Developing an Observational Tool to Support Play-Based Classrooms (Poster 3)

• In Event: Thursday Poster Session 4:20 pm
  In Poster Session: Early Education and Child Development: Poster Session 1

Abstract

Many early childhood practitioners and researchers agree that play-based learning is important for children’s development and learning. Nevertheless, as a field, we seem ambivalent about play-based teaching. Researchers suggest that there is a need for professional development to enrich teacher knowledge of play-based pedagogy.

We report on a tool in development we call the Educationally Productive Play Protocol, designed as a support for educator learning about play-based teaching. We describe the conceptual foundation, literature support, and development of EP3 and present the results of a pilot study in 30 preschool classrooms, to address the following research question: How does EP3 capture the qualities of play-based teaching?

Authors

• Fujiuju Chang, N/A

• M. Elizabeth Graue, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Erica Ramberg, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• YJ Kim, University of Adelaide