Play, creativity, and the regional university

This paper surveys literature on creativity and play to suggest the kinds of advantages that creativity, when combined with play, can bring to a regional university. Play is seen as intrinsically linked to learning, and as enhancing motivation, while creativity is understood as something that can be developed in individuals, that is part of all human endeavour, and that encourages mastery of whatever domain in which it is experienced. These characteristics suggest that play and creativity be integrated into approaches to teaching and curriculum in order to address the specific challenges of reaching and retaining the student cohort at regional universities. The advantages are also felt by teachers and at an institutional level.