Effect of Child Play on Problem-Solving Abilities - Case Study Example

Effects of a playful Approach to a Problem-solving Task on Preschoolers learning and Level of Meta-cognition An experimental study It is becoming almost acceptable that play forms significant part in early year education. In fact, according to Baumeister and Vohs (2004) the best way children learn is through play in as much as the mechanism of establishing the psychological processes involved is still not clear. Previous studies such as Laevers (1994) have indicated that play enables children become creative in solving problems that demand high levels of meta-cognition. Contemporary scholars have begun to link play with child’s perception (Lander, 2007). They argue that play necessitates the ability of a child to utilise his/her perceptions and in so doing, problem solving ability is enhanced. Based on these findings, this study aims to investigate the benefits of child play on problem solving abilities. In so doing, it will also consider the child’s cues that control playful and formal practice conditions. Also investigated in this study is the existing relationship between levels of meta-cognition behaviours in children and playful practices. For a comprehensive analysis, the research considered thirty (30) children from preschool given a task of solving a puzzle under two conditions; playful and formal. To necessitate the outcome, each child was timed when performing the task under the named conditions. As shown in the appendix 1, the number of meta-cognitive utterances was recorded during the practice session. The case study affirmed that when children are subjected under playful condition the level of performance is high however, the finding failed to recognise any relationship between playful practice and the number of meta-cognitive utterances. It can therefore be concluded that play necessitates performance in children. As Cass (1971) further explains, the strongest motivation to learning and performance is play. Lander (2007) gives this area a different approach. After doing a test on the ability of a child to create a problem solving task under two conditions, taught and play, he confirms that play has significant role in performance. Another aspect that can be learnt from Lander is that though children can perform under taught conditions, the level of motivation is low as compared with when they play. This means exploration is an essential element in determining the level of performance by children. New dimension of play and performance has been explained by Baumeister and Vohs (2004). They believe that play as an aspect changes the psychology of a child thus enhances performance. Contemporary scholars such as Whitebread et al. (2009) and Thomas et al. (2006) connect play with preschoolers believing that it forms an important part in their education. In as much, the definition of a play is multifaceted and thus getting distinct research to review is a challenge. Thomas et al. (2006), Baumeister and Vohs (2004), Mclnnes et al. (2009) however give clear analysis that exists between learning in children and play. Thomas et al. (2006) analyse the relationship between play and problem solving abilities. Building from previous researches, their study made an assumption that under the same condition, children will explore in the process of play thus enhance performance. Thomas et al. study has been reviewed to show the difference with this study. Whilst theirs had the chance to explore, this study is jigsaw puzzle thus children will not be able to explore. Instead, the study will let children perform on the floor in presence of a teacher or adult with each given an opportunity under instructions. When measured, the time taken by children to finish the task under playful condition is significantly shorter as compared to the other condition. This further affirms that performance or rate of learning is related with play. The approach this study takes is similar to that of Thomas et al. (2006) and Howard (2002) where three playful cues were identified. In as much as this study aims to confirm existing relationship between play and performance, the questions that has little literatures for review is whether there exist relationship between play and level of meta-cognitive behavior. Within the context of this study, meta-cognitive means the ability of these students to explain the reason behind the choices they made while they perform the task. This definition has been adopted from Schneider (1998) who took a case study to investigate meta-cognitive of children under different ages. However, most scholars such as Baumeister and Vohs (2004) refer to this ability as meta-cognitive utterances. Method This study adopts the research done by Thomas et al. (2006) which works with experimental design. The difference between this study and that of Thomas et al. is the design whereby in this case, the sample was divided into the distinct conditions as stated before. Further to this, the method chosen for this study is the variables where the dependent being the time needed to complete the task while independent is the conditions. The task also opted for in this study is jigsaw puzzle because of two roles it has; its familiarity with children and its ability to deny children chances of explorations. Each child was randomly chosen, given same puzzle under two stages. The first stage was to give them opportunity to practice with the puzzle after which they were re-timed as the measure for their improvement was scored as shown in the appendix. On ethical issues, the study sought permission from parents of the participating children and the relevant committee. Participants The study sampled thirty (30) participants from a preschool in South Wales. The mean age of the selected children was 47.23 months, the youngest child having an age of 42 months and the oldest being 55 months. To ensure consistency of the study, the children were chosen from the same classroom. This was to ensure that there is uniformity of any external condition that could affect their performance. There was also a range of 48.4 months for the female participants giving Standard Deviation (SD) of 5.26. Procedure The procedure adopted for this study consisted of two distinct stages: the first stage consists of children given time to rehearse with the puzzle and the second stage was to time the participants by having their scores recorded. The period allocated to each participant was five minutes and the scores were recorded by the researcher. Also noted down during the process was the number of meta-cognitive utterances by each participant. The second part of the study analysed the performance of the participants under playful condition. This was done without the assistance of researcher and after five minutes, record of the performance was noted. Findings After taking record of performance from these conditions it was noted that under formal or non-play condition, the improvement recorded was 7.8 translating to Standard Deviation of 2.45. On the other hand, the mean score for the condition under play was slightly higher at 9.6 with Standard Deviation 1.99. The mean number of meta-cognitive utterances for children under formal condition was 11.9 with Standard Deviation of 2.71. Meta-cognitive utterances with students under playful condition were 12.6 with Standard Deviation 2.6. It can therefore be hypothesised that the performance of children under playful condition is high compared to when under formal condition. The chart below clearly indicates performance of children under the two different conditions. This finding attests to t-test which is (p Read More

Thomas et al. (2006) analyse the relationship between play and problem solving abilities. Building from previous researches, their study made an assumption that under the same condition, children will explore in the process of play thus enhance performance. Thomas et al. study has been reviewed to show the difference with this study. Whilst theirs had the chance to explore, this study is jigsaw puzzle thus children will not be able to explore. Instead, the study will let children perform on the floor in presence of a teacher or adult with each given an opportunity under instructions.

When measured, the time taken by children to finish the task under playful condition is significantly shorter as compared to the other condition. This further affirms that performance or rate of learning is related with play. The approach this study takes is similar to that of Thomas et al. (2006) and Howard (2002) where three playful cues were identified. In as much as this study aims to confirm existing relationship between play and performance, the questions that has little literatures for review is whether there exist relationship between play and level of meta-cognitive behavior.

Within the context of this study, meta-cognitive means the ability of these students to explain the reason behind the choices they made while they perform the task. This definition has been adopted from Schneider (1998) who took a case study to investigate meta-cognitive of children under different ages. However, most scholars such as Baumeister and Vohs (2004) refer to this ability as meta-cognitive utterances. Method This study adopts the research done by Thomas et al. (2006) which works with experimental design.

The difference between this study and that of Thomas et al. is the design whereby in this case, the sample was divided into the distinct conditions as stated before. Further to this, the method chosen for this study is the variables where the dependent being the time needed to complete the task while independent is the conditions. The task also opted for in this study is jigsaw puzzle because of two roles it has; its familiarity with children and its ability to deny children chances of explorations.

Each child was randomly chosen, given same puzzle under two stages. The first stage was to give them opportunity to practice with the puzzle after which they were re-timed as the measure for their improvement was scored as shown in the appendix. On ethical issues, the study sought permission from parents of the participating children and the relevant committee. Participants The study sampled thirty (30) participants from a preschool in South Wales. The mean age of the selected children was 47.

23 months, the youngest child having an age of 42 months and the oldest being 55 months. To ensure consistency of the study, the children were chosen from the same classroom. This was to ensure that there is uniformity of any external condition that could affect their performance. There was also a range of 48.4 months for the female participants giving Standard Deviation (SD) of 5.26. Procedure The procedure adopted for this study consisted of two distinct stages: the first stage consists of children given time to rehearse with the puzzle and the second stage was to time the participants by having their scores recorded.

The period allocated to each participant was five minutes and the scores were recorded by the researcher. Also noted down during the process was the number of meta-cognitive utterances by each participant. The second part of the study analysed the performance of the participants under playful condition. This was done without the assistance of researcher and after five minutes, record of the performance was noted. Findings After taking record of performance from these conditions it was noted that under formal or non-play condition, the improvement recorded was 7.

8 translating to Standard Deviation of 2.45. On the other hand, the mean score for the condition under play was slightly higher at 9.

Read More