Learning Through Play Research Articles

Entering Kindergarten After Years of Play: A Cross-Case Analysis of School Readiness Following Play-Based Education

Cross-case study research was used to explore the school readiness of four 5-year-old children entering kindergarten during the 2020–2021 school year after three or more years of play-based early childhood education at a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood education center. Data included a series of three 1-h individual interviews with four mothers and three kindergarten teachers, field visits during remote learning, and artifact collection over the course of the school year. Themes describing the children’s school readiness were developed through cross-case analysis. Participants described the children as learners, explorers, communicators, and empathizers. The learner theme centers on the children’s responsiveness to instruction; the explorer theme describes how the children approached learning; the communicator theme illustrates the children’s prowess with social connection and self-advocacy, and the empathizer theme shows the thoughtfulness and emotional sensitivity these children displayed. Findings suggest that play-based learning prepared these children for successful kindergarten experiences and was a viable early childhood education pedagogy fostering school readiness.

Reflections about Play-Based Learning Curriculum in Hong Kong Early Childhood Education From Fröbel’s Play Pedagogy

Reflections about Play-Based Learning Curriculum in Hong Kong Early Childhood Education From Fröbel’s Play Pedagogy

The Display Design and Implementation of Augmented Reality based on play-based learning model in museum contexts

The Display Design and Implementation of Augmented Reality based on play-based learning model in museum contexts

Oyun Temelli Öğrenme Süreçlerinin Akademik Başarı Üzerindeki Etkilerinin İncelenmesi

In this study, it is aimed to examine game-based learning processes from the point of view of different variables, to contribute to the literature on this concept, which is often used in practice in official and private educational institutions, but to a limited extent in the academic literature. A game is a fun activity that is constantly present in a person's life and is sometimes connected to a purpose, and sometimes applied without basing it on any purpose. The game is a fun behavior that does not involve any planning, arrangement, can develop spontaneously and is intended for enjoyment. In this aspect, the game is a phenomenon that is applied in the general process, especially in the form of a learning method and technique, as a phenomenon that does not have space and time restrictions. In addition, the fact that children of playing age are not worried about life and need care leads to the accumulation of excess energy in them, and at this stage the game comes into play, allowing the energy to be spent. From the perspective of educational management, it would not be wrong to state that one of the main goals is to channel this accumulated energy significantly into learning processes. Key Words: Play, Play-Based Learning, Children

Impact of Play as a Method of Teaching in Ghana's Preschools

Purpose: This study aims to identify teacher characteristics impacting the use of play as a teaching approach in Ghana's state pre-primary schools. 
 Methodology: The Theory of Reasoned Action by Fishbein and Ajzen served as the study's main framework, and the correlational design was used. Based on the goals of the study, thematic analysis was utilized to examine the qualitative data, which was then presented narratively. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to organize and interpret quantitative data. The study was aided by the use of the SPSS 23 statistical package for social science. 
 Findings: The results showed that most preschools used play as a teaching approach in a fairly present fashion. The results further demonstrated that play as a teaching approach and instructors' attitudes were significantly correlated. Positive attitudes toward play among teachers were associated with increased usage of play in the classroom. The usage of play and teachers' training were significantly correlated. 
 Conclusion: There was a strong correlation between instructors' experience and play usage. 
 Recommendations: The study suggested that in order to guarantee that pre-school teachers have good attitudes about using play as a teaching approach, the education administration and school heads should work to foster such attitude. Additionally, it's important to make sure that pre-primary school instructors have the required training and preparation so they can use play-based learning as a teaching technique with their students. The report also encouraged greater investigation into the elements that schools utilize to influence play as a teaching technique.

Perspectives of play and play-based learning: What do adults think play is?

Adults, including early childhood teachers and caregivers (i.e., parents, carers, kinship members), have an important role in supporting young children’s learning through play in early childhood. However, little consideration has been given to the relationship between these significant adults’ perspectives of play and the play experiences of young children. Various conceptualisations of play and play-based learning influence the decisions adults make about the provision of play in early childhood. This can make it difficult to support adults in their understandings of the need for play in young children’s lives. We propose that more needs to be known about what significant adults think play is. This new knowledge would enhance professional learning and parent education programs in the early childhood education and care sector for increasing children’s opportunities to learn through play.

Teacher readiness to implement learning through play in Ukrainian primary schools: a preliminary study

The article examines the problem of teachers' professional readiness to implement play-based, activity-based learning methods and the “learning through play” approach in Ukrainian primary schools in the context of holistic reform of school education - the introduction of the New Ukrainian School Concept.
 The modern school reform, which was introduced in 2018, brought changes to all aspects of education in Ukraine, however, it was mainly focused on the approach of teaching and learning. A new educational strategy based on the integrative approach of “learning through play”, which combines the principles and methods of active learning, experimental learning and guided discovery learning, inquiry learning, problem-based and project-based learning, and Montessori pedagogy, was introduced in the professional activity of primary school teachers.
 The results of the conducted research indicate that the vast majority of interviewed Ukrainian primary school teachers showed an insufficient level of professional readiness for the introduction of play-based and activity-based learning methods due to: a negative attitude to play in education; their insufficient awareness of the developmental, didactic and other functions of the play in the comprehensive development of a person at all stages of his/her life; the dominance of an authoritarian style of communication with students, etc. It was found, that there is an apparent contradiction between the predominantly high level of self-esteem of primary school teachers of their own readiness to implement play-based learning methods and a negative attitude towards the need to change their professional activity.
 The difficulties, revealed by the results of the research, provide the basis to make corrections in the system of higher and postgraduate pedagogical education in order to develop Ukrainian school education based on the principles of priority of the individual needs of the child, the competence approach, partnership and a safe educational environment

Didaktik in preschool:

The paper presents a review process of Didaktik and curriculum theories, one that suggests that a German Bildung Didaktik approach seems to be suitable ground for the development of a critical-democratic Didaktik in preschool. The paper examines fundamental dimensions in Bildung Didaktik as point of departure for the modelling of a Didaktik in preschool. Among other things, a circular situation-oriented and dynamic didactical model is constructed. In order to take the preschool tradition into consideration, different forms of play-based learning are stated. These form an outline of a critical-democratic play Didaktik, including the concept playworld.

An inquiry into teachers’ implementation of Play-based Learning aligned approaches within senior primary classes

The national increase in schools implementing Play-based Learning (PBL) has highlighted a need for Resource Teachers Learning & Behaviour (RTLB) and others to develop a thorough understanding of the pedagogies that align with PBL to ensure they are well placed to fulfil a key element of their role and support teachers to grow their capability. This inquiry aimed to harness the experience and knowledge of teachers working within PBL settings in a senior primary context. This involved conducting semi-structured interviews with five participating teachers to capture their perceptions on how and why PBL should be successfully delivered for senior primary students, while also identifying any potential enablers and barriers. There were some contrasting views on the specific delivery approaches between the different participants. However, all interviewees shared a belief that there are substantial benefits for older students to learn through PBL, teachers need to be willing and feel safe to relinquish some of their control, and shared values and philosophy need to be established to ensure continuity and authenticity.

Impasses in the wild: Autonomy support in naturalistic, parent-child outdoor play

Moments where children encounter problems in their chosen activities represent potentially generative sites for learning, particularly when supportive adults are present to scaffold the learning process. Scholars of autonomy support study these dyadic problem-solving processes in defined tasks, and describe specific types of parental support that have implications for children’s future competence as independent learners. In two exploratory case studies, we expand on the study of autonomy support by examining dyadic problem solving in naturalistic, outdoor family play. We apply a situated method of interaction analysis to perform a detailed, micro-longitudinal decomposition of two extended problem-solving arcs, identifying the specific contributions of parents and children. In doing so, we apply additional lenses of problem-solving, debugging, play-based learning, and intergenerational learning to develop a more comprehensive understanding of endogenous, dyadic problem solving. Our findings suggest the presence of inherent tradeoffs between various potential goals and time horizons for children’s learning and raise actionable considerations for both future research and practice in collaborative learning spaces.

Highlighting the importance of STEM education in early childhood through play-based learning: A Literature Review

This paper aims to focus on the international studies regarding early integrated STEM education and its importance for developing 21st-century skills in young children to prepare them for an ever-changing world. The paper reviews the importance of integrated STEM education in early childhood settings and how it supports the development of scientific concepts and 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and problem solving through play-based learning based on the current literature. Adding to the importance of STEM education, the paper explores what STEM education means in early childhood and how different types of play-based learning can support early integrated STEM concepts and skills in young children concerning the literature from different parts of the world. Furthermore, the literature presents the role of teachers in implementing STEM practices and the challenges encountered by teachers. The literature indicates low self-efficacy and confidence in teachers as the main factor affecting the delivery of STEM teaching and suggests ways to overcome this through STEM professional development to enhance the STEM practices in early childhood. The paper concludes with further recommendations and implications for stronger policies, and more research in this field to achieve high-quality integrated STEM education in early childhood.

Reclaiming Playful Learning: Exploring the Perceptions of Playful Learning among Early Childhood Preservice Teachers

Despite a deeply-rooted tradition that recognizes the value of play-based learning in early childhood education and care (ECEC), there has been relatively little research into adult playful learning in the higher education sector. This study explored the perceptions of play and playful learning among early childhood preservice teachers while they learned through play with reflection at a public university in the United States. An analysis of their reflective journals revealed that engaging in play activities promoted positive affect and a sense of learning community which, in turn, elicited playfulness and joy. Additionally, the study highlighted the value of hands-on, playful learning, challenging the participants’ preconceived notion of play and internalizing playfulness, thus gaining a stronger personal commitment to enact play pedagogies in their future endeavors. Considering that play-based pedagogy has increasingly been marginalized both in ECEC and higher education, the findings suggest a need to reclaim play and playful learning in teacher education programs.

Connecting kindergarten teachers’ play-based learning profiles and their classroom assessment practices

Contemporary kindergarten policy mandates the use of assessment to monitor student learning alongside the growing popularity of play-based learning. However, research examining teacher perspectives on assessment in play has uncovered challenges. A two-phase qualitative approach was used to gather observational and interview data in 18 kindergarten classrooms. Thematic analysis revealed that teachers fell into three play profiles that aligned with different approaches towards assessment in play: informal, formal, and blended. Strategies utilized by the blended group reflected contemporary assessment and play-based learning policies. Implications of these approaches and considerations for productive assessment practices are discussed.

Kindergarten Teachers’ Understanding of the Creative Play

This article describes the results of research on ECE teachers regarding their understanding of the creative play. Creative play in early childhood education is defined as play-based learning that combines creativity and higher-order thinking skills to stimulate aspects of development in the context of constructing children's attitudes, knowledge, and skills in this millennial era. This creative play-based learning is known as HOTS learning for early childhood. This research was carried out in a survey by filling out a Google Form which was distributed through several WhatsApp groups. 400 respondents contributed to sending answers and were analyzed using the Excel application to find out the tendency of ECE teachers to understand the creative play. The results of this study found that ECE teachers tend not to understand creative play in early childhood. They tend to design play activities that are separate, not intact, and still at the C2 level in the cognitive realm.

The Role of Early Childhood Mathematics Teachers during Play in the Mathematics Classroom in Bongo District of Ghana

The study sought to find out the role of early grade mathematics teachers during play in the mathematics classroom. The study adopted the quantitative approach of research with a descriptive survey as a design. A simple random sampling and census sampling were used to select 410 respondents for the study. The data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study revealed that teachers played such roles as and facilitators to guide and provide the materials necessary for the play, thereby creating a conducive environment for effective play in the early childhood mathematics classroom. It was recommended that play-based learning should be fully integrated into the early childhood Mathematics curriculum, and intensive workshops or in-service training should be organized for the teachers to know and appreciate their roles during play in the classroom. Also, workshops are seminars organized for teachers should concentrate on how to assist teachers to prepare play materials using local materials to bridge the deficit gap of play materials.

Improving Children’s Understanding of Early Sex Education through Modified Puppet

Educators have increasingly provided teaching and learning practices to teach children’s understanding of early sex education. In accordance with the inappropriate of the teaching practices, the current study examined the effectiveness of utilization modified puppet within play-based learning approach. A quasi-experimental research design was employed with two classes in a private kindergarten in Galis subdistrict. This study evolved 61 children, aged 5-6 years. During four weeks, the experimental class received modified puppet in their learning activity and the control class condition received conventional learning. Before, and after, the four weeks modified puppet intervention, measures of children’s understanding of early sex education were administered to all groups. The findings showed that the children’s understanding of early sex education who taught by the modified puppet outperformed children who received conventional method. However, the findings need to be explored with an extended to different learning outcomes that involve larger groups of participants.

Inclusive Play-Based Learning: Approaches from Enacting Kindergarten Teachers.

Policies related to the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms have led to questions regarding how teachers can help cultivate inclusive learning communities where all children are supported and valued. In play-based kindergarten programs, teachers are tasked with ensuring goals for children’s learning and development are cultivated in play. However, debates persist regarding the optimal role of the teacher in play and how to meaningfully support the play of children with disabilities. The current multiple case study explored the perspectives and approaches of three kindergarten teachers who highly valued, and strived to enable, participation and inclusion in play-based learning, referred to here as enactors. A minimum of three hours of observation were conducted in each classroom in the fall, and semi-structured teacher interviews were conducted in the fall and spring of the school year. Enactors shared some common themes related to implementing play-based learning to promote inclusion, including a balance of child agency and teacher guidance, involvement that is child-centred and flexible, and the importance of supporting social interactions in play. These views informed both common and unique practices observed in play, including one-on-one conversations, supporting small groups, becoming an active play partner, and collaboratively addressing problems that arose in play. These results illustrate ways enactors gave meaning to the concept of inclusion through their play practices, providing salient examples of play alongside teachers’ craft knowledge to help support inclusive play-based learning practices going forward.

Play-based pedagogy: An approach to advance young children’s holistic development

Background: Children's holistic development includes physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, moral and affective development and lies in early childhood development education (ECDE). According to research, children learn through different age-appropriate teaching and learning pedagogies. Therefore, the importance of implementing a play-based methodology in the early years. This study was underpinned by the theory of play as a spiral of learning.Aim: This study aimed to demonstrate how a play-based pedagogy could be utilised to enhance holistic development in young children.Setting: Three ECD centres in Gauteng, South Africa participated in the Thutopapadi (play-based learning) research. The action learning set (ALS) consisted of one Grade R teacher and two practitioners; the Grade R facilitator and three North-West University researchers.Methods: We employed a qualitative approach within the participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) design to interrogate the extent to which a play-based pedagogy could be useful in enhancing the holistic development of young children. Transcriptions of meetings held by the ALS and photovoice were used to generate data. The participants reflected on and communicated about themes discussed during the ALS. We used the principles of thematic content analysis to analyse the generated data.Results: The results of this study proposed that to support holistic development in young children, practitioners and parents should maximise the use of a play-based methodology in both social and learning environments.Conclusion: Follow-ups should be made to ensure that the pedagogy that is being used in early childhood development education centres corresponds with the needs for the development of young children.

Teenagers learn through play too: communicating high expectations through a playful learning approach

Play-based learning is an approach used in early childhood education that is well supported by research on its varieties and effectiveness for young children’s learning. Play-based learning meets the developmental needs of young children, but new research presented in this paper suggests that teenagers learn through play too. The experience of 25 Year 10 students in three Western Australian government schools was drawn upon to generate grounded theory about how students experience their teachers’ expectations of them, which included findings that playful learning approaches communicated high teacher expectations. The students were shadow-studied in their classrooms and interviewed at the end of each day. Teachers were appraised as having high expectations when they included a playful learning approach, characterised as creative, exploratory, hands-on, fun and non-didactic. The students reflected that this led to increased motivation and academic success. A foundation for conceptualising play in teenagers’ education is provided, suggesting how secondary school educators can harness play and communicate high expectations for learning through their pedagogical approach.

Creating space for equity in early childhood educator’s participation in documentation, assessment and evaluation

ABSTRACT Documentation, assessment and evaluation processes in early learning contexts should include participation and contribution from all educators. This helps to ensure diversity of knowledge, perspective and background that can create more inclusive and equitable early learning curricula. This article presents findings from a collective case-study undertaken with educators and pre-school aged children at three early learning services. The educators took part in practitioner inquiry projects focusing on technology integration in play-based learning. The study found a significant inequity in educator contribution to documentation, assessment and evaluation throughout the practitioner inquiry projects. Access to professional learning content, self-reported confidence and lack of allocated time were identified as key factors that impacted educator contribution to documentation and assessment, particularly in reflective journaling. A hierarchy of contribution was also evident in group meetings. Practitioner inquiry was identified as an effective way to promote more equitable contribution and democratic dialogue. The importance of creating a culture of equity of contribution was also identified.