a. The early childhood setting – context
Play-based learning, as defined by Gestwicki (2013) is part of the early childhood education (ECE) services at the centre. ‘Play’ refers to activities that allow the participants to engage in learning with a flexible and fun filled attitude. For example, it is believed by Gestwicki (2013) that the concept of play based learning contributes to learning by allowing the participants to feel at ease as well as learn in an easy manner, especially in cases of numeracy and mathematics.
Parents and educator often have mixed feelings towards, and often misunderstand, how play based learning helps make learning numeracy skills easier for young children. However, according to Wager & Parks (2014) play based learning …show more content…
Many of them consider it boring as well as difficult and they often cannot understand its practical uses. I would love to be able to begin changing this view of mathematics and numeracy.
• What is my question?
My question is whether shifting to rote learning for mathematics can improve skills or whether it is a regressive step, and whether learning mathematics through play- based learning is more effective.
• What do I know?
I know that shifting to rote learning of mathematics would be a regressive step as after many years of research, it is generally accepted that play based learning is superior in comparison to rote learning.
• What do others know?
It is evident that there are mixed feelings and attitudes towards play based learning, especially where mathematics is concerned (Hainey, Connolly, Boyle, & Gray, 2014). Many educators and parents seem to think that the ways in which they were taught mathematics and other subjects years ago are best and are sceptical of newer methods that they have no experience with.
• What do I expect to …show more content…
d. Process
• What will the process look like: The project will have a series of skills to be learned and both the play based and rote learning methods will be used by dividing the students into two groups. This will help establish the benefits of play-based learning over rote learning (Whitebread, & Coltman, 2015).
• Your role/s; the roles of children, colleagues and families: All participants including children, parents and educator will be informed in advance and their participation will be necessary to help evaluate the benefits of play-based learning (Moyles, 2014).
• Collaboration and exchange of ideas: Collaboration and the exchange of ideas between parents, educator and children will help in establishing the results of the play based learning study and its success.
• When and where: The project will take place at the family day care in a weeks’ time.
• Ethical considerations: Children will be allowed to withdraw at any time if they feel that the learning is not as fun as they were told it would
Play-based learning, as defined by Gestwicki (2013) is part of the early childhood education (ECE) services at the centre. ‘Play’ refers to activities that allow the participants to engage in learning with a flexible and fun filled attitude. For example, it is believed by Gestwicki (2013) that the concept of play based learning contributes to learning by allowing the participants to feel at ease as well as learn in an easy manner, especially in cases of numeracy and mathematics.
Parents and educator often have mixed feelings towards, and often misunderstand, how play based learning helps make learning numeracy skills easier for young children. However, according to Wager & Parks (2014) play based learning …show more content…
Many of them consider it boring as well as difficult and they often cannot understand its practical uses. I would love to be able to begin changing this view of mathematics and numeracy.
• What is my question?
My question is whether shifting to rote learning for mathematics can improve skills or whether it is a regressive step, and whether learning mathematics through play- based learning is more effective.
• What do I know?
I know that shifting to rote learning of mathematics would be a regressive step as after many years of research, it is generally accepted that play based learning is superior in comparison to rote learning.
• What do others know?
It is evident that there are mixed feelings and attitudes towards play based learning, especially where mathematics is concerned (Hainey, Connolly, Boyle, & Gray, 2014). Many educators and parents seem to think that the ways in which they were taught mathematics and other subjects years ago are best and are sceptical of newer methods that they have no experience with.
• What do I expect to …show more content…
d. Process
• What will the process look like: The project will have a series of skills to be learned and both the play based and rote learning methods will be used by dividing the students into two groups. This will help establish the benefits of play-based learning over rote learning (Whitebread, & Coltman, 2015).
• Your role/s; the roles of children, colleagues and families: All participants including children, parents and educator will be informed in advance and their participation will be necessary to help evaluate the benefits of play-based learning (Moyles, 2014).
• Collaboration and exchange of ideas: Collaboration and the exchange of ideas between parents, educator and children will help in establishing the results of the play based learning study and its success.
• When and where: The project will take place at the family day care in a weeks’ time.
• Ethical considerations: Children will be allowed to withdraw at any time if they feel that the learning is not as fun as they were told it would