Abstract
In recent years, the concept of “deeper learning” has generated great interest in the field of preschool education in China. However, deep learning in the preschool stage is different from that in school education, as it requires explaining content characteristics, developing observational tools to identify deep learning, and exploring ways to guide children’s deep learning through play. This topic is also relevant worldwide, as there is a growing interest in the relationship between play and young children’s academic learning. The aim of this study is to address these issues by examining the content of deeper learning based on the ideal state of symbolic games – “mature play” in the preschool stage. The study adapted the structure of observed learning outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy, a renowned observational tool for developing students’ deep understanding, for use in preschools and investigated teachers’ guidance for preschool children during symbolic games. A comparative action study spanning two semesters and involving two groups of children (free-play vs. integrated-play strategies) was conducted. Results revealed that combining free-play and guided-play strategies was essential for promoting children’s deep learning. The use of the adapted SOLO taxonomy facilitated the dynamic assessment of children’s learning and assisted teachers in making informed decisions about play strategies. This study provides important insights into the potential benefits of using observational tools to support teachers in promoting deeper learning in preschool children.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aksoy, S. H. (2021). A critical perspective in terms of SOLO taxonomy for reading outcomes in mother-tongue teaching curriculums (1981, 2006 and 2019) in Turkey. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 17, 327–345.
Biggs, J. B., & Collis, K. F. (1982). Evaluating the Quality of Learning-The SOLO Taxonomy (pp. 24–25). Academic Press.
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2007). Outcomes-based teaching and learning (OBTL). Why is it, How do we make it work. Retrieved from: https://talic.hku.hk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/OBTL_what_why_how1.pdf
Bodrova, E., & Leong, D. J. (2009). Tools of the mind: A Vygotskian-based early childhood curriculum. Early Childhood Services: An Interdisciplinary. Journal of Effectiveness, 3, 245–262.
Brabrand, C., & Dahl, B. (2009). Using the SOLO taxonomy to analyze competence progression of university science curricula. High Education, 58, 531–549.
Cheng, Z. J. (2020). Preschool children’s learning goals, contents and assessment: Comparion among curricula guidelines in Forign Countries. Studies in Foreign Education., 47, 20–38.
Cheng, Z. J. (2022). Appropriate positioning of child autonomy and adult-didactic instruction in early childhood education practice: Symbolic theory perspective. Education Journal, 50, 79–96.
Darling-Hammond, L., & Oakes, J. (2019). Preparing teachers for deeper learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Davies, O., & Mansour, N. (2022). Exploring the use of cognitive science approaches alongside SOLO taxonomy as a pedagogical framework to build deeper knowledge in science and foundation subjects at primary schools in UK. Education Science, 12(523), 1–15.
DeLuca, C., Pyle, A., Valiquette, A., & LaPointe-McEwan, D. (2020). New directions for kindergarten education: Embedding assessment in play-based learning. Elementary School Journal, 120, 455–479.
Elkonin, D. (1972). Toward the problem of stages in the mental development of the child. Soviet Psychology, 10(3), 225–251.
Frausel, R. R., Silvey, C., Freeman, C., Dowling, N., Richland, L. E., Levine, S. C., ... & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2020). The origins of higher-order thinking lie in children's spontaneous talk across the pre-school years. Cognition, 200, 104274.
Germeroth, C., Bodrova, E., Day-Hess, C. A., Barker, J., Sarama, J., Clements, D. H., & Layzer, C. (2019). Play it high, play it low: Examining the reliability and validity of a new observation tool to measure children’s make-believe play. American Journal of Play, 11(2), 183–221.
Gmitrová, V., Podhajecká, M., & Gmitrov, J. (2009). Children’s play preferences: Implications for the preschool education. Early Child Development and Care, 179, 339–351.
Hattie, J., & Jaeger, R. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning: A deductive approach. Assessment in Education Principles Policy and Practice, 5, 111–122.
Huang, R., Yang, W., & Li, H. (2019). On the road to participatory pedagogy: A mixed-methods study of pedagogical interaction in Chinese kindergartens. Teaching and Teacher Education, 85, 81–91.
Huberman, M., Bitter, C., Anthony, J., Day, J. O. (2014). Report 1: Findings from the Study of Deeper Learning Opportunities and Outcomes. American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED553360.pdf
Kamii, C., Kirkland, L., & Lewis, B. A. (2001). Representation and abstraction in young children’s numerical reasoning. In: A. A. Cuoco & F. R. Curcio (Eds.), The roles of representation in school mathematics: 2001 NCTM yearbook (pp. 24–34). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Kemmis, S., McTaggart, R., & Nixon, R.(2013). The action research planner doing critical participatory action research. Singapore Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4560-67-2
Koerhuis, I. G., Boontje, M., van Boxtel, H., Breebaart, D., & op den Kamp, M. (2018). Piramide. International Handbook of Early Childhood Education, 995–1022.
Marton, F., & Saljo, R. (1976). On qualitative differences in Learning Outcome as a Function of the Learner’s Conception of the task. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 4–11.
Miller, E., & Almon, J. (2009). Crisis in the kindergarten: Why children need play in school. College Park, MD: Alliance for Childhood
Nesbitt, K. T., & Farran, D. C. (2021). Effects of prekindergarten curricula: Tools of the Mind as a Case Study.In L. A. Liben (Eds.), Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 86 (340), 7–120.
Pegg, J. (2018). Structure of the observed learning outcome (SOLO) model. Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education. Springer, 10, 978–3.
Philips, J. L. Jr. (1981). Piaget’s theory: A primer (pp.62–65, 69–81). San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company.
Piaget, J. (1962). Play, Dreams, and Imitation in Childhood (pp. 111–112). W. H. Freeman and Company.
Rentzou, K., Slutsky, R., Tuul, M., Gol-Guven, M., Kragh-Muller, G., Foerch, D. F., Fenu, D., & Paz-Albo, J. (2019). Preschool teachers’ conceptualizations and uses play across eight countries. Early Childhood Education Journal, 47, 1–14.
Skene, K., O’Farrelly, C. M., Byrne, E. M., Kirby, N., Stevens, E. C., & Ramchandani, P. G. (2022). Can guidance during play enhance children’s learning and development in educational contexts? A systematic review and meta- analysis. Child Development, 93, 1162–1180.
Smirnova, E. O., & Gudareva, O. V. (2004). Igrai proizvol’nost u sovremennykh doshkol’nikov [Play and intentionality in modem preschoolers]. Voprosy Psychology, 7, 91–103.
Somolanji Tokić, I., & Borovac, T. (2020). Children’s symbolic play during the transition to school. International Journal of Early Years Education, 28(3), 232–245.
Taylor, M. E., & Boyer, W. (2020). Play-based learning: Evidence-based research to improve children’s learning experiences in the kindergarten classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48, 127–133.
Toub, T., Hassinger-, D. B., Nesbitt, K., Ilgave, H., Weisberg, D., Hirsh-, P. K., Golinkoff, R., Nicolopoulou, A., & Dickinson, D. (2018). The language of play: Developing preschool vocabulary through play following shared book- reading. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 4, 1–17.
Veraksa, N. E. (2011). Development of cognitive capacities in preschool age. International Journal of Early Years Education, 19, 79–87.
Wang, X. Y., & Liu, S. Y. (2020). The basic characteristics and logical structure of children’s deep learning. Education Research of Early Childhood (ZUEQIAN JIAOYU YANJIU), 301, 3–10.
Weisberg, D., Hirsh- Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R., Kittredge, A., & Klahr, D. (2016). Guided play: Principles and practice. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2, 177–182.
Wickstrom, H., Pyle, A., & DeLuca, C. (2019). Does theory translate into practice? An observational study of current mathematics pedagogies in play-based kindergarten. Early Childhood Education Journal, 47, 287–295.
Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform and improve student performance (pp. 2–40). Josey-Bass.
Funding
This research is based the project—Assessment of Children’s Learning and Development in the Classoom Play Corner (JWXSKY2020024).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing Interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Cheng, Z.J., Ma, C.X., Huang, R. et al. Preschool Children’s Deeper-Learning in Mature Play. Early Childhood Educ J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01673-1
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01673-1