Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine Japanese and Korean kindergarteners' perspectives by asking them to photograph play and explain why their photos represent play (photo elicitation interviews). The participants consisted of 50 kindergarteners on Japan’s main island and 50 kindergarteners in South Korea. Japanese and Korean kindergartners were provided with digital cameras and were asked to photograph their views of play without adult accompaniment. Afterwards, the children were asked to describe why their photos represented play. “Can you tell me why this means play to you?” The data were analyzed using content and thematic analyses and the photos were reviewed along with children’s responses. The thematic analysis of results revealed that Japanese and Korean kindergartners’ perceptions were related to interactions with other children, pretend play, schoolyards, and toys or props. The findings of this study indicated the ways in which Japanese and Korean children’s play perceptions were related to cultural and social contexts. Implications for early childhood education were also discussed.
Highlights
The purpose of the study was to examine Japanese and Korean kindergarteners' perspectives by asking them to photograph play and explain why their photos represent play
Japanese and Korean kindergartners were provided with digital cameras and were asked to photograph their views of play without adult accompaniment
C onsider the following humorous phrases by Japanese and Korean kindergartners when asked to take pictures and describe why they considered it to be play: “I photographed this chicken’s egg because when we take care of the chickens, we can keep their eggs,” “I love this space between these two buildings,” “Boys are making something with blocks,” and “Because someone folds paper to make something that flies.”
Summary
The purpose of the study was to examine Japanese and Korean kindergarteners' perspectives by asking them to photograph play and explain why their photos represent play (photo elicitation interviews). Japanese and Korean kindergartners were provided with digital cameras and were asked to photograph their views of play without adult accompaniment. The findings of this study indicated the ways in which Japanese and Korean children’s play perceptions were related to cultural and social contexts. El objetivo del estudio fue examinar las perspectivas de los niños japoneses y coreanos de educación infantil pidiéndoles que fotografiaran y explicaran por qué sus fotos representan el juego (entrevistas de elicitación fotográfica). Los hallazgos de este estudio indicaron las maneras en que las percepciones de juego de niños japoneses y coreanos estaban relacionadas con contextos culturales y sociales. When teachers adhere only to slogans that play is the best way for children to learn, a shallow understanding may lead to implementing play-oriented curricula that may be “nothing more than entertainment” Teachers can offer appropriate play activities when given clear and detailed descriptions of such
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