Improvisation and LearningImprovisation and Learning

Mike Sharples and RuoLan Wang

The ability to take existing pieces and put them together in a new combination for a purpose, through a process in which composition and action happens at the same time as reaction and response to one’s surroundings.

• What is the relationship between improvisation and learning?

• What differences are there between improvisation for learning by children and adults?

• How can improvisation become a resource for teaching and learning across the curriculum?

• How can we enable children and adults to improvise more effectively for productive learning?

Characteristics of improvisation • Planning and execution of activities at almost the

same time

• Helps to solve a problem or add value to a performance

• Draws on real-time information to generate a new specific pattern of activity focused on local context

• Behaviours have local value, rooted in time or place

• Can lead to post-hoc reflection

Miner A.S., Bassoff, P. and Moorman, C (2001). Organizational Improvisation and learning: a field study. Administrative science quarterly, 46 (2), 304-337.

Daily improvisation• No pre-planned deliberate variation in inputs. The design and the execution of activities take place at almost the same time over an extended period;

• The purpose of the cooking action is to fulfil a particular need or to solve a problem;

• The improvisation is grounded in the material world and conducted through a series of embodied actions;

• The value of improvisation is more than just cooking a new dish;

• The relation between planning, collaboration, improvisation and reflection.

Conditions of improvisation

1) engagement and reflection2) Materiality3) motivation and affect4) permission and constraint5) knowledge, skill and practice6) coordination and reciprocity

Engagement and reflection

Elaine: They’ve come to the party too, haven’t they?

Lucy: No, not all of them are grown ups. Most of them are children. Including him.

Elaine: Including what?

Lucy: Him. He’s a child.

Elaine: No he isn’t. He’s a big grown-up.

Lucy: But he isn’t going to the party.

Elaine: No, because he’s too old.

Lucy: OK.

Elaine: Everything’s going OK.

Lucy: Should be pull …oop! [Giggles]

Elaine: He’s saying, “My darling, I want you to snog me.”

Lucy: He gets up and then. He gets up and says, “Now, you kids. Now what are you

kids playing at?” And he gets hooked in the back. [Giggles]

Sharples, M. (1999) How We Write: Writing as Creative Design. London: Routledge. p.14.

“This is me. … This is beats per minute, so at the moment – look at that, I’m doing quite well. … This [points to a section of the display with a raised heart rate] is where I started to shout, you see. … Do you see what you do to my heart rate? Every time I have to shout.”

Questions?Questions?

CharadesCharades – guessing the sound of the Chinese words

• tow 头• tse-en bang 肩膀• see guy 膝盖• tse-ow 脚• ye-en gin 眼睛• bee zu 鼻子• zoo-e ba 嘴巴• er do-o 耳朵

tow, tse-en bang, see guy, tse-ow, see guy, tse-ow

tow, tse-en bang, see guy, tse-ow, see guy, tse-ow

ye-en gin, bee zu, zoo-e ba, er do-o

tow, tse-en bang, see guy, tse-ow, see guy, tse-ow

tow 头 head

tse-en bang 肩膀 shoulders

see guy 膝盖 knees

tse-ow 脚 foot/toes

ye-en gin 眼睛 eyes

bee zu 鼻子 nose

zoo-e ba 嘴巴 mouth

er do-o 耳朵 ears