In this episode, Humanities teacher Joliane Allaire explores how play can foster deeper student connection, boost engagement, and enhance learning. She shares some of the games she uses in her classes to encourage experiential learning, explains how she integrates them with course content, and offers practical advice for educators, regardless of their discipline, who may feel hesitant about bringing play into the college classroom.
About our Guest
Joliane holds a B.S.W. from McGill and an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Concordia, where she focused on critical pedagogy, performance art, and community organizations. Since 2011, she has taught in the HumanitiesDepartment at Vanier, emphasizing personal growth, environmental sustainability, and empowerment for disadvantaged communities. Joliane employs experiential learning strategies inspired by the Theatre of the Oppressed and Playback Theatre to foster creativity, enhance communication, and promote shared knowledge among students. She is also committed to incorporating the holistic values and guiding principles of culturally relevant pedagogy into her academic courses in both critical theory and praxis.
