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Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session
Play is universal among children and there is a growing body of evidence that it has the potential to transform the global learning crisis. In infancy and early childhood, play builds a strong foundation for later learning by improving brain development and growth (Goldstein, 2012). In education systems that lack capacity to support children effectively, play brings its own powerful engine to drive learning—the joyful, engaged intrinsic motivation of children themselves (Zosh et al., 2017). While traditional instructional methods isolate learning into specific domains, learning through play (LtP) interacts developmental domains and subjects (Zosh et al., 2017). In this way, play contributes to the holistic development of children, helping to prepare them for the challenges of the current and future world.
In recent years, there has been an increase in implementation of playful pedagogies around the world and evidence that student outcomes improve when teachers can support playful learning (Center for Universal Education at Brookings, 2019; Parker & Thomsen, 2019; Zosh et al., 2017). However, the majority of these interventions have been implemented in high- and upper-middle-income countries, where teacher capacity and resources to invest in playful pedagogies are high (Center for Universal Education at Brookings, 2019). In low- and lower-middle-income countries, while there is emerging evidence of the success of playful pedagogies, there is also widespread documentation of the failure to implement a key element of playful pedagogies at scale: learner-centered pedagogies (Schweisfurth, 2015).
Accordingly, there is an urgent need to improve measurement of playful learning, in order to be able to add to the evidence base on the benefits of play, how playful learning takes place, and how it can be promoted at home and at school across the lifespan. Additionally, there is an increased demand to understand how LtP methods can be scaled up within government structures.
This panel will focus on recent research and evidence on both measurement and scaling aspects of learning through play across a range of low- and lower-middle income countries. The chair will introduce the session with a brief overview of the history of LtP measurement in low- and lower-middle income countries, with a focus on common pitfalls and limitations to measuring and scaling play-based programs. This will be followed by three presentations. The first presentation focuses on improving existing measures of play, by expanding the use of traditional individual child assessment approach to include a setting-level measure (e.g. classrooms). Based on recent experience in Bangladesh, the presentation will provide an overview of the conceptualization, development, and cultural adaptation of setting-level play measures within BRAC’s Humanitarian Play Labs (HPLs). The second presentation continues the exploration of measuring learning through play, with a focus on children in primary school across five countries (Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Vietnam). The presentation will provide an overview of newly developed tools for estimating the impact of playful pedagogy programs on student outcomes (with measures at the student, teacher, school, community and system level). Additionally, this presentation will provide baseline data on five programs implementing learning through play programs at scale. The third and final presentation incorporates aspects of both measurement and scale but unlike the first two presentations it focuses solely on playful pedagogy in the home and community. The presenters will discuss the similarities and differences among the five country partners attempting to successfully scale playful parenting interventions in a range of contexts. The presentation will also discuss the implications of COVID-19 on the research activity implementation and how measurement initiatives have had to be adjusted to account for the new dynamic.
Finally, our discussant will guide discussion on how to make meaning of the issues raised by the various perspectives on the measurement and scaling of LtP, as well as potential opportunities and lessons learned.
Measuring Play: The significance of the setting level towards a holistic understanding of early-childhood skills development - Sharon Kim, New York University / Global TIES
Measuring learning through play across five countries: Evidence from the Play Accelerator evaluation - Jonathan Stern, RTI International; Benjamin Piper, RTI International; Matthew Jukes, RTI International
Scaling Up Playful Parenting: Generating evidence on implementation at scale Presenters - Carina Omoeva, FHI 360; Frances Aboud, McGill University