Research that Benefits Children and Families

Option 2:

                If I had the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field it would be the importance of play in the early childhood classroom.   This would be a two part study and would consist of both structured play and free play opportunities.  I would use children in the preschool and kindergarten setting (ages 3-6).  The goal of the research study would be to show that children can learn important concepts just as well with play involved as they do from structured classroom experiences.  The first study conducted would be of a classroom where there is little to minimum opportunities for play (most kindergarten classrooms today).  The second study would be of the same classroom but where there are optimal opportunities for play.  I would complete the research study over the course of a school year.  I would spend half of the school year on one part of the study and the second half on the other.  I would then compare the results of the research to see if children were able to learn a topic when allowed time for play (free and structured) as well as they would learn it from direct instruction.  I would involve parents in this research event by having them sign a consent form for it and I would make the children aware of it as well.  I would use anecdotal records, video recordings, and the help of classroom aides to gather data.  I would do pre-research testing on a topic to see what the children know and post-research testing to see what they learned with play and without. 

                                                                    

              

         

   I feel that the positive contributions to do a research assignment on the benefits of play would be great.  It would first of all show administration and policy makers that play is an important part of learning and should not be removed from the classroom.  It would show parents that it is ok to let children be children and that just because they are in school, they are not there to just be filled full of knowledge.   It would give teachers the joy of teaching back and they would no longer feel as if they are just there to “teach to the test”.  They would once again be able to see children learning in experimental and fun ways that promote cognitive, social, and physical skills.   It would demonstrate to all professionals in the field that play is not a waste of time but an actual means to learning.  Most of all, it would show children in the early stages of learning that learning can be fun.  This will give them an internal motivation to want to learn at a time when they are very influential.  They would then carry this attitude with them throughout their school career.