The Diversity of Preschoolers' Cooperative Problem-Solving During Play in Classroom Contexts

• In Event: Play in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate four- and five-year-old children’s cooperative problem solving (CPS) during play in preschool classrooms in China and the US. CPS is viewed as a complex skill that occurs when two or more people coordinate their individual problem-solving abilities and develop new ways to solve a shared problem (Ashley & Tomasello, 1998). However, there is a lack of research focused on children’s CPS during play in preschool classrooms. Therefore, this study was designed to use ethnographic-informed observation to observe and video-record 39 children. Children’s video footage (n = 2340 minutes) was coded and analyzed using two-way MANOVA. Results suggest that there are significant age and cultural differences in children’s CPS during play.

Authors

• Meilan Jin, Western Washington University

• Mary Jane Moran, The University of Tennessee