The place of theoretical thinking in professional development: Bringing science concepts into play practice

Fleer, Marilyn; Fragkiadaki, Glykeria; Rai, Prabhat

doi:10.1016/j.lcsi.2021.100591

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…In this context, the teacher defines the meaning of certain devices or tools and creates a problem set to be solved by the teacher and children entering into this playworld. Thus, in this model, the teacher not only influences the play setting but also the play development [85]-this "appears to be unique about playworlds" [84] (p. 1260) and means that this play approach is strongly guided. Furthermore, "in this study, wonder was not something that was naturally within the child as a scientific way of interacting with the environment, but rather wonder was socially produced by the teachers through how they continually spoke about the environment, events, and introduced activities" [84] (p. 1271).…”

Section: Implementing Play-based Science Learning In Kindergartenmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…This didactic approach shows "how scientific reasoning in guided imaginative play can be designed into play-based teaching programs so that preschool teachers intentionally engage young children in scientific thought in play-based settings" (p. 1258). With this approach, the teacher is typically part of the play and helps to build a "collective imaginary situation" by telling a story and introducing the children to an "imaginary conceptual playworld space" [85] (p. 5). In this context, the teacher defines the meaning of certain devices or tools and creates a problem set to be solved by the teacher and children entering into this playworld.…”

Section: Implementing Play-based Science Learning In Kindergartenmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Play-Based Physics Learning in Kindergarten

2022

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This article highlights the importance of play as a learning approach in early physics education. It demonstrates the concept of an innovative didactic method that combines children’s free play with physics learning in kindergarten. This play-based learning approach enables children to experience and recognize physical laws in a self-directed, action-oriented, and playful manner. The article provides concrete insights into how kindergarten teachers can stimulate physics-related learning moments, starting from free-play situations. Moreover, it points out the teacher’s crucial role in creating suitable play environments, providing feedback in play, and facilitating sustained shared thinking after play. The article is based on the didactic development project “je-desto”, which aims to promote play-based science learning in kindergarten by familiarizing kindergarten teachers with this promising didactic approach. Accordingly, this article provides kindergarten teachers and experts in subject didactics an answer to what play-based physics learning can look in practice.

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Section: Implementing Play-based Science Learning In Kindergartenmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Implementing Play-based Science Learning In Kindergartenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Play-Based Physics Learning in Kindergarten

2022

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A Cultural-Historical Re-conceptualisation of Digital Pre- and Post-survey Design Embedded in a Dynamic Multi-modal Professional Development Program

Suryani,

Fleer,

Rai

2024

Cultural-Historical Digital Methodology in Early Childhood Settings

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The dynamic nature of an early childhood education workplace is a challenging one that continuously seeks to test educators*, and therefore it is common for them to consistently seek to improve their knowledge, skills, and competencies. Amongst the myriad of different professional development strategies that exist to help early childhood educators with their professional development, how might we capture teacher development? How do we authentically capture this dynamic context and make visible how teacher practices change and teachers themselves develop? One tradition has been to undertake pre- and post-surveys. Yet this method does not in itself bring out what Vygotsky (The collected works of L. S. Vygotsky (Vol. 5. Child psychology) (Rieber, R. W. (Ed.)). Plenum Press, 1998) theorised as the idea of a developmental ‘crisis’. Further, teacher development was never the focus of Vygotsky’s theory of human development. This chapter provides insights into how this can be achieved through a cultural-historical re-conceptualisation of pre- and post-survey design which includes a series of data collection points over time within and across dynamic practices of a professional development program that was simultaneously challenging and motivating for teachers.

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