Niagara College professors from the School of Community Services, Erin Wilkie and Ann Marie Raos, are bringing a fresh wave of creativity to the classroom after presenting at the international Playful Learning Conference. The conference, held this summer at the University of Sussex in Brighton, UK, was centered on innovative, imaginative approaches to higher education and provided a unique space for educators to explore how play can transform learning. For Wilkie and Raos, it was a professional and personal experience that left a lasting impact.
“There’s a huge community of playfulness in higher ed,” said Wilkie, Recreation Therapy Professor and Program Coordinator. “Both Ann Marie and I are pretty playful and fun in what we do in our classrooms already, so this was a great opportunity to learn from others and deepen that approach.”
The duo’s presentation focused on a powerful technique called the Pixar Pitch – a storytelling method originally developed by Pixar Animation Studios to help writers pitch ideas for films. Wilkie adapted this format for the classroom, encouraging students to synthesize complex ideas into short, structured narratives.
“I first used the Pixar Pitch with students who were writing reflective papers after watching a documentary on PTSD and the impact of recreation therapy,” said Wilkie. “The traditional approach gave me a lot of personal information, which was hard to assess fairly. But the pitch helped students focus on what they learned, relate it to course concepts, and still be reflective without oversharing.”
This six-prompt method starting with “Once upon a time…” and ending with “Until finally…” offers students a playful yet structured way to express their learning. Wilkie also noted its potential in research dissemination, such as adapting lengthy thesis papers into brief, emotionally compelling narratives.
The success of the method in her classroom sparked the idea for their conference session. Together, Wilkie and Raos created an interactive 45-minute workshop where participants tackled real-world challenges in higher education using the Pixar Pitch framework. Working in groups, attendees crafted their own six-line stories and acted them out, bringing playful learning to life.
Their presentation also included interactive tools like Book Creator, where participants accessed a digital magazine to guide them through the Pixar Pitch process.
“It’s a live resource with interactive elements where people can upload their own examples, generate ideas using AI tools, and explore how storytelling might solve real classroom problems,” said Wilkie.
While presenting at the conference was a highlight for both professors, the impact goes well beyond that one session.
“The conference helped open my eyes to how much more we can do to engage learners in ways that are creative, meaningful, and fun,” said Raos, Educational Assistance – Adult Supports Professor.
The duo now hopes to share what they learned at the conference with their colleagues. From professional development workshops to cross-department collaborations, Wilkie and Raos see potential for playful learning in virtually every space on campus.
“We’d love to bring these ideas into meetings, teaching development programs, or even community services. It’s not just for educators, anyone can benefit from these strategies,” said Raos.
“Play builds 21st-century skills,” said Wilkie. “Creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, innovation – these are essential in today’s workforce. But traditional academic models don’t always give students space to develop them.”
Raos agrees. “Every session we went to was bursting with creativity. I don’t think anyone at that conference would keep these experiences to themselves. They’re meant to be shared.”
And that’s exactly what they plan to do, one playful pitch at a time.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Pixar Pitch and playful learning are encouraged to connect with Wilkie and Raos.
Example of the Pixar Pitch below:
Pixar Pitch: The Power of Playful Learning
- Once upon a time, two professors felt stuck in the routine of traditional lectures and passive learning. Their students were disengaged, creativity felt stifled, and classroom energy was flat.
- Every day, they searched for ways to spark excitement, but the demands of curriculum, assessments, and institutional expectations left little room for risk-taking or innovation.
- One day, they discovered the Playful Learning Conference happening every July – a gathering of educators and innovators exploring creative, game-based, and student-centered teaching approaches. Curious and hopeful, they signed up.
- Because of that, they experienced hands-on sessions that energized their passion for teaching. They saw how playful learning could enhance student and staff engagement, fuel creativity and innovation, and build communication and collaboration in powerful ways.
- Because of that, they returned home inspired to share their experience with the NC community and redesign their courses to include playful strategies that promote deeper reflection and alignment with 21st-century learning skills and digital pedagogies.
- Until finally, their teaching philosophies have transformed into vibrant, interactive spaces where students and colleagues are supported to feel safe to explore, connect, and grow – and where learning becomes an adventure again.
