Supporting Playful Learning in the Global South: Using Formative Assessment to Support Educator Practice

• In Event: Improving understanding of child development globally through advancements in measurement

Abstract

Aligning research about educational efficacy and pedagogical practices with teacher training across global contexts is a major challenge. Research from the science of learning literature over the past 10-15 years has coalesced around two central ideas. Zosh and colleagues (Hirsh-Pasek, Zosh et al., 2015; Zosh et al., 2018, 2022) suggest that that play can be construed along a continuum that ranges from free play (low to no adult involvement, focusing on child agency and choice) to guided play (child-directed but adult supported experiences in which there is an intended learning goal) to teacher-directed play (adults play more central roles in designing, supporting, and leading playful experiences) and that all three of these facilitation types play important roles in classrooms. Second, they suggest that playful learning is highly effective for supporting physical, social, emotion, cognitive, and creative outcomes because it harnesses the characteristics that lead to deep learning in children. Namely, that that these experiences are: 1) joyful (child experiences pleasure, surprise, and positive emotions during play); 2) actively engaging (child is minds-on and resists distractions); 3) iterative (child builds on and adapts the play); 4) meaningful (child connects what is being learned to personal experience, existing understanding, and a greater understanding of the world); and 5) socially interactive (child’s interactions with others are part of the play experience).

The Formative Observation and Reflection Assessment Tool that is part of the larger Play and Learning in Children’s Eyes (PALICE) project aims to support educator practice in facilitating playful learning in Global South contexts. PALICE is a formative toolkit and has the intent of supporting educator agency and providing deeper insight into the experiences of children in their classrooms. This has has been piloted in Bangladesh (216 educators), Columbia (21 educators), and Uganda (174 educators) in 2021 over the period of May 4- June 13, 2022. During this time, 1,118 observations were administered.

This presentation centers on the results of the pilot investigation of this tool across contexts. Specifically, it will be focused on exploring trends across ages (the tool is designed for children ages 3-12 years), learning goal (physical, cognitive, social, emotion, or creativity), as well as the facilitation type (free play, guided play, teacher directed play) and characteristic (joy, actively engaging, iterative, meaningful, or socially interactive) selected for observation across all three contexts. In Figures 1 and 2 we show preliminary exploratory analyses of how the tool is used to support pedagogical practice.

Only by conducting research in partnership with educators and researchers across contexts can lessons from the Science of Learning by implemented and leveraged to improve educational outcomes. This presentation explores how playful learning can be supported in the Global South.

Authors

• Jennifer M. Zosh, Penn State University, Brandywine
  Presenting Author

• Angela Pyle, University of Toronto

• Nikhit D'Sa, University of Notre Dame

• Martin Ariapa

• Mauro Giacomazzi

• Gopal Dey

• Eduardo Escallon, Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes)

• Carolina Maldonado-Carreño, Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes)

• Kazi Ferdous Pavel

• Rafael Contreras Gomez, FHI 360

• Brian Dooley

• Carina Omoeva, FHI 360