School Play Activities: Assessment of Educators’ Knowledgeability of Physical, Creative and Cognitive Development of Basic Education Children

Bassey E Udoukpong ,Oto-Obong J Ekpo

doi:10.7176/jep/10-15-19

Abstract

The purpose of the research study was to assess the educators’ knowledgeability regarding children’s physical, creative and cognitive development through play activities in Basic Education schools in Uyo Urban of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It was assumed that the findings of the study would help educators to have an understanding that pupils’ play activities should not be regarded as time for children to expend excess energy while the teachers take rest. A 5-point structured questionnaire with 30 item-statements based on the fundamental principle of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) was used to elicit opinion from the respondents. A sample of 180 educators randomly drawn from 18 Basic Education schools in Uyo Urban was surveyed. The reliability index of the instrument was 0.78 determined through Cronbach Alpha method. The data collected were analysed using frequency, percentage and the rank order statistics. The findings of the study showed that educators implementing the Basic Education programme are quite knowledgeable of children’s physical, creative and cognitive development through school play activities but the highest ranking goes for the physical development. This seems to suggest that the goals of play activities are not mutually exclusive, hence, children’s development should be considered wholistically through play activities. Keywords: Play activities, knowledgeability, DAP, physical, creative and cognitive development. DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-15-19 Publication date :May 31 st 2019

Highlights

Background of the Study Teachers’ task in working with young children is to provide an environment in which children’s enthusiasm is nurtured rather than subdued or even destroyed. This is why schools will continue to emphasize the importance of engaging in Developmentally Appropriate Practice – a concept of matching practice with what we know about the development of young children (Essa, 2011)
Teachers would have great reluctance to change the status quo of their perception of play in educational system without adequate proof of need. It was against the background of helping educators understand the developmental roles of play activities in Basic Education that this study identified educators’ knowledge of goals of play activities as the area of concern for examination
Knowledge of the goals of play activities in Basic Education schools reflected strongest in the physical development (75.05%) followed by the creative development (71.28) while the cognitive development came third with (70.38%) “agree” responses

Summary

Introduction

Teachers’ task in working with young children is to provide an environment in which children’s enthusiasm is nurtured rather than subdued or even destroyed. This is why schools will continue to emphasize the importance of engaging in Developmentally Appropriate Practice – a concept of matching practice with what we know about the development of young children (Essa, 2011). This is an awesome responsibility on the shoulders of the Basic Education educators that can be met through careful and sensitive study and understanding of the characteristics and needs of young children. All children and young people need to play. According to Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852); “Play is the highest phase of child development” (Essa, 2011:129)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion