Ludus et Sapientia: the Role of Educational Play in the Pedagogy of Alcuin of York

Abstract

Alcuin of York (735-804), great master and central figure of the Carolingian Renaissance, attributed fundamental importance to education, considering it an essential tool for the formation of the individual and the improvement of society. Although the concept of "educational game" as we understand it today was not explicitly elaborated in his works, Alcuin's pedagogical approach reveals a conception of knowledge that comes close to the playful dimension of learning, especially in his attention to interactivity, students' curiosity and involvement.