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Play-based learning and assessment practices in early years: methodological explorations
Educational Research
Abstract
Background
Teachers’ perspectives provide crucial insights into classroom practice in early childhood education settings. Although many kindergarten programmes emphasise play and assessment to support children’s learning and development, recent research suggests that there are some disparities between teachers’ articulated role of play and what they report assessing during periods of play. As a range of research designs can be used in efforts to probe the complex relationships between perspectives and practice, it is important to consider which methodological approach, or combination of approaches, may prove optimal in early years contexts.
Purpose
The study sought to explore the relative merits of using (1) semi-structured interview and (2) video-elicitation interview approaches to gain deeper understanding of the connections between teachers’ perspectives and practices within kindergarten education.
Methods
An in-depth, qualitative enquiry was undertaken. This included classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and video-elicitation interviews from 20 kindergarten classrooms in Ontario, Canada. Interview data were thematically analysed.
Findings
The analysis indicated that video-elicitation interviewing influenced the structure and content of participants’ responses when compared with semi-structured interviews, providing additional and valuable insights into the ever-present negotiation between perspectives and practice.
Conclusion
The study highlights how semi-structured and video-elicitation interview approaches each offer particular strengths and limitations, and can be used independently or in combination to gain a deeper understanding of the connection between teachers’ perspectives and their classroom practices. The selection of one approach, or combination of approaches, needs to be carefully aligned with the overarching research goals of a study.
... Permainan engklek tematik mampu menstimulasi enam aspek perkembangan anak: nilai agama dan moral, fisik-motorik, kognitif, bahasa, sosial-emosional, dan seni. Temuan ini sejalan dengan teori pembelajaran anak usia dini yang menekankan pentingnya pendekatan bermain sambil belajar (Pyle et al., 2023). Permainan ini tidak hanya berfungsi sebagai alat hiburan, tetapi juga sebagai media edukasi yang efektif. ...
Penelitian ini bertujuan mengembangkan permainan engklek tematik yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan perkembangan anak usia 5-6 tahun. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan: 1) Validasi ahli media memperoleh skor rata-rata 98,95%, dan ahli materi 93,44%, keduanya dalam kategori “sangat layak”; 2) Tanggapan guru sangat positif terhadap kesesuaian permainan; 3) Uji coba awal menghasilkan skor 95,01%, dan uji coba akhir 95,79%, menunjukkan permainan ini mendukung perkembangan anak secara holistik. Permainan ini dapat menjadi media pembelajaran yang efektif dalam mendukung aspek kognitif, motorik, sosial, dan emosional anak usia dini.
... Providing targeted tools, better training, or support networks could help teachers deal with problems and improve play-based learning. The result is backed up by the research of Pyle et al. (2023), which looks at how teachers think play-based learning affects early reading and the problems they face when using these methods. It gives information about the connection between problems with execution and how valuable people think playbased learning is. ...
The study aimed to improve play-based learning in schools by addressing the problems that make it hard to use. Finding out what teachers need in terms of professional development based on age, gender, experience, and level of schooling is the first step in making and testing unique training programs. The plan calls for a study of the current play-based learning materials and creation of new materials to fill in any gaps. New guidelines and workshops will also be used to improve how play-based learning is integrated into the curriculum. To help with and keep an eye on the performance, progress will be tracked, and teachers will be given ongoing help. Regular tests will be done on play-based learning; the results will always be used to improve professional growth and support tools. The group has people with different amounts of experience, including some teachers with more experience. But most of the teachers are still new to their jobs. The fact that most respondents are women shows an imbalance between men and women in the group. Some people had been teachers for as little as five years and as long as nine years. A lot of the people who answered were new to the job. The people who answered have had a lot of different kinds of schooling. Many of them have better degrees, like master’s and graduate degrees. With such a range of work and school experience, it’s clear that these teachers have different information and points of view. Most teachers agree that play-based learning exercises are the best way to help kindergarteners become more aware of phonemes. Many teachers agree that these tasks help kids get better at hearing and understanding sounds, like recognizing letter sounds, blending sounds, segmenting sounds, rhyming, and listening. Despite a few minor disagreements, most people agree that play-based learning is an excellent way to help kids learn to read and write. This wide backing means that strategies based on play are seen as practical and helpful for helping young kids learn essential reading and writing skills.
... Additionally, these policies should promote ongoing support and mentoring for Recommendations and Future Directions. To address the struggles faced by kindergarten teachers in implementing quality education post-pandemic, a multifaceted approach is needed (Pyle et al., 2023). This includes investments in digital infrastructure, specialized training programs, and the incorporation of socio-emotional support into the curriculum. ...
Kindergarten teachers, as frontline educators responsible for shaping the early educational experiences of young learners, have encountered multifaceted hurdles in the wake of the pandemic. The study explored the struggles faced by kindergarten teachers in the Magsingal District of the SDO-Ilocos Sur post-pandemic. The research aimed to identify specific obstacles, including limited access to learning materials, classroom overcrowding, and inadequate training, lack of support for special needs students, administrative burdens, insufficient age-appropriate materials, behavioral management difficulties, and health and safety concerns. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed, using interviews and thematic analysis to gather in-depth insights from kindergarten teachers. Results highlighted significant resource constraints, the digital divide, and the socio-emotional challenges encountered in delivering quality education amidst unprecedented disruptions. The proposed action plan recommended increased funding, support for professional development, smaller class sizes, and streamlined administrative tasks to enhance teaching efficacy and create a more inclusive learning environment. This study provided valuable insights for educational policymakers, administrators, and stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues to support teachers in delivering quality education to young learners.
When children take their first steps into primary school, they often face an abrupt shift from play-based learning to more formal, academic approaches. This shift has drawn the attention of an emerging body of literature, advocating for a more supportive and play-focused introduction to school. This chapter examines the benefits, challenges and opportunities of play-based pedagogy for children entering primary school, shedding light on the need for a seamless learning continuum. The contrast between early childhood education and care and school settings in Australia has historical roots, resulting in a philosophical divide and differences between pedagogy. While play-based pedagogy is widely embraced in ECEC environments, it is not seamlessly integrated into all Australian school classrooms. This chapter explores the reasons for this, and highlights the need for initial teacher education and ongoing professional development to equip teachers with the expertise required to implement effective play-based pedagogy. The chapter advocates for a holistic approach that nurtures children’s innate curiosity and intrinsic drive for learning, ensuring a smoother transition from ECEC to school and ultimately benefiting children and teachers alike.
The aim of this study was to examine the implementation of an interdisciplinary collaboration between health nurses and kindergarten pedagogues within a health promotion intervention designed to reduce health inequality among children. The collaboration took place during group- and play-based assessments of motor development in 4-year-olds. A total of 12 participant observations and 10 interviews (5 with health nurses and 5 with pedagogues), were used to explore the collaborative challenges and strengths. Through abductive analysis we examined four analytical themes: 1. The various roles assumed by the professions, 2. Their differences in motivation, 3. The professions' attitude toward each other and the collaboration, and 4. Diverse expectations regarding responsibility and follow up. These themes collectively offer insights into interdisciplinary collaboration in the context of health promotion and play-based assessments. The findings reveal differences in professional status and roles, with the health nurses assuming authoritative positions while the pedagogues adopt more assisting roles. Ambiguity regarding follow-up responsibilities furthermore emerges, potentially undermining the professionalism, empowerment and agency of the pedagogues. The study suggests future interventions to consider equity and professional recognition to enhance collaboration quality and implementation effectiveness.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools across North America closed to in person learning in March 2020. Since then, it has becoming increasingly clear that physical distancing will need to be prolonged in the 2020/2021 school year and possibly resumed in the future. In response, education ministries shifted teaching and learning online. Research is urgently needed to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on teaching and learning, particularly in the foundational early primary years. This research directly responds to this concern by examining the unique challenges associated with remote teaching and learning in early primary contexts. Given that learning in kindergarten and early primary grades is largely play- and inquiry- based, there is a particular need to investigate the impacts of this move for teachers, parents, and children in K-2. As such, the purpose of this research is twofold: (1) to capture the unique challenges and unanticipated successes associated with remote teaching and learning, and (2) to utilize findings to provide recommendations for remote learning as well as strategies for supporting in-person learning in the COVID-19 era (and post COVID-19 era). Data collection included 45-min semi-structured interviews with K-2 teachers (n = 25) and parents (n =11). All participants were from Ontario Canada. Data were collected from April-June 2020. The sample size was chosen to ensure saturation while uncovering a variety of perspectives. Data were analyzed in NVivo using an emergent thematic approach (Patton, 2016). The emergent thematic approach to analysis revealed five themes: equity considerations, synchronous versus asynchronous teaching and learning, social and emotional effects on students, academic impacts, and effects on parents/families.
In this article, the authors discuss critical factors to be considered when analyzing complex qualitative data. The experiences with the use of the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven (QUAGOL) to analyze qualitative data were used as starting point to develop a deeper understanding of what a good qualitative analysis requires and how to deal with its challenges in less optimal research contexts. A critical analysis and discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the guide in a broader methodological context supports its potential for use in developing strong qualitative evidence. The analysis highlighted three key strategies of undertaking the analysis of complex narrative data: the case-oriented approach, the method of constant comparison, and the use of data-generated codes. Having a good understanding of the underlying principles and how to implement them are key to conducting methodologically sound analyses.
Semistructured in-depth interviews are commonly used in qualitative research and are the most frequent qualitative data source in health services research. This method typically consists of a dialogue between researcher and participant, guided by a flexible interview protocol and supplemented by follow-up questions, probes and comments. The method allows the researcher to collect open-ended data, to explore participant thoughts, feelings and beliefs about a particular topic and to delve deeply into personal and sometimes sensitive issues. The purpose of this article was to identify and describe the essential skills to designing and conducting semistructured interviews in family medicine and primary care research settings. We reviewed the literature on semistructured interviewing to identify key skills and components for using this method in family medicine and primary care research settings. Overall, semistructured interviewing requires both a relational focus and practice in the skills of facilitation. Skills include: (1) determining the purpose and scope of the study; (2) identifying participants; (3) considering ethical issues; (4) planning logistical aspects; (5) developing the interview guide; (6) establishing trust and rapport; (7) conducting the interview; (8) memoing and reflection; (9) analysing the data; (10) demonstrating the trustworthiness of the research; and (11) presenting findings in a paper or report. Semistructured interviews provide an effective and feasible research method for family physicians to conduct in primary care research settings. Researchers using semistructured interviews for data collection should take on a relational focus and consider the skills of interviewing to ensure quality. Semistructured interviewing can be a powerful tool for family physicians, primary care providers and other health services researchers to use to understand the thoughts, beliefs and experiences of individuals. Despite the utility, semistructured interviews can be intimidating and challenging for researchers not familiar with qualitative approaches. In order to elucidate this method, we provide practical guidance for researchers, including novice researchers and those with few resources, to use semistructured interviewing as a data collection strategy. We provide recommendations for the essential steps to follow in order to best implement semistructured interviews in family medicine and primary care research settings.
Defining play has plagued researchers and philosophers for years. From describing play as an inaccessible concept due to its complexity, to providing checklists of features, the field has struggled with how to conceptualize and operationalize “play.” This theoretical piece reviews the literature about both play and learning and suggests that by viewing play as a spectrum – that ranges from free play (no guidance or support) to guided play and games (including purposeful adult support while maintaining playful elements), we better capture the true essence of play and explain its relationship to learning. Insights from the Science of Learning allow us to better understand why play supports learning across social and academic domains. By changing the lens through which we conceptualize play, we account for previous findings in a cohesive way while also proposing new avenues of exploration for the field to study the role of learning through play across age and context.
This study explored the EFL teachers’ beliefs, perceived practice and actual classroom practice in relation to Traditional (teacher-centered) and Constructivist (learner-centered) teaching in Cyprus Turkish State Secondary Schools context. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews and structured observations were employed with purposively selected participants to gain in-depth understanding about the teachers’ beliefs, their perceived practice and actual classroom practice. The teachers were interviewed to elicit their subjective views about their beliefs and perceived practice regarding the themes, teacher-centered and learner-centered teaching in the context of their instructional practice. The observations were carried some time after the interviews had been completed. The teachers were observed for the purpose of exploring to what extent their beliefs were reflected in their classroom practice. COLT (Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching) Observation Scheme was utilized as the data collection instrument. 10 EFL teachers were purposively selected by criterion sampling as the participants of the investigation. An equal number of experienced male and female teachers who were similar in terms of length of experience were selected for the in-depth interviews and observations on voluntary basis. Findings of the study revealed that regarding teacher-centered and learner-centered teaching, teachers showed some variations in their stated beliefs. The interview data indicated that although the teachers expressed their beliefs in Constructivist learning and teaching, and both Constructivist and Traditional, their perceived practice was Traditional (except one teacher for whom it was both). However, the findings based on the observational data showed that Traditional practice was more frequent than communicative potentially Constructivist practice.
Kindergarten education is changing. Current reforms have increased accountability structures requiring teachers to integrate assessments throughout their instruction to support academic learning while retaining developmentally appropriate pedagogies such as play-based learning. Despite these reforms, comparatively little research has been conducted on teachers' assessment practices within play-based instructional contexts. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' approaches to assessment in play-based kindergarten education and specifically to examine how assessment practices differed based on teachers' conceptions of the purpose of play in student learning. Data were obtained from 77 Ontario kindergarten teachers via (a) an electronic survey, (b) in-depth interviews, and (c) classroom observations. Overall, data from this study suggest a misalignment in teachers' perspectives of the purpose of play and what teachers assess during periods of play.
Competing trends in early childhood education emphasize the need for strong curricular approaches and for unfettered exploration. We propose an approach to early learning that avoids this false dichotomy: guided play. Guided play takes advantage of children’s natural abilities to learn through play by allowing them to express their autonomy within a prepared environment and with adult scaffolding. We provide examples of how guided-play situations have been implemented in past work, as well as evidence that guided play is successful for education across a range of content—perhaps even more successful than other pedagogical approaches.
This study sought to gain insight into how Ontario teachers define play-based learning, and how their perspectives affect its implementation in kindergarten classrooms. Using survey data from kindergarten teachers from around the province of Ontario, two definitions of play were developed: one focused on social development through play and the other on academic and social development in play. Results revealed inconsistencies in participants’ definitions and implementations of play-based learning in kindergarten classrooms. Several participants described the enactment of play that was entirely separate from learning, yet still indicated some belief in the ability to learn through play. While all participants described positive perspectives of play-based learning, more than half described the implementation of kindergarten programmes that did not fully integrate play-based learning as it is described in the Ontario curriculum. Participants were also asked to identify challenges they experienced in their implementation of play-based pedagogy. Participants in all enactment groups indicated experiencing challenges to their play implementation. These results support the need for a clear and consistent definition of play-based learning that will help determine how best to integrate play and the learning of academic skills.
Conducted conversationally with one respondent at a time, the semi-structured interview (SSI) employs a blend of closed- and open-ended questions, often accompanied by follow-up why or how questions. About one hour is considered a reasonable maximum length for SSIs in order to minimize fatigue for both interviewer and respondent. This chapter begins with a discussion on the disadvantages and advantages of SSIs. Despite the disadvantages and costs of SSIs, they offer some extraordinary benefits as well. Semi-structured interviews are superbly suited for a number of valuable tasks, particularly when more than a few of the open-ended questions require follow-up queries. The chapter presents some recommendations that can be considered when constructing an SSI guide. All in all, effectively conducted semi-structured interviews, even though labor intensive, should be worth the effort in terms of the insights and information gained. © 2015 by Kathryn E. Newcomer and Harry P. Hatry, and Joseph S. Wholey.
This commentary addresses the gap in the literature regarding discussion of the legitimate use of Constant Comparative Analysis Method (CCA) outside of Grounded Theory. The purpose is to show the strength of using CCA to maintain the emic perspective and how theoretical frameworks can maintain the etic perspective throughout the analysis. My naturalistic inquiry model shows how conceptual frameworks and theoretical frameworks can be integrated when using the CCA method.
Teachers believe they don't interact any differently with boys than with girls. However an examination of the evidence base on gendered student-teacher interactions, shows – at times contradicting – unequal interaction patterns for boys and girls (e.g. Beaman, Weldall, & Kemp, 2006; Jones & Dindia, 2004). In this study the videotaped lessons of 13 secondary school teachers in three schools are analysed by both the teachers themselves and the researchers. Video stimulated recall is used to bring to the surface the thoughts, images and emotions that evoke teachers' (re)actions in the classroom. Content analysis and thematic analysis of teachers' recall reveal three things: (1) when recalling specific situations, gender imbalances in the thoughts and images that accompany teachers' (re)actions come to the surface; (2) video stimulated recall interviewing is a promising method to raise teacher awareness of these gendered thoughts and images; and (3) with a view to practitioners' professional learning process, it is important for researchers to allow practitioners to co-investigate their practice.
Environmental education represents a growing area of interest in early childhood education, especially since the inclusion of environmental principles and practices in the Australian Early Years Learning Framework. Traditionally, these two fields of education have been characterized by diverse pedagogical emphases. This article considers how teachers in particular see different types of pedagogical play, such as open-ended play, modeled play, and purposefully framed play as providing opportunities for young children and teachers to develop knowledge through experiences about environmental education in early childhood settings. As a result of findings based on our qualitative research study involving early childhood teachers and children, an emerging model for thinking about environmental education in early childhood is proposed as a way of integrating these pedagogical emphases traditionally associated with environmental and early childhood education. Avenues for future research associated with this model are also identified.
We explore the use of video and photo elicitation in a research study undertaken to understand the way in which preschool teachers perceive and construct their provision of children's educational experiences. We explore the value of visually elicited interviews based on video footage and photographs captured during teaching and learning in four classrooms in two preschool settings in Kenya. Through visually elicited interviews, both the teachers and the researcher constructed meaningful conversations (interviews) to explore preschool teachers' practical experiences and their beliefs, understanding and interpretation of developmentally appropriate educational practices. This paper targets the possible value ofand contribution made by visual data generation procedures, as well as their inherent challenges, in order to add to the body of knowledge on visually elicited interviews.
This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument, the Early Childhood Creative Pedagogy Questionnaire (ECCPQ), which can be used to understand preschool teachers' beliefs about creative pedagogy as a means of fostering creativity. Items were initially constructed from a review of the literature and interviews with 27 preschool teachers in Hong Kong regarding their beliefs about creative pedagogy. A sample of 564 Hong Kong preschool teachers completed the initial survey. Exploratory, followed by confirmatory, factor analysis resulted in a 22-item, 4-factor scale reflecting self-initiated pursuits, interpersonal exchanges, possibility thinking, and teacher-oriented pursuits. Although the first 3 domains align relatively well with the Western literature, the teacher-oriented pursuit factor seemed to be related to the Hong Kong educational context. These preliminary results suggest that the ECCPQ can be used for revealing Hong Kong preschool teachers' beliefs about creative pedagogy, and they provide a general framework for further research on the important aspects of fostering creativity in preschool classrooms. The findings also have implications for early childhood teacher education programs and professional development in Hong Kong.
A qualitative study examining teachers' beliefs regarding developmentally appropriate practices was conducted in the city of Mumbai, India. Twelve kindergarten teachers were interviewed for this study, and a constant comparative method was used to analyze the interviews. Six themes were identified within this study. The themes highlighted distinct differences between American and Indian cultures, as well as striking similarities, and pinpoint the importance of culture as the foundation for classroom practices. Themes included a focus on academics vs. play, the importance of worksheets, the importance of groups for socialization, and the difficulties of implementing a play-based curriculum. The description of these themes and its implication for the early childhood care and education of India are discussed in detail.
In Scotland in recent years there has been growing interest in a more play-based
pedagogy commonly described as Active Learning. The research reported in this
article is an exploration of moves towards creating an active play-based learning
environment in six Primary 1 classrooms in Scotland and is concerned with (i) the
children’s experiences in such a play-based active learning environment in school
and (ii) their teachers’ perspectives on this pedagogical innovation and their roles
in supporting the learners. This study examined experiences and perspectives
within and across each of the six child-centred and play-focused classes. The main
findings suggest that the role of the teacher varies between what could be
considered as teacher-intensive and teacher-initiated activities. ‘Active’ or ‘playbased’
learning was interpreted differently by teachers; play in some classrooms
was peripheral rather than integral to the learning process and curriculumembedded.
Keywords: active learning; play; pedagogy; teacher activity; children’s
engagement
This article is a theoretical discussion on the dimensions of learning in play and the dimensions of play in learning, using the playful interaction between children and teachers as a starting point. From an empirical study observations of two situations were chosen, one from a mealtime and one of children's play, both typical examples of playful interactions between teachers and children. The aim of the analysis was to detect and understand whether play and learning could be involved and how these dimensions might be expressed by children and teachers in the interactions. In research, as well as in the preschool practice, play and learning have been kept apart. Today the difference between these two concepts seems to be less well defined Joy, creativity, creation of meaning and children's possibilities to control and form goals are especially pointed out as dimensions that all seem possible and important in both play and learning. Play is pointed out as an important part of the learning process, and the teacher's responsibility for play and learning has been elucidated in new curricula. Our analysis of the observations shows that although both of the situations were different in character, dimensions of play and learning were found in each of them. In our first example the act of play and learning was to follow the child, while the second one deals more with an act of both words and actions, and focuses on children's interest in order to make them involved. Encouragement, imitation and communication become prominent in both of the situations, as well as joy, creativity, creation of meaning and children's possibilities to control and form goals. The study highlights the importance of the teachers when it comes to the development of a situation of interplay, and how this situation will appear to the children. Play and learning are dimensions that stimulate each other and could be seen as an indivisible entirety, which is a part of children's experiencing, and which helps them create an understanding of their surrounding world in a lifelong process.
This paper describes one phase of an investigation into the possible existence of gender interactions in one-to-one instrumental music lessons. In order to provide a preliminary sketch-map of a hitherto unexplored field, the mixed methods research design used a combination of three strands: (1) questionnaires to teachers and pupils; (2) observations of actual lessons; and (3) interviews with teachers and pupils. The investigation discovered the existence of many gendered expectations about teachers and pupils, only some of which were supported by the analysis of observations of lessons. Possible reasons for the expectations were discussed in semi-structured interviews, using video-recordings as a stimulus to recall. Focusing on this third phase, the paper demonstrates how the teachers and pupils co-operated with the researcher as consultants (rather than ‘subjects’ or ‘participants’), with considerable control over the topics investigated.
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 face the challenge of integrating contemporary assessment practices with play-based pedagogy. The current study addresses this challenge by presenting a kindergarten assessment framework rooted in theory and current classroom practices, based on teacher interview and observational data collected in 20 kindergarten classrooms. Ten teachers subsequently participated in extended observations and video elicitation interviews. Results uncovered seven different assessment pathways by which teachers mobilized learning goals through play pedagogies and assessment. Based on these pathways, a comprehensive assessment framework was developed underscoring the cyclical relation between student learning goals, types of play, and assessment contexts and practices. This framework supports teachers’ negotiation and integration of assessment practices with play-based pedagogies to promote both academic and developmental learning goals.
This study investigated the nature of pre-service science teachers’ (PSTs’) situation-specific skills for informal formative assessment (FA) and their awareness of activating these skills in classroom-like situations. Video-based interviews were conducted to collect data from fifteen PSTs before they participated in a teacher education program. Authentic classroom videos capturing evidence of student thinking were used as probes to elicit information on the PSTs’ perceptions, interpretations, and decision-making in various classroom-like situations that afforded opportunities for FA. The findings indicate that the PSTs tended to focus on content-generic evidence and the responses of students in the whole class, to infer student thinking at a non-content specific level, and to propose responses that were vague or devoid of scientific content. On re-exposure to the same evidence of student thinking captured in short video clips, and with more specific prompting questions, more of the PSTs identified content-specific evidence from individual students and interpreted the nuances of student thinking at a content-specific level. Yet, the capacity of the PSTs to propose student-focused instructional moves remained limited. Overall, the findings suggest that the PSTs were not particularly aware of applying their situation-specific skills for informal FA when making on-the-fly teaching decisions in classroom-like situations that offer rich opportunities for FA. This study adds to the existing understanding of PST knowledge/skills for informal FA and provides a mechanism for eliciting and characterizing teachers’ situation-specific skills for informal FA. The implications for initial teacher education are discussed.
Kindergarten in the United States has fundamentally changed. It is the new first grade where children are taught increased academic content and experience more standardized testing. There is much debate among education stakeholders about these changes, but such discussions are often siloed— making it difficult to know whether these changes reflect these stakeholders’ understandings of kindergarten specifically or public education in general. This explorative video-cued multivocal ethnographic study addressed this issue by examining how local, state, and national education stakeholders made sense of the changed kindergarten. Such findings provide insight into what it is they viewed driving these academic and instructional changes, what opportunities for further reform exist, and whether these stakeholders will work to support and/or alter such changes.
Context
The standards-based movement in U.S. public education has reached as far as kindergarten. Early primary teachers are increasingly required to teach academic standards in core subject areas, while engaging in increased levels of student assessment. In kindergarten, this growing emphasis on academic standards and student assessment is expected to operate alongside longstanding social and personal developmental expectations. However, recent research has identified a significant tension as teachers endeavor to negotiate a balance between traditional developmental programming and new standards-based academic curricula.
Purpose
The purpose of this scoping review is to synthesize research related to three kindergarten traditions—Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and Montessori—to develop a common understanding of key tenets for kindergarten assessment that can inform policy and practice in public education contexts.
Research Design
A scoping review methodology was used to analyze research on assessment practices native to three kindergarten traditions—Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and Montessori. This methodology followed a five-stage framework: (a) identifying the research question, (b) identifying relevant studies, (c) study selection, (d) charting the data, and (e) summarizing and reporting the results. Guiding the collection of articles was the following research question: “What does the extant literature on practices native to the three focal kindergarten traditions tell us about the assessment of kindergarten (4–6-year-olds) students’ learning?” In total, 80 texts satisfied the inclusion criteria across all traditions and were included in this study.
Conclusions
Empirical and non-empirical literature pertaining to each tradition were analyzed and considered in relation to their potential contribution to public education. In comparing across traditions, differences were evident based on their (a) assessment discourses and purposes, (b) reference systems, (c) assessment methods, and (d) uses of assessment information. However, the three traditions also maintained key commonalities leading to the identification of core tenets for kindergarten assessment. Specifically, three core priorities for kindergarten assessment were identified: (a) a commitment to child-centered and developmentally appropriate teaching, (b) a continuous embedded formative assessment approach, and (c) the use of multiple methods for gaining assessment information. In addition to core priority areas, results from this study suggest consistent processes that facilitate assessment practices at the kindergarten level. These four iterative processes are: (a) participation in teaching and learning, (b) reconstruction of teaching and learning, (c) engagement in assessment dialogues, and (d) integration of feedback for enhanced teaching and learning.
First published in 1967, Visual Anthropology has become a classic in its field, invaluable not only for anthropologists but for anyone using photography, film, and video to understand human behavior and culture. This completely revised and expanded edition brings the technical information up to date and includes the insights the Colliers have gained from nearly thirty-five additional years of collective teaching and research experience since the first edition.
This study contributes to the discussion regarding the relationship between teachers' knowledge about effective teacher-child interactions, beliefs about children, and observed teacher-children interaction practice in Chinese kindergartens. Data were collected among 164 Chinese kindergarten teachers through questionnaires and classroom observations. Findings revealed: (a) the significant association between teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and emotional/instructional practice; (b) the mediating role of teachers' beliefs on the relationship between knowledge and behavioral/instructional practice; (c) that years of teaching experience and degree are predictors for teachers' beliefs. The results offer important implications about how to prepare teachers and foster their child-centered beliefs through professional development.
Research Findings: Research has demonstrated the developmental and educational benefits of play. Despite these benefits, teacher-directed academic instruction is prominent in kindergarten. There is increasing acknowledgment in curricula and policies of the challenges presented by a lack of play in classrooms and the need to support academic learning using developmentally appropriate practices. Current research emphasizes a narrow definition of play-based learning as a child-directed practice, resulting in teacher uncertainty about the implementation of this pedagogical approach. Fifteen kindergarten classrooms were examined using qualitative methodology, including observations and teacher interviews. Two different teacher profiles emerged: The 1st profile saw play and learning as separate constructs and reported challenges meeting academic demands using play-based learning. Their students primarily engaged in free play. The 2nd profile believed that play could support academic learning and that teachers fill an important role in play. Their students engaged in 5 different types of play, situated along a continuum from child directed to more teacher directed. Practice or Policy: The continuum of play-based learning provides a broader and more concrete definition of play-based learning to help teachers implement this pedagogical approach and to enhance the study of play-based learning in early years research.
Socio-cultural theorists have argued that having a diverse understanding of subjectivities of normal/ideal bodies is important for Health and Physical Education (HPE) teachers. When teachers hold a single understanding and perception of normal/ideal bodies, such as a thin body as normal or ideal body, which are usually informed by dominant discourses, they may (re)produce narrow understandings of bodies among their students. This paper focuses on how a group of pre-service HPE specialist teachers (11 females and 3 males, aged between 18 and 26 at the time of the first interview) from an Australian university, discuss issues related to subjectivities of bodies. It draws on visual methodologies and semi-structured interviews to understand how these pre-service HPE specialist teachers construct discourses of bodies. Foucault’s concepts of normalisation, surveillance and biopedagogies are used to explore discursive constructions of bodies, with a particular focus on how some discourses are normalised via surveillance techniques. The results of the study invite us to reflect on how images may promote certain ways of thinking about and considering the body among pre-service HPE specialist teachers. In light of contradictions which were found across the comments of two participants who constructed different discourses during the interviews, we posit that making sense of subjectivities of bodies is complex and often contradictory. Furthermore, the results suggest that photo elicitation is a useful visual method for theorising issues related to bodies. Results can inform teacher education and policy in how to better prepare pre-service HPE teachers to teach about bodies.
In this chapter we consider the rationale and practical issues in using photoelicitation interviews (PEIs) in the conduct of research with children. We begin with an overview of photoelicitation and its promise as a method when conducting research with children. We then discuss pitfalls and considerations in using photoelicitation methods; conflations between photoelicitation and photovoice; practical examples of current research using PEIs; ethical considerations; and practical considerations when conducting visual research with children. Our concluding perspective is that photoelicitation is a promising method as a means to elicit children’s voices in research, and that it is best used within a broader methodological framework.
In this chapter, we present semi-structured interviewing as an adaptable method useful in bioethics research to gather data for issues of concern to researchers in the field. We discuss the theory and practice behind developing the interview guide, the logistics of managing a semi-structured interview-based research project, developing and applying a codebook, and data analysis. Throughout the chapter we use examples from empirical bioethics literature.
Drawing on large-scale international teachers’ data from Hungary, Korea, Norway, and Turkey in the Teaching and Learning International Survey in 2008 assessment, this study examined the relationships between new teachers’ beliefs about instruction (direct transmission and constructivist beliefs) and teaching practices (structured, student orientation, and enhanced activities) in the international contexts. The findings of this study showed that for new teachers from the four selected countries, their instructional practices were neither consistent nor aligned with their beliefs about instruction; thus, there were no consistent patterns of the relationship between teacher beliefs and their instructional practices in each country. The results were discussed from perspectives of two types of contexts: classroom and school contexts, and national and international contexts. This study adds to the understanding of relationships between teacher beliefs and instructional practices with international data sets.
Although pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) has become widely recognized as an essential part of the knowledge base for teaching, empirical evidence demonstrating a connection between PCK and teaching practice or student learning outcomes is mixed. In response, we argue for further attention to the measurement of dynamic (spontaneous or flexible, as opposed to static) aspects of PCK. We identify a set of trade-offs entailed in the measurement of teachers’ PCK and propose two video-based interview methods for eliciting teachers’ PCK. We describe a study in which we used these methods to elicit high-school physics teachers’ PCK for the topic of force and motion. Interview 1 was based on video clips from teachers’ own classroom instruction and elicited the reasoning underlying their instructional decision making. In Interview 2, teachers responded to a standard set of video clips highlighting both typical and unexpected student thinking. Although all six teachers demonstrated the main components of their declarative PCK consistently across the two interviews, Interview 2 allowed us to characterize a more dynamic form of PCK that may underlie teachers’ in-the-moment instructional reasoning. When exhibiting strong dynamic PCK, teachers appeared to rely heavily on their declarative PCK as they reasoned about new examples of student thinking and corresponding instructional responses. In addition, demonstrations of dynamic PCK included features likely to support further PCK development, including a willingness to think critically about evidence of student thinking, physics content, and pros and cons of instructional representations. Although we were able to detect seemingly meaningful differences in teachers’ declarative and dynamic PCK, diversity in and the contextualized nature of the responses demonstrating strong PCK raise questions about the possibility of differentiating between such responses for measurement purposes and, thus, the potential for moving beyond elicitation, to measurement, of dynamic forms of PCK. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach.
This paper presents a comprehensive framework for researching classroom-based assessment (CBA) processes, and is based on a detailed empirical study of two Australian school classrooms where students aged 11 to 13 were studying Indonesian as a foreign language. The framework can be considered innovative in several respects. It goes beyond the scope of earlier models in addressing a number of gaps in previous research, including consideration of the epistemological bases for observed assessment practices and a specific learner and learning focus. Moreover, by adopting the broadest possible definition of CBA, the framework allows for the inclusion of a diverse range of data, including the more intuitive forms of teacher decision-making found in CBA (Torrance & Pryor, 1998). Finally, in contrast to previous studies the research motivating the development of the framework took place in a school-based foreign language setting. We anticipate that the framework will be of interest to both researchers and classroom practitioners.
Introduction: There is little occupational science research about the routines of typically developing school-aged children. Even less exists investigating these concepts from the child's perspective. This may partly be attributed to difficulties interviewing children, children's challenges with recall, disparities in language and communication, and power differences between children and researchers. Visual methodologies can mitigate these challenges while offering rich understandings of children's experiences. Objective: This study set out to uncover the occupations and family routines from the perspective of typically-developing school-aged children through the use of photo-elicitation interviewing (PEI) methodology. Methods: Children 7 to 12 years old were asked to take photographs of their occupations and routines over a 1-week period. These photographs were explored with the child during a subsequent interview. Findings: Three themes emerged from the data: how routines are established within a family unit and individual contributions related to orchestration and temporality; weekend versus weekday routines; and how PEI can be utilized to obtain rich data. Conclusion: The harmonious orchestration of routines is essential for establishing roles, and developing responsibilities and collaboration. PEI is a well-suited methodology for occupational science research with this population.
• The research on teachers' beliefs, to our knowledge, spans more than 57 years and runs the gamut of research methodologies, theoretical perspectives, and identification of specific beliefs about any number of topics. In this chapter, we consolidate the topics of beliefs that have been addressed, reveal how teachers' beliefs are defined, and synthesize trends in empirical findings across research paradigms. We focus on empirical investigations of teachers' beliefs and seminal reviews. Previous reviews or commentaries on the field of teachers' beliefs have carved the field into manageable chunks to make meaning. For instance, Thompson focused on quantitative studies of teachers' beliefs related to mathematics, whereas Kagan reviewed longitudinal studies of preservice and novice teachers. In contrast, our perspective is broad and spans multiple disciplinary perspectives. On the basis of this analysis, we identified a pervasive concern related to a lack of agreement regarding the nature of teachers' beliefs. We also found that most studies either related teachers' beliefs to their practice or examined changes in teachers' beliefs, typically as the result of an intervention. In this chapter, we include a discussion of what teacher beliefs are in which we address findings related to the topic of teachers' beliefs as well as a consideration of how this construct is defined and characterized. We then discuss the research that relates teachers' beliefs to practice and studies of belief change. We offer recommendations for researchers, teacher educators, school leaders, and teachers. We conclude with open questions about the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)
• The research on teachers' beliefs, to our knowledge, spans more than 57 years and runs the gamut of research methodologies, theoretical perspectives, and identification of specific beliefs about any number of topics. In this chapter, we consolidate the topics of beliefs that have been addressed, reveal how teachers' beliefs are defined, and synthesize trends in empirical findings across research paradigms. We focus on empirical investigations of teachers' beliefs and seminal reviews. Previous reviews or commentaries on the field of teachers' beliefs have carved the field into manageable chunks to make meaning. For instance, Thompson focused on quantitative studies of teachers' beliefs related to mathematics, whereas Kagan reviewed longitudinal studies of preservice and novice teachers. In contrast, our perspective is broad and spans multiple disciplinary perspectives. On the basis of this analysis, we identified a pervasive concern related to a lack of agreement regarding the nature of teachers' beliefs. We also found that most studies either related teachers' beliefs to their practice or examined changes in teachers' beliefs, typically as the result of an intervention. In this chapter, we include a discussion of what teacher beliefs are in which we address findings related to the topic of teachers' beliefs as well as a consideration of how this construct is defined and characterized. We then discuss the research that relates teachers' beliefs to practice and studies of belief change. We offer recommendations for researchers, teacher educators, school leaders, and teachers. We conclude with open questions about the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)
Research findings indicate that teachers' beliefs play an important role in their deciding how they will integrate technology into the classroom. The author used qualitative research methods to explore the relations between teachers' pedagogical beliefs and technology integration. Participants were 12 Taiwanese high school teachers, and findings indicated inconsistency between the teachers' expressed beliefs and their practices. The author categorized the reasons for the inconsistency into 3 interrelated aspects: (a) the influence of external factors, (b) teachers' limited or improper theoretical understanding, and (c) teachers' other conflicting beliefs. The author presents suggestions for school settings, professional development, and future research.
This paper reports the results of a study concerning the expectations for the transition from kindergarten to primary school amongst teachers, parents and children in Hong Kong. It probes the expectations that teachers and parents have about children’s competence in five specific areas of child development thought to be essential for a smooth such transition, as well as children’s competence in these different developmental areas and their performance upon the transition to primary school. The study’s data were obtained through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, and its results will serve as a reference for evaluation of existing transitional practices and the design of effective transition programmes in the local context. Children’s voices and their observed performance during the transition period indicate that they have varied expectations of the transition. Parents, in contrast, have high expectations for their children’s academic ability and self-discipline. Both primary school teachers and the parents of kindergartners rank pre-academic skills as the most important developmental area, whereas kindergarten teachers rank them as the least important. Most of the adult respondents in this study agree that a stronger connection amongst kindergartens, primary schools and parents would facilitate a smoother transition to primary school.
Teacher effectiveness is an issue that has received increased attention in recent years, as researchers have become aware of limitations in models that see the school as the key arena for improving pupil learning outcomes. This renewed interest makes it timely to look again at the methods used in teacher effectiveness research. This article presents an overview of some key issues in researching teacher effectiveness from a process-product perspective. The choice of outcome measure is a first key area. Traditionally most teacher effectiveness research has utilised externally published standardised tests. However, it will be argued that this is too limited in the light of societal demands on education. Actually measuring teacher factors is an issue the difficulty of which has often been underestimated. Classroom observation, surveys of teachers and students, and qualitative methods such as interviews have been most frequently employed. The advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. In the final section, the main analysis methods suitable for teacher effectiveness research are outlined.
The purpose of this study was to explore the philosophical basis of novice preschool teachers in South Korea and how this pedagogical orientation was reflected in their classrooms. Through interviews and observations, this research gave Korean preschool teachers the opportunity to voice their beliefs about child-centered pedagogy, and illuminated how their beliefs were reflected in their teaching. Interestingly, Korean preschool teachers strongly believed in the importance of child-centered learning, no matter what type of institution they had graduated from. However, their teaching styles were significantly different. Several external factors restricted the teachers and prevented them from implementing their own beliefs in practice. These factors included whether the teachers were in public or private settings, whether they had graduated from two-year or four-year teacher education programs, and the presence of the Korean culture. In conclusion, reform plans for South Korean kindergartens are suggested in order to improve the quality of early childhood education, as well as to provide more support for teachers.
Since constraints on time, resources, and even energy often come into play in finding opportunities for meaningful discussions about pedagogy between the novice teacher (NT) and the supervisor, post-lesson conversations at the school site can often be brief, superficial, lacking reflective self-analysis, narrow in focus, interrupted, or even impossible. Although traditional on-site supervisor observations and debriefings of lessons taught by the NT are certainly highly desirable in providing experienced mentorship and focused progress for the NT, given the present educational climate, they are increasingly insufficient on their own toward improving the depth and breadth of pedagogical growth that can potentially be achieved through the addition of alternative forms of supplemental supervisory support. This is particularly true in the era of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), with its mandate for "highly qualified" teachers putting extra pressure on NTs and their teacher preparation programs alike. Although demands have increased, the timeframe remains the same for meeting them, which necessitates "thinking outside the box" to find meaningful supplementary approaches to supervision that may help in the quest for preparing highly-qualified teachers. This paper describes a study that outlines one such approach to supplement the traditional on-site observation and debriefing approach, which may assist in developing more effective, reflective practitioners within the existing format and resources of a teacher preparation program. The study considers how the use of video-elicited reflection (VER), in addition to traditional observation-based debriefing (OBD), affects the development of novice teachers working towards the goal of becoming qualified, "effective, reflective practitioners." The results indicate that video-elicited reflective debriefings not only encourage more reflective commentary on the part of the novice teacher in both depth and breadth, but that commentary related to state standards for evaluating teaching performance is also broadened and deepened with the use of video elicitation compared to that which occurs in traditional observation-based debriefings. Moreover, the results indicate that supervisor-novice teacher interactions are positively impacted when video elicitation is utilized in addition to traditional observation-based approaches. (Contains 2 figures and 1 note.)
This article describes the modifications that 12 early childhood educators in Japan made to the Sorry! board game to encourage kindergartners' logico-mathematical thinking. Logico-mathematical knowledge is described as including classification, seriation, numerical relationships, spatial relationships, and temporal relationships. Examples of seven plays illustrate how logico-mathematical relationships are constructed by each child. (KB)
This study explores teachers' beliefs about pedagogical issues as well as related educational and professional issues. Six hundred K–12 teachers in three Midwestern states received surveys and 60% returned them. Results of the survey indicated that teachers were relatively unified in their beliefs, and few differences emerged around demographic variables. More teachers believed in teaching practices consistent with constructivism than believed in explicit instruction; however the majority of teachers were mixed, undecided, or balanced about pedagogy. Teachers reserved their strongest beliefs for the importance of learning style, eclectic instruction, and small class size in the primary grades. Few teachers believed that a great teacher is characterized by high student achievement outcomes, and over half believed that factors such as home environment or dyslexia prevent children from learning basic skills despite the school's best efforts. Teachers valued experience over education and training for professional development and viewed teaching as more of an art than a science. Results are discussed in relationship to current challenges in education. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 873–886, 2007.