1. Playspace Design Sheaon Monlouis AET/570 Dr. Gale Cossette
6/south-university-playspace
8/31/2015

2. Mission, Vision, and the Playspace
Help shape character of students/employees
Importance of community involvement
Employees and students develop desire to pursue and appreciate knowledge
Intellectual, social, and professional development for students/employees
The mission of South University is to provide educational opportunities for intellectual, social, and professional development. The mission of the university is also to develop the requisites to pursue and appreciate knowledge (South University, 2015). Before the university can fully visualize the betterment of its students, it should first conceptualize a place first for employees to be able to reach for intellectual, social, and professional development. The vision of South University is distill the importance of community involvement and to shape the character of its students. The implementation of a Playspace will shape the character of its employees by providing a space for community involvement. Employees will be able to come together in an innovative and safe space.

3. Playspace and Adult Learning Theories
Self-directed learning
involved in decisions about learning activities (Wickett, 2005)
Experiential learning
acquire new forms of knowledge, understanding, and/or skills (Wickett, 2005)
Transformative learning
acquire new understanding through critical self-reflection (Wickett, 2005)
Playspace embodies transformative learning
Employees will co-create the space (Meyer, 2012)
Employees will engage their whole bodies (Meyer, 2012)
Employees will embrace new way of thinking (Meyer, 2012)
The Playspace harps upon three learning theories of adults: self-directed learning, experiential learning, and transformative learning. In the Playspace weekly brunch meetings, employees will help to decide on programs for students. Further, in the Playsapce employees will learn new ideas from each on a professional and personal level. Lastly, by working together in a stress-free environment, employees will be able to reflect upon what they have garnered from each other and better understand how to fulfill the vision and mission of the university.

4. Benefits on Organizational and Employee Growth
Relational Knowledge
Build relationships to foster collaboration
Engagement
Take a mental break and learn with coworkers
Improved Collaboration
Learn to work with each other in and out of the Idea Room
There are several effects of the Playspace on organizational and employee growth. When employees build relationships with each other, they are more likely to engage in conversation on a regular basis, thus enabling team building and improved collaboration. Improved collaboration among employees spells overall success for the organization because employees will be collaborating on how to improve the university for the students.
Mugavin, B. (2014). [Online Image].

5. Addressing challenges with the playspace
1. Embodied learning is not valued at all levels of the organization
a. Communicate implementation of Idea Room to Executive Committee, Directors, and Employees
2. Convincing administrative staff Playspace is beneficial
a. Spell out benefits on paper and make tangible
3. Balancing seriousness with creativity
a. Employees will take what they have learned back to their work stations
The introduction of any idea is not without its challenges. First, an idea cannot fully take root if it is not accepted by all members of the organization from the executive committee to directors to managers and participants (employees who do not hold leadership roles). We live in a “what’s in it for me” society. Distributing a memo to executive members listing the benefits of the Playspace will be the first step. But to make it tangible, executives will be invited to the Playspace to see the benefits first hand. Lastly, the adage states that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. But the reverse can have negative effects. A balance should be found in the number of meetings, the level of games, the type of games and how it is projected into the workplace.

6. References
Meyer, P. (2012). Embodied learning at work: Making the mind-set shift from workplace to playspace. New Directions For Adult & Continuing Education, 2012(134), doi: /ace.20013
Mugavin, B. (2014). Discussing Accountability. [Online Image]. Retrieved from conversations-the-key-to-employee-and-organizational-growth/
South University. (2015). Retrieved from
Wickett, R. (2005). Adult Learning Theories and Theological Education. Journal of Adult Theological Education, 2(2), doi: /jate