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Literature Review on Historical and Contemporary Understandings of Childhood

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Part A: Critical Analysis of Literature

Introduction to Play-Based Learning

As Hedegard and Fleer (2013) factor out, play is increasingly identified as a foundational
principle in the early formative years of schooling. The aid of play helps children's boom as it
offers a secure area wherein they will strive out new competencies and thoughts without fear of
judgment (Taylor & Boyer, 2020). But the very definition of play is evolving. I will first examine
how modern ideas of play's emotional and cognitive development relate to their more traditional
counterparts in this article. The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) lays emphasis on the
importance of play-based learning as an essential component in early childhood education.
Additionally, the National Quality Framework (NQF), encourages play in children's learning and
development. This literature review will analyze historical and current perspectives on play-
based learning and develop a comprehension of how they might differently impact pedagogy and
classroom practice.

Classical Theories of Play-Based Learning

According to Hedegard and Fleer (2013), the reason for play, the importance of play in
the 19th and 20th centuries, and the bodily characteristics of play can all be explained with
classical conceptions. One is Groos's (1898, 1901) exercise theory of play, which argues that play
serves an adaptive feature. For instance, children often practice the skills they will need as adults
by playing out adult roles (Hedegard & Fleer, 2013). During pretend play, kids often assume the
roles of adults, such as when they pretend to make dinner or get ready for work. According to
Groos's theory, children are more prone to want to act like significant adults (Cantrell, 2018).
Meanwhile, by exposing kids to various social roles, pretend play aids their personal growth
(Hedegard, & Fleer, 2013). In addition, kids develop their creativity when they play pretend. The
relaxation theory of play is the other principal school of thought in classical play theory.
According to Lazarus (1883), when kids do something fun for no reason other than it is
enjoyable, it is because they need to refuel after a hard day of labor (Hedegard & Fleer, 2013).
However, in step with this play speculation, there seems to be a few disagreements about
whether play stores or expends electricity. According to Granlund (2019), play might not have
any cognitive purpose. Modern researchers have concluded that conventional thoughts are
insufficient because they ignore the diversity of kid's play (Tyler & Boyer, 2013). However, these
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ideas did recognize the significance of children's play and laid the groundwork for creating
modern theories of play (Edwards, 2016).

One specific example of play based learning is outdoor play. According to Hedegard and
Fleer (2013), the outdoor setting provides children with an all-round learning environment where
they interact with nature as well as their peers. It mostly involves the element of risk taking
where kids have to navigate unknown terrain for instance, which brings in the concept of play
serving as an adaptive function from Groos's (1898, 1901) theory of play. The theory argues that
children, through taking risks, learn to assess and situations and make informed decisions.

Transition to Contemporary Theories

According to De Luca et al. (2017), present-day theories of play emphasize a kid's

physical improvement, social abilities, understanding of oneself and others, emotional maturity,
shallowness, self-law, and cognitive skills obtained through play. In contrast to classical
methods, modern-day theories of play supply a reason for play phenomena and emphasize play's
mental advantages (Anderson & Thomas, 2021). Play and, most importantly, philosophers have
considerably explored its benefits. According to Erikson's psychosocial idea, play-based getting-
to-know may assist children in expanding social and emotional competencies at diverse
development tiers. For instance, inside the new child level, as toddlers increase their dependable
attachment to their caregivers, they end up more interactive and take part in a broader form of
social play with others (Ridgway & Quinones, 2014). Therefore, Erikson stresses the need to
provide touchy care and encouragement during this 2nd. According to this notion, kid's play is
critical to their psychological and social development. Young children undergo a spectrum of
emotions, loads of which would probably have an impact on their relationships and common
fitness (Fleer & Hedegard, 2010). According to the cognitive idea (1978), with the aid of Piaget,
the second theorist on this evaluation, kids' play permits them to broaden with the aid of the use
of supporting them in retaining records, running towards new abilities, and integrating their
minds and behaviors. According to Piaget's idea, kids do not preserve their degree of knowledge
at the same time as playing but as an opportunity to regularly engage with new records that
enable the development of a better degree of cognitive standard overall performance (Pyle &
Alaca, 2018).

Contemporary Theorists and their Perspectives

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Modern theories of play are more convincing because they are grounded on actual study
and provide more insight into the nature of play. These ideas explain why children's play benefits
their development and how it nourishes their growth in various areas (Anderson & Thomas,
2021). Conversely, no conventional play theory accurately distinguishes between the various
viable contents and editions of children's play (Fleer & Hedegaard, 2010). Nevertheless,
Granlund (2019) argues that play, in its numerous bureaucracy, may affect a kid's physical health
and cognitive, social, and emotional increase.

Edward (2016) discovers that children's cultural backgrounds may also affect their play
alternatives and social interactions in today's increasing number of multicultural and multilingual
early youth settings. Hedegaard & Fleer (2013) argue that their language's historical past may
additionally affect kid's play. For instance, a child who does not speak English can have
difficulty speaking with youngsters who do. In these times, gaming may additionally function as
a bridge among people of various backgrounds and languages. It is an engaging pursuit that may
help kids get in shape or practice their English skills. Children who play together feel safe
enough to talk to one another and practice their communication skills naturally.

Comparative Analysis of Classical and Contemporary Theories

According to Hedegard Fleer (2013), youngsters research the price of play domestically,
and it has a financial worth. Children need secure surroundings to play and hone their talents,
and they require mothers and fathers who are prepared to dedicate time and energy to assisting
them grow and flourish. Pyle and Alaca (2018) point out that Carlsson-Paige (2008) is concerned
that "leisure media are regularly replacing sports, baby-concentrated play, and social time with
friends and households." For instance, if the mother and father are too worn out to engage with
their children when they get domestic from paintings, they could allow them to watch TV, play
on the phone, or use a tablet laptop. There can be accidental outcomes for the determine-child
bond as a result. It is also possible that this might lead to unforeseen complications, such as
psychological concerns among youngsters who are exposed to violent media online. Cutter et al.
(2014) found that parental participation in their children's play was significantly correlated with
their children's cognitive and affective development. According to Taylor and Boyer (2020),
parents are essential to their children's growth and education. Parents may better educate
instructors about their children's interests, needs, and abilities if they spend more time playing
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and engaging with them. Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological system theory (1986) provides more
support for this idea by outlining parents' crucial role in their children's growth and development.

Play-Based Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education

Many different theoretical frameworks have examined the relationship between play and
schooling, with blended results (Hedegaard & Fleer, 2013). Modern theories of play spotlight
that play may also extensively resource children in learning and maturing in social and emotional
methods. Play-based pedagogy is a cornerstone of early adolescence training in the twenty-first
century (Ridgway & Quinones, 2014). Children hone their ability to regulate their muscles and
coordinate their eyes, hands, and feet via active play activities like long jumps and catching balls
with outstretched arms. In addition, children learn to think critically and assess fair and unjust
behavior due to their interactions with others during play.

By gazing at youngsters through play-based learning in their early formative years,

educators may additionally get insight into play's complexities, characteristics, and possibilities
for promoting children's all-round improvement (Edwards, 2016). Teachers can also learn about
the many types of play and how they may contribute to their students' increase. The intervention
of competent adults in pupil play is crucial for the effectiveness of the play-based mastering
technique, as counselled by way of Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development [ZPD] theory
(1978) and Bruner's scaffolding theory (1978) (Anderson & Thomas, 2021).

The environment is a considerable asset in the early formative years of schooling, and it
appreciably influences kids' play. According to the Australian Children's Education and Care
Quality Authority (2016), the Reggio Emilia technique has inspired certain current ideas and
research by emphasizing the environment's significance as the "0.33 teacher" in kid's
improvement. Anderson & Thomas (2021), who recommended that "Children need surroundings
in which to specific their mind in a playful" manner, provide more credence to this perspective.
They assume being in an area with interesting topics to check and do can encourage children to
exit and discover the arena, mainly if that region is out of doors, wherein they will contact stuff
like leaves, rocks, dust, and water. The reality that no man or woman can stipulate the belief of
those materials makes them valuable play substances. As a result, kids may also learn how to
appreciate the outdoors and revel in nature (Cantrell, 2018). Through outside play, children can
learn about Aboriginal cultures with a strong appreciation for and connection to nature. That can
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consist of studying approximately how Aboriginal human beings managed using natural
resources to sell sustainability. Play based learning will enable the kids to absorb information
faster and remember it for a long time compared to the other techniques of education.

In the next section I will provide my professional philosophy statement that is based on
the principles of social constructivism, especially as it was developed by scientists such as Lev
Vygotsky.

Part B: Professional Philosophy Statement

This pedagogical stance is informed by my growing knowledge of educational theory and

practice and my classroom experiences as well as the critical analysis of literature carried above.
I have selected the theory of social constructivism for my philosophy. My strategy is based on
four distinct schools of thought; the first is that kids can only learn in a welcoming setting where
they are respected and feel "safe" to experiment. According to the social constructivist theory
developed by psychologists like Lev Vygotsky and Albert Bandura, learning is a collaborative
process that requires a classroom atmosphere that is both sensitive to the needs of individual
students and welcoming to their peers (Taylor & Boyer, 2020). While I agree that it is essential
for children to feel like they matter as individuals, I also believe that this approach has to be
balanced with rigorous standards for all students and an emphasis on the group over the
individual. Therefore, I think the most excellent chance for successful learning is in a classroom
where the instructor takes on the role of facilitator in a friendly, challenging, and fair way.

Second, I believe an excellent educational strategy can be applied to the real world,
whether for practical, personal, or artistic reasons. Making this value clear to pupils is essential
to my approach to teaching since it is a prerequisite for motivation. Making lesson content
personally meaningful to students is a central focus of my teaching practice because I believe
that students who have an internal sustained desire to learn and are personally and purposefully
engaged are the most likely to learn effectively. I think this is related to the need to foster
students' critical thinking abilities since they are transferable skills with apparent worth beyond
the classroom and even the person. According to Bloom's Taxonomy, one of a teacher's
responsibilities is to help pupils go beyond rote memorization of facts to an analytical application
and synthesis of what they have learned (Cutter et al., 2014).
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Thirdly, although evaluation may be used for many things, it should always be done
considering the students' best interests. Then, assessment serves as a formative tool for
education, closing a vital feedback loop that illuminates how far down the path to mastery each
student is and how successful the current methods of instruction are. The most crucial aspect of
good assessment techniques is that they are in sync with the material being taught and provide
room for growth in light of critique. In the classroom, this may include letting students create
their rubrics and submitting work in several drafts and final versions (Pyle & DeLuca, 2017). In
this method, students learn to evaluate their performance and incorporate constructive criticism
into their education.

Finally, an essential guiding principle of my teaching philosophy is the value of

(meta)cognition and the need to equip students with green and effective learning methods to
serve them properly within the present and destiny. Metacognitive consciousness is important for
efficient language acquisition and getting to know well-known. I can attest to its usefulness from
my revel in identifying how I analyze excellently. Students take advantage of academic success
and self-assurance once they recognize what works best for them as learners. That reinforces
their belief in their talents for research and their self-efficacy, which improves the best in their
next gaining knowledge of reviews (Granlund, 2019). Therefore, my teaching philosophy is
informed by the cognitive mastering principle. I use methods to facilitate my pupils' transition of
newly found fabric from working reminiscence to long-term memory. I could use role-playing
and scaffolding to house college students' varied learning patterns and demands to introduce new
principles and abilities.

My instructional philosophy revolves around fundamental worries: stable participation,

intrinsic motivation, critical thinking skills, formative assessment, and (meta)cognitive principle.
Self-efficacy, a fee for schooling, a mastery orientation, self-control, and tenacity are some of the
"adaptive cognitions" I need to foster through my approach to coaching, gaining knowledge of,
and evaluation to inspire enthusiastic students' increase.
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References

Anderson, R., & Thomas, H. (2021). ENGAGING WITH PLAY-BASED LEARNING. Journal
of Teacher Action Research, 7(2).
http://www.practicalteacherresearch.com/uploads/5/6/2/4/56249715/volume_7_issue_2_2
021.pdf#page=56

Cantrell, T. (2018). Aligning Common Core Standards with Play-based Curriculum in Early
Education Programs: A Grounded Theory Investigation (Doctoral dissertation,
Northcentral University).
https://www.proquest.com/openview/5352a8a69902425f03780eff43c928ee/1?pq-
origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750

Cutter-Mackenzie, A., Edwards, S., Moore, D., Boyd, W., Moore, D., Edwards, S., ... & Boyd,
W. (2014). Play-based learning in early childhood education. Young children's play and
environmental education in early childhood education, 9-24.
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-03740-0_2

DeLuca, C., Pyle, A., Valiquette, A., & LaPointe-McEwan, D. (2020). New directions for
kindergarten education: Embedding assessment in play-based learning. The elementary
school journal, 120(3), 455-479.
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/707008

Edwards, S. (2016). New concepts of play and the problem of technology, digital media and
popular-culture integration with play-based learning in early childhood
education. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 25(4), 513-532.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1475939X.2015.1108929

EYLF. (2021, December 12). Early years learning framework. Raising Stars Early Learning

Centre. https://raisingstars.com.au/early-years-learning-framework/
Fleer, M., & Hedegaard, M. (2010). Early learning and development: Cultural-historical
concepts in play. Cambridge University Press.

Granlund, N. U. (2019, February). Implementing theories for preschool teaching with play-based
pedagogies. In Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics
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Education (No. 15). Freudenthal Group; Freudenthal Institute; ERME.

https://hal.science/hal-02429790/

Hedegaard, M., & Fleer, M. (2013). Play, learning, and children's development: Everyday life in
families and transition to school. Cambridge University Press.

Journey, P. (2023, June 30). What educators should know about the NQF. Petit

Journey. https://www.petitjourney.com.au/what-educators-should-know-about-the-nqf/
Pyle, A., & Alaca, B. (2018). Kindergarten children's perspectives on play and learning. Early
Child Development and Care, 188(8), 1063-1075.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03004430.2016.1245190

Pyle, A., & DeLuca, C. (2017). Assessment in play-based kindergarten classrooms: An empirical
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457-466. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220671.2015.1118005

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curriculum?. Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online), 37(12), 29-47.
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children's learning experiences in the kindergarten classroom. Early Childhood
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