. Play requires letting go of fear, embracing curiosity, and allowing knowledge to flow naturally through trial and error. I am still realizing this, but this sense of play and constant learning is what has drawn me to the library science field.

As we explored in the “Learning Everywhere” submodule, learning does not always happen in formalized settings, such as classrooms or conferences. Dowdy’s (2022) article on “What The Nordics Can Teach Us About Having Fun” discusses how children’s playgrounds in Scandinavia, with their unstructured play style, have raised concerns about dirty clothes and small bruises. However, this method of exploration fosters more developmental growth. We thrive when we are in an environment where we can explore, fall, and get back up again. The course readings reminded me that this mindset isn’t limited to children—it also shapes how adults learn.

In the “Professional Experiences” submodule, we watched a video from the Lego Foundation (2016). In the video, Blanton, an activities coordinator at Lego, stated, “Learning through play is not just an abstract idea. It’s an experience, and it’s one we have all had, but sometimes we need a little bit of a reminder of what play is.” Learning does not have to be an overwhelming experience. It can be lighthearted. Though I have several takeaways from this course, one that sticks out will be that learning is often self-directed and spontaneous in ways that build genuine connections to not only forms of knowledge, but to people.

References
Dowdy, C. (2022, February 8). What the Nordics can teach us about having fun. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220207-what-the-nordics-can-teach-us-about-having-fun

Lego Foundation. (2016). What do we mean by learning through play? https://vimeo.com/173458519