Exploring Parents Attitudes Towards Learning Through Play In the Foundation Stage - Essay Example

? Exploring Parents’ Attitudes Towards Learning Through Play In the Foundation Stage A Research Proposal Aim of the Study This study aims to investigate parents’ attitudes toward learning through play in the foundation stage. Objectives Specific objectives of this research are as follows: 1. To research related literature on why play is important at the foundation stage 2. To explore parents’ beliefs and attitudes regarding play as a way of learning in the foundation stage using primary research. 3. To analyse what play activities are provided at home to complement learning at the foundation stage 4. To consider how learning through play is measured at foundation stage. Rationale of the Study Play comes very naturally to children. From the time they are infants, play is already an activity that they engage in to learn about their world. As they grow, they discover more about the world around them through play. They use their senses to explore objects and learn about cause and effects when they manipulate such objects (Brewer, 2001). Macintyre (2003) asserts that young children learn better in play-like settings. Concepts are retained better when learned in an easy, relaxed and fun atmosphere that does not pressure children to perform in ways that stress them to achieve. Macintyre (2003) continues to endorse the value of play in all the developmental areas of children. Parents recognize the value of play but sometimes get confused about its function in children’s learning (Moyles, 1989). Developments in education point to the benefits of collaboration between the home environment and the school in the facilitation of children’s growth, learning and development. Wood (2004) argues that the Government endorses literacy and numeracy strategies that make use of play especially in the early years. The fact that parents are expected to take part in their children’s learning may press parents to seriously consider the advantages and disadvantages of play. Wiltshire (2002) claims that parents question what the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has to offer to their children as it is heavily play based. If the parents’ view is that play is merely for entertainment and social purposes, then it is doubtful that parents will become fully involved as partners in their children’s education. Piaget argued that ‘play’ is often neglected by adults because it has no significant function (Piaget and Inhelder, 1969).  Brierley (1987) also points out that as adults, if a task is easy or unimportant, people refer to it as ‘child’s play’ which reinforces the idea that play is not challenging. Parents are seen as partners in their children’s education, so it is worthwhile to study how they view this role as parents of very young children who constantly engage in play as a form of enjoyment. Becoming aware that play may be used in the educational setting for learning as well as enjoyment may confuse parents as to the role play is given in the foundation stage. This study will investigate if parents believe that learning may be derived from play and if they actively endorse this belief at home. Literature Review Play and Children’s development The subject of play has attracted many scholars to study its process and how it benefits people. Holland (2003) studied heuristic play or the exploratory play of infants and toddlers and confirmed that play is used by children to investigate how things work, how people react, etc. Toys and other objects are explored freely by toddlers and they then observe what such things can or cannot do. In contrast to educational materials, which are designed by adults to expect certain responses from children, objects that encourage free play in the heuristic sense stimulate the child’s thinking, develop creativity and open the imagination to endless possibilities of transforming ordinary objects into various things with various functions (Holland, 2003). Much research has been done on play and its benefits to children’s growth and development. It is believed to be “the highest form of learning in early childhood” (Bruce, 2001, p. 112). Moyles (1989) comments on how play is valuable as an excellent learning medium and educationalists attempting to define play have included similar features such as enjoyment, spontaneity and active engagement (Piaget, 1951; Garvey, 1977 and Bruce, 2001). Some have emphasised how children learn to play from the early stages of their lives. One example is Nutbrown (1999) who theorised that the first introduction of play for most children is in a “home-based pedagogy of play” (Nutbrown, 1999, p. 27). It is believed that such pedagogy enables young children to begin the process of early learning (Open University, 2009). During play, “children demonstrate improved verbal communications, high levels of social and interaction skills, creative use of play materials, imaginative and divergent thinking skills and problem-solving capabilities” (Wood, 2004, p. 21). Play has value in all the developmental areas of children (Macintyre, 2003). Unwittingly, children delight in games that stimulate thinking. Such cognitive benefits extend their real life experiences as they make decisions, compare and contrast things, use their imagination and thinking critically and creatively. The physical nature of play also engages the body to move and develop motor skills and socially it fosters the development of friendships. As children play with other children or adults, they get to know about how other people behave, think and feel. They also get to learn socially acceptable behaviour like not hurting others and playing fair. Most importantly, they get to know themselves better such as how they react to certain situations in the play setting (Macintyre, 2003). Theory of Learning Vygotsky (1978) believed that children’s intellectual development was influenced more by social context than by individual experiences. His theory places a great deal of emphasis on effective social interaction. Bingham (2008) cites Vygotsky (1978) as he claims that play creates a zone of proximal development (ZPD) for the child. ZPD is defined as the distance between a child’s independent problem-solving level and that obtained under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (Wertsch, 1985). A young learner’s exposure to peers, teachers and other adults and learning materials greatly influences his development. “Such cognitive apprenticeships are, of course, inherently reliant on a mentor or guide who effectively uses “scaffolded instruction” (Bonk & Cunningham, 1998 p.40). The Open University (2009) adds that a skillful adult helps a child minimise his/her risk of failure within the ZPD as well as encourages him/her to cultivate high aspirations, encourage independence and this eventually leads the child to go beyond the limits of his/her competence. This is where adults, such as parents and teachers, can come in and support the child’s learning and development through play. Guidelines for practitioners regarding play Guidance for early years practitioners has been provided in a document entitled Effective Practice: Play and Exploration (DCSF, 2008). Here, the section on play is more specific, stating that “spontaneous play is often based on important events in young children's lives” and that teachers should “encourage play that is emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially challenging” (p.7). It recommends the provision of appropriate equipment, particularly that which encourages children to engage in role-play based on a story that has been read to them or that they have read on their own. Parents also play an important role in the educational development of children. Parents and practitioners are viewed as partners within the EYFS and parents are valued as “children’s first and most enduring educators” (DCSF, 2008, p.6). However, for some parents, the concept of EFYS may be confusing to them (Wiltshire, 2002). One reason for this confusion may be the lack of information disseminated on the value of play in learning and the lack of time parents have for investing time in learning about child-centered topics. Another reason why parents may doubt the importance of play in the education of their children may be their own personal experience of growing up when schools were expected to just deliver academic learning without the fun activities associated with play. At the same time, their own goals for their children to develop competitive advantage over their peers in terms of academic excellence may force them to press more traditional academic learning from the early years. In any case, parental involvement in a child’s education especially during the early years is essential to child development. Pugh & De’Ath (1989) recommend that parents and teachers should collaborate to achieve a shared sense of purpose in the optimal development of children, mutual respect for each other’s contributions and a willingness to negotiate with each other in terms of the sharing of information, decisions, skills and responsibility over children. Methodology This exploratory study will employ the primary research methods of questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires will be distributed for completion to 30-40 parents of children in the foundation stage and the questionnaires will include open ended questions in order to gain maximum information. Another set of questions will be used for the interviewing of 2 foundation stage teachers. Questions will probe the participants’ views on play as a way of learning in the foundation stage. On the other hand, secondary sources of data are those gathered from other researchers’ findings and are likewise applicable to the study. The information from the review of literature will be the secondary sources of data. Before commencing the primary research of questionnaire-distribution and interviews, proper authorisation and consent will first be sought from the prospective participants. A letter of intent that states the purpose and mechanics of the study shall first be given to the head of the selected early childhood centre where the study is to be conducted. Upon being granted permission to conduct the study, letters of intent and invitation to participate will be provided for the parents and teachers of the Reception class. Questionnaires Questionnaires will be used because they are a versatile data-gathering method because of its affordability and ease of administration (Campbell et al, 2004). Cohen, et al. (2004) also praised the use of questionnaires for their efficiency. It allows the researcher to collect a significant amount of information in one attempt, rather than conducting interviews over a period of weeks. Gillham (2000) wrote that questionnaires make efficient use of the respondent’s time, because the survey participant can complete the questionnaire at a time that is suitable and does not require the researcher and respondent to match free periods of time to conduct the research. For this study, it is essential to gather as much qualitative information from parents in a short period of time to cover more ground in the area of exploring their views about play. The use of open-ended questions will allow them to share their insights and views. The questions for parents to be included in the questionnaire are as follows: 1. What is your concept of play? 2. How do you view play in your child’s growth and development? 3. In your own views, cite the advantages and disadvantages of play. 4. How do you think play can be used for children’s learning? 5. What do you think are your child’s school’s views regarding play? 6. In your own home, how is play regarded? 7. What is your role in your child’s play? Interviews Semi-structured interviews with 2 early childhood education practitioners will also be conducted for this study. Robson (2002) claims that semi-structured interviews use predetermined questions where the order can be modified or adapted as necessary.  Cohen et al. (2000) identifies the benefit of interviews is that they enable participants to discuss their interpretations of a concept, as well as giving participants the opportunity to express their own point of view with regard to certain situations.  The interview method is useful to collect data which may not be accessible through observation or questionnaires (Blaxter et al, 2006). In face to face interviews, there is the possibility of following up interesting responses, however, a major disadvantage in any interview situation is the possibility of bias  (Grinnell & Unrau, 2008). The interviewer may unwittingly divulge their own opinion or expectations by their tone of voice, or in the way questions are asked.  Even when recording the interview it is important to remain aware of bias having an effect on how answers are understood and transcribed. However, these methods are a quick way to assess participant’s knowledge of play in the early years, although participants may not always respond truthfully so honesty will need to be emphasised. Interviews will be recorded and transcribed in verbatim for qualitative analysis. The semi-structured interview questions for the teachers are as follows: 1. What is your concept of play? 2. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of play in a child’s learning and development? 3. How do you use play to facilitate children’s learning in the foundation stage? 4. What are some of the play-based activities that you do with your students? 5. Does your school support the use of play to facilitate learning in children? Analysis Data gathered from the questionnaires and interviews will be analysed using thematic analysis which looks for patterns emerging from the data such as predominant thoughts, emotions and opinions commonly shared by the respondents regarding play and learning. Thematic analysis takes on a phenomenological approach, looking into an ‘insiders’ perspective’ (Rich & Ginnsburg, 1999). This is also known as the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith, 1996), an idiographic qualitative methodology that probes and explores in order to understand the participants’ views, which is what this study aims to find out. Ethical Considerations This study aims to comply with ethical standards and considerations in conducting research with human participants. The necessary forms will be completed, as well as necessary permissions will be sought, in relation to the recruitment of participants as well as the conduct of the interviews. Confidentiality of information will be ensured so that the trust of the participants will be established and honesty maximised. Participation is non-obligatory and participants will be told that they may withdraw anytime they wish. References Blaxter, L., Hughes, C., & Tight, M. (2006). How to research (3rd ed.). Berkshire: Open University Press. Bonk, C.J. & Cunningham, D.J. (1998) “Searching for Learner-Centered, Constructivist, and Sociocultural Components of Collaborative Educational Learning Tools” in Electronic Collaborators. Retrieved on October 15, 2011 from www.publicationshare.com/docs/Bon02.pdf Brewer, J.(2001) Introduction to Early Childhood Education. Allyn & Bacon. Brierley, J. (1987) Give Me a Child Until He is Seven. London; The Falmer Press. Bruce, T. (2001) Learning through Play: Babies, Toddlers and the Foundation Years. London; Hodder & Stoughton. Campbell, A., McNamara, O., & Gilroy, P. (2004). Practitioner research and professional development in education. London, England: Paul Chapman. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education (5th ed.). London, England: Routledge Falmer. DCSF. (2008) Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, London: DCSF  Garvey, C. (1977) Play. London; Fontana / Open Books. Gillham, B. (2000). Developing a questionairre. London, England: Continuum. Holland, R.(2003) ‘‘‘What’s it all about?’’–how introducing heuristic play has affected provision for the under-threes in one day nursery ’in Devereux,J. and Miller,L.(eds) Working with Children in the Early Years, London, David Fulton in association with The Open University Macintyre, C. (2003) “Studying play from a developmental perspective” ’in Devereux,J. and Miller,L.(eds) Working with Children in the Early Years, London, David Fulton in association with The Open University Moyles, J. (1989) Just Playing? The Role and Status of Play in Early Childhood Education. Milton Keynes; Open University Press. Nutbrown, C. (1999) Threads of Thinking: Young Children Learning and the Role of Early Education (2nd edn), London, Paul Chapman. Piaget, J. (1951) Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood. London; Routledge and Kegan Paul. Piaget, J., Inhelder, B. (1969) The Psychology of the Child. New York; Basic Books. Pugh, G. & De’ath, E (1989) Towards Partnership in the Early Years. London, National Children’s Bureau. Rich, M., & Ginnsburgh, K. R. (1999). The reason and rhyme of qualitative research: Why, when, and how to use qualitative methods in the study of adolescent health. Journal of Adolescent Health, 25, 371–378. Robson, C. (2002). Real world research (2nd ed.). 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