The aim of this study is to look at the environmental effect on toddlers’ social interactions during free play in two older and two newer preschools. Furthermore, we would like to investigate four preschool teachers’ thoughts about the indoor environment when it comes to toddlers’ interaction during free play. Qualitative methods containing interviews of the preschool teachers and observations of the children during their free playtime have been used to help us reach our conclusions. In addition, our theoretical conclusions have been derived from both the sociocultural perspective and the environmental psychology perspective. Our results have shown that variations in the preschool environment are of importance in the outcome of toddlers’ different social interactions. Teachers find the indoor environment of great importance and are working with it either with the preschool establishment or independently where time allows. The attitude and approach of preschool teachers on the indoor environment is also of great importance in encouraging positive social interaction in toddlers during free play.

This is a qualitative study that explores how bilingual children develop their language through play. The study is based on observations and interviews conducted in a preschool located in a multicultural area of Stockholm. The purpose of using two qualitative methods; observations and interviews, was to get a bigger picture of the study area. The results of the study, illustrated through observations and interviews that I have conducted, shows that the game has great role for bilingual children's language development. Furthermore, the results show that the informants are aware of the importance of play for bilingual children's language development especially when they are talking about investing in the promotion of children's language by using different methods and materials in their pre activity for various games and activities. One of my conclusions is that bilingual children learn the language during both free play and structured play especially when educators are present and aware of the activities that they perform. It is also important to see children as individuals to cover all the needs of children at different activities. Finally, I can also mention that bilingual children develop their language in the play by using different materials and communicate in different ways to contact other children. In play, children work a lot with their fantasies, knowledge and experience they already have from before and that they created during the game.

abstract: Via my personal, academic and professional journey, I closely examine my career growth and how my perspectives on early childhood environments developed in reference to free play. Using a narrative format, I share personal experiences that have shaped my views on free play. Free play is a type of play that features choices, freedom of selection, cognitive and social development, and child interest. I review relevant literature and weave in my personal and professional experiences in order to reflect on free play from two different perspectives: participant (child), and the Early Childhood Professional (teacher and/or administrator). I also demonstrate how my professional and academic milestones have contributed to my developing beliefs and ideas put into practice about free play in early childhood environments. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education 2011

abstract: The purpose of this dissertation was to document the teaching practices and underlying intentions of teachers in a Waldorf early childhood program in relationship to integrative movement and its connections to learning for the kindergarten through grade three learner. Current concerns about unhealthy sedentary lifestyles and the decreasing emphasis on physical activity/movement in public schools are growing. This dissertation explores current educational research related to the effects of movement on cognitive processing and the potential effects of movement on learning, particularly in a Waldorf-based early childhood program in which movement is integrated into all aspects of learning (including all academic subjects). This dissertation includes a literature review of current research and theory, and a qualitative micro-ethnographic case study of a Waldorf-based early childhood program that involved teacher observations and interviews. Key findings: the Waldorf-based early childhood program provided practical methods for (1) encouraging various modes of free play intended to enhance a child's physical, social/emotional and academic development, (2) integrating teacher-led movements into the daily curriculum, (3) utilizing movement to aid cognitive processing and prepare students for more sedentary academic work, (4) integrating remedial work into the daily classroom curriculum, and (5) utilizing intentional movement to help a child learn to embody stillness as a means of focusing attention and energy. Movements integrated into the curriculum by the teachers created observable positive effects on the students: eagerness to participate, recall, extending focus and attention, and creating social awareness and cooperation. Conclusions: (1) Waldorf-based education programs may provide practical examples and theoretical perspectives relevant to the creation of an integrated and comprehensive movement-based curriculum for the early childhood learner, and (2) The Waldorf teachers studied provide a counter-position to early childhood teaching practices that utilize movement as a break from sedentary learning. This study revealed the effects of imposing or integrating stillness into a movement-rich curriculum. Future recommendations include more comprehensive research on Waldorf-based educational programs and educational research that reaches beyond movement's potential positive or negative effect on a student's academic progress to study in more depth how and why movement impacts learning for the young child. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Curriculum and Instruction 2012

Our purpose with this study is to examine free play from a gender perspective. We explore in which ways free play is free, as well as how pedagogues view their own role in free play alongside, their views on gender and how these impact upon their actions. The study seeks, to contribute to a greater understanding of free play and what factors influence it, so that pedagogues may gain a greater understanding and use free play in the best way possible for children. The study is based on the following questions: ·      Free play, how free is it? ·      How is gender expressed in free play when it comes to social interaction and children’s interaction with materials? ·      In what way do pedagogues assumptions about gender reveal themselves when supervising free play? For this study we used qualitative methods combining six interviews with preschool teachers and several observations at two different preschools. The theories used in this study is a combination of sociocultural and poststructuralist perspectives. Our results shows that generally the pedagogues had the same understanding on free play and that they are aware of the opportunities free play may provide for the children. Secondly this study shows how children use the materials provided at the preschool differently. While the boys and girls in this study use the materials to communicate and interact, the boys often did this in a more active way while the girls were more calm. Lastly, all pedagogues interviewed expressed their concerted efforts to strive towards gender equality in preschools.

Syftet med studien var att studera förskollärares uppfattningar av den fria leken i förskolan. Fri lek är en naturlig del i barnens vardag i förskolan, men begreppet är brett och kan tolkas ur olika perspektiv hos förskollärarna. Studien utgår från en kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta förskollärare i en kommun i mellersta Sverige. Med stöd av Eriksons lekteori och med teorins centrala begrepp identitet, lekhandlingar och konsekvenser och utfall har resultatet analyserats. Resultatet visar skillnader mellan förskollärares uppfattningar om vad fri lek innebär. Samtliga förskollärare menar dock att den fria leken har en central betydelse i barns liv och att den är livsviktig för deras utveckling. En förskollärare menar att barn som inte får leka blir ingen hel människa. Förskollärarna beskriver att den fria leken skapar goda förutsättningar för lärande och utveckling. Resultatet visar att det finns lekhandlingar som förskollärare uppfattar som önskvärda och icke önskvärda. Fri lek som går emot samhällets norm styrs om eller förmildras. Förskollärarna beskriver olika faktorer i förskolan som kan begränsa barnen i deras fria lek; tiden, förskollärares förhållningssätt, icke önskvärda lekhandlingar och den fysiska miljön. Studiens resultat har även visat att det kan uppstå negativa konsekvenser i barnens utveckling om deras fria lek i förskolan begränsas, de kan till exempel hämmas i sin utveckling av identitet. Slutligen kan barnens fria lek i förskolan inte betraktas som helt fri, utan styrs eller begränsas på grund av omgivande faktorer.

To look at the effect of free play on the musical improvisations of first, second and third grade children, 108 children were randomly assigned to either a control or treatment group. Subjects were tested using a researcher-designed instrument to elicit an improvisatory response. The control group then received regular music instruction (120 minutes every 2 weeks) and the treatment group received regular music instruction in conjunction with musical free play (100 minutes of instruction and 20 minutes of free play every 2 weeks). The treatment lasted 14 weeks. At the end of the treatment, all students were tested with the same testing instrument used for the pre test. Videotapes of the improvisations were submitted to three independent judges to rate for quality on a 5-point Likert scale. The change in ratings between pre and post tests were analyzed with an analysis of variance to determine if there were significant differences between the control and treatment groups. The analysis of the data revealed no significant difference in the change of ratings between control and treatment groups for the group as a whole, or for any particular grade level within the total group.

This is a study that deals with the participation of educators in children's free play from the perspective of children. The aim of the study is to create a greater understanding of how children perceive the participation of educators in their free play. Are we interfering with it or supporting? The study also highlights previous research in the field of play and key concepts are highlighted and clarified. The collection of material has taken place through qualitative interviews with children in three different ways, group interviews, individual interviews and spontaneous conversations. The interviews have been recorded and transcribed. The data has been processed from a children’s perspective to make children’s thoughts visible and to be able to see the phenomenon of play and the participation of educators through their eyes. In the results section, the children’s thoughts about the pedagogues participation in their free play are made visible, the result also shows the children’s perceptions of the concept of play and what it means to them. The results of the study show that children's perceptions about their free play include the phenomenon of role play. A game that the educator does not participate in, only observes and supports when needed. Educators who play are unusual from the children's perspective and only happen in controlled games and activities. The results analysis then turns into a discussion that problematizes the children’s view of the teachers’ absent presence in their play based on previous research.

Syftet med denna studie var att få en inblick i hur barnen ur ett genusperspektiv ser på de leksaker och lekar som de leker i den fria leken på förskolan. Empirin har samlats in från två olika förskolor, en som ligger i en tätort och en som ligger ute på landsbygden där sammanlagt 10 barn har medverkat. Eftersom arbetet fokuserar på barns perspektiv, valdes intervju samt observation som metod för att samla in empirin. Intervjun valdes för att visa barnens perspektiv medan observationerna skulle belysa barnens val i den fria leken. Intervjuerna spelades in för att sedan transkriberas och kategoriseras. Resultatet av den insamlade empirin visade på att barnen både gjorde val som gick inom de normer som finns i samhället, samtidigt som dem även hade gränsöverskridandet synssätt. Resultatet visade även att man kunde se de vuxnas synsätt i en del av barnens val. / The purpose of this study was to gain an insight into how children from a gender perspective look at the toys and games they play in the free play in preschool. Empirin has been collected from two different preschools, one located in an urban area and one located in the countryside where a total of 10 children have participated. Since the work focuses on children's perspectives, interview and observation were chosen as the method for collecting the empirical data. The interview was chosen to show the children's perspective, while the observations would shed light on the children's choices in free play. The interviews were recorded and then transcribed and categorized. The results of the collected empirical evidence showed that the children both made choices that went within the norms that exist in society, while at the same time they also had cross-border views. The results also showed that one could see the adults' views in some of the children's choices.

No description available.