Education Commons^™

Play Having Its Place In Early Childhood Education, Emily Streicher

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review and school improvement plan focuses on the power of play for early childhood learners. Play is an innate characteristic in humans and various species alike. Despite the overwhelming evidence supporting play for children, academic demands and pressures felt by teachers and administrators are causing play in early childhood settings to be eliminated or reduced. Teachers, along with administrators, play a key part in this. Early childhood research suggests that teachers' beliefs indicate the likelihood of teachers' intentions to develop a child-centered curriculum and pedagogy that meet children's development and needs (Cheung et al., 2022). Ergo, this school …

Promoting More Play In Kindergarten, Sarah Hofland

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Kindergarten has changed immensely over the years. It is currently driven by academic standards. Kindergarten teachers use much of the day to implement direct instruction and seat work to meet the higher demands in reading and math. The problem is that this type of learning is not developmentally appropriate for kindergarteners. Research shows that play is the central way in which children at the kindergarten age learn. To be developmentally appropriate, this school improvement plan aims at initiating more time spent playing during the kindergarten day.

Ouachita Department Of Theatre Arts To Host One Act Play Festival May 4-5, Kaelin Clay, Office Of Communications & Marketing

Press Releases

The Ouachita Baptist University Department of Theatre Arts will present its Student Directed One Act Play Festival on May 4-5 at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theatre. The performances are free and open to the public, and they are based on students’ work in a play directing course taught by Dr. Dawn Schluetz, visiting associate professor of theatre arts.

Supporting Play In The Preschool Classroom With Visuals, Jessica Luetkemeier

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Early childhood classrooms in the United States look very different today than they did a decade ago. There are a number of reasons why this changing portrait is the case; however, students entering preschool classrooms today are coming to school with less social and academic skills than in the past. Preschool teachers are feeling the pressure to have students “school ready” while also implementing developmentally appropriate practices. After surveying the research around challenges incorporating play in preschool classroom’s today, this school improvement plan suggests how to justify and support play in the preschool classroom using visuals, such as play scripts.

Ouachita Theatre Department Presents All Night Theatre Festival On March 12, Kelsey Bester, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present its 23^rd annual All-Night Theatre: A 10-Minute Play Festival on Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theatre. Hosted by the Alpha Psi Omega national theatre honor society, the festival is entirely student-run and is open to the public. Admission is free.

Following the performances, the playwrights and directors will allow the audience to ask questions about the plays.

Students are given the opportunity to submit a 10-minute play to be read and chosen for the festival by a panel of faculty and students. Each play is given a …

Let Them Be Little: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Kindergarten Teachers During An Era Of Educational Reform, Rachel Denise Whites

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences and perceptions of kindergarten teachers who taught through an era of federally mandated, standards-based educational reforms. This study was guided by two theories as each contributes to an explanation as to how educational reform has strayed far from the central purpose for kindergartens. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development sought to explain how a child constructs a mental model of the world and postulated that there are four distinct stages of human development from birth to adulthood. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory stated that children learn through play and the …

Ouachita's Department Of Theatre Arts To Present "A Servant To Two Masters", Sierra Hoss

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present “A Servant to Two Masters” from Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 17-19, and Monday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theatre. A matinee performance is set for Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2:30 p.m.

Written by Carlo Goldoni in 1746 and adapted by David Turner and Paul Lapworth, “A Servant to Two Masters” is a comedy that tells the story of Truffaldino, a hungry servant who, upon realizing that working for two masters could ensure him a greater supply of food, tries to do the job of two men while working desperately to conceal …

Teachers Report Card 2021: Teachers’ Perceptions Of Education And Their Profession, Australian College Of Educators

Australian College of Educators - National

Teachers play a central role in the development of Australia’s young people. It is essential that their voices are heard by those who make and decide policy, and by others who influence their learning and development. The NEiTA-ACE Teachers Report Card 2021is based on a survey of amplifying the voices of teachers on the state of education and on their profession.

Ouachita's Department Of Theatre Arts To Present "Into The Breeches!", Emma Dennis, Landon Denman, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present George Brant’s “Into the Breeches!” Thursday-Monday, Sept. 23-27, in Verser Theatre. Performances will be held Thursday-Saturday and Monday at 7:30 p.m., with a matinée performance on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Set in 1942, “Into the Breeches!” tells the story of what happens when the crew and leading actors of the Oberon Play House go to fight in World War II. Instead of shutting down the playhouse for the season, the director’s wife plans a production of Shakespeare’s “Henriad”—a combination of “Henry IV” and “Henry V”—with an all-female cast.

Outdoor Classroom/Natural Playground Space School Improvement Project, Holly Carlson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Allowing students to have increased outside playtime in nature positively impacts the students physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development. This school improvement project establishes a plan for creating an additional outside play space and outdoor classroom to increase play time while learning in nature.

Ouachita Department Of Theatre Arts To Present "Hay Fever" Nov. 4-8, Madeline Martin, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Theatre Arts will present its fall production, “Hay Fever,” beginning Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Verser Theatre. Performances will continue Nov. 5-7 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2:30 p.m. Due to COVID-19, seating is limited to Ouachita students, faculty and staff, but a ticketed livestreaming option will be available at www.obu.edu/boxoffice.

Written by Noel Coward, “Hay Fever” is a three-act comedy set in 1920s London. The plot focuses on the self-centered Bliss family, whose eccentricity becomes apparent when each member invites a guest for the …

The Power Of Play In Early Childhood Education, Rachel Mary Nichols

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review synthesizes research on how early childhood classrooms use play as a learning tool for students. The review of literature examines different types of play and how children develop in relation to play. Play in the classroom is often viewed as a reward for completing schoolwork, but in preschool classrooms and beyond, play offers a wide variety of learning opportunities and aids in the development of new skills. This literature review uses scholarly articles and journals to examine the different types of early childhood play in the classroom and how children develop in relation to being able to …

Learning Through Play Experience Tool: Guidelines For General Use Of The Learning Through Play Experience Tool, Lisa Van Beeck

Monitoring Learning

The aim of the Learning through Play (LtP) Experience Tool is to see a play experience through the eyes of a child and use this to understand the texture of the child’s experience. The LtP Experience Tool is not designed to rate or evaluate the child. It is an observational tool used to collect data on a child’s play experience by empathising with a child and how they respond to the play experience. These guidelines provide an overview of the purpose of the LtP Experience Tool and how to use it to understand a child’s play experience. The guidelines are …

The Role Of Play In Fostering Creativity And Purpose, Caitlin Quarrington

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

While play is a universal experience that transcends age, discipline, and location, it is often understood to be a juvenile experience and is not intentionally pursued into adulthood. However, play has positive benefits for people of all ages; it can drive intrinsic motivation, increase creativity, and build a sense of meaning and purpose in both individuals and teams. Building on existing understandings of play and creativity, this Synthesis develops a transdisciplinary Play-Flow Intervention Model that leverages play as an intervention at two critical points during the flow cycle to alleviate struggle and expedite movement towards flow. Integrating play during periods …

Learning Through Play Experience Tool: Contextual Data Tools, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Monitoring Learning

The Learning through Play (LtP) Experience Tool was developed for use at LEGO House to observe and measure the quality of children’s play experiences. The LtP Experience Tool includes a set of Contextual Data Tools. The primary purpose of the Contextual Data Tools: "is to put the LtP Experience Tool into ‘context’, by emphasising that we are not assessing the individual child assuming that there is something wrong with the child’s performance or behaviour. But that we are measuring the child to understand whether anything should be changed in the context/environment/facilitation around the child". The Contextual Data Tools …

Time To Play: The Relationship Between Time Spent Playing And Educational Outcomes In Peru, Jasmine Davidson

Economics Honors Projects

Every day, children around the world are playing. There has been plenty of research on the importance of different kinds of play, but very little on the importance of the quantity of play. Understanding the relationship between educational outcomes and the amount of time spent playing would allow parents to better structure their children’s time and would settle the debate between psychologists and economists on whether play has inherent value for a child’s future outcomes. I focus on Peru because conducting this research in a developing country context broadens the current research mostly focused on high-income countries. Using child-level, longitudinal …

The Impact Of Early Math And Numeracy Skills On Academic Achievement In Elementary School, Payton Guhl

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The following literature review explores the impact of learning early math and numeracy skills prior to formal schooling on later academic success. Much of the current focus in early childhood is based around literacy. However, as this literature review shows, early math skills are a more powerful predictor of academic success through elementary school. Several studies have been performed to show the significance of these skills on future math success and were consulted for this review. Within this review is what early math and numeracy skills are, how they develop in young children, the importance of these skills, how they …

Using Role Play To Teach Social Emotional Skills In The Early Childhood Classroom, Rebecca Havens

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine if using role play in the classroom would be an effective teaching strategy to improve the social emotional skills of kindergarten students. With the focus of kindergarten shifting towards more academics, it remains important to teach social and emotional skills with an effective, efficient approach. Participants included 19 kindergarten students in a small elementary school in the Midwest. The research included using children’s literature to prompt discussions and role playing activities around social emotional skills. The role play activities included practicing what to say to a peer when a problem arises in …

Measures Of Characteristics And Skills Associated With Learning Through Play: Findings From The Literature, Rachel Parker, Lisa Van Beeck, Janine Callanan

Monitoring Learning

This literature review was commissioned by the LEGO Foundation to inform the revision of the Learning through Play (LtP) Experience Tool, which was developed for use at LEGO House to observe and measure the quality of children’s play experiences. This review aims to determine the extent to which the LEGO Foundation’s tool reflects good practice regarding instrument design and administration, and whether tools that measure similar characteristics using similar methods already exist

The Impact Of Explicit Social Skills Instruction And Increased Play In A Kindergarten Special Education Classroom, Samantha Klaren

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project is to determine the impact of explicit social skills instruction and an increased amount of play in a kindergarten special education classroom. Data was collected to determine the effect that this intervention had on students’ behavior and academic progress. Data was collected through student referral data and Individualized Education Plan progress monitoring data. Analysis of the data collected suggested that this explicit social skills instruction and increase in play had a positive impact on student behavior in the school setting.

Diamonds And Toads: An Adaptation Of Charles Perrault’S Les Fées, Jessi Pitts

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

An American Southwest full length adaptation of Charles Perrault’s Les Fées for the stage. The lives of Fanny, Rose, and their mother are changed when Rose is given a blessing by a fairy: whenever she speaks, diamonds fall from her lips. But the softness of a throat stands no choice against the sharp edges of a diamond. Diamonds and Toads explores a dysfunctional family, what it means to be a good person, and the obsession a child has to gain the approval of their parents.

An Exploration Of Infant And Toddler Unstructured Outdoor Play, Danae Dinkel, Kailey Snyder, Tyler Patterson, Shane Warehime, Miriam E. Kuhn, Deborah Basler Wisneski

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Unstructured outdoor play is important for children's development. The present study examined infants’ and toddlers’ physical and social unstructured outdoor play behaviors within childcare centers. Children's outdoor play behaviors were video recorded at two centers (A&B) and assessed using a modified version of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children in Preschool (OSRAC-P). Children in this study primarily took part in active play (56.7%) and engaged in play without any type of prompting from a teacher (91.2%). There was a significant interaction between the effect of center and location on physically active play (p < 0.001). Children at Center B were most active in open play areas (77.6%), while children at Center A were most active in gross motor play areas (72.2%). In sum, the outdoor play environment influences infants’ and toddlers’ physical and social play behaviors; however, more research is needed to determine the optimal environment for development.

Systems In Play: Simon Nicholson's Design 12 Course, University Of California, Berkeley, 1966, Tim Stott

Articles

In 1966, British artist, designer and educator Simon Nicholson (1934–1990) offered a lower division course, Design 12, at the College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley. Controversially, Nicholson promoted play as the principal method of design and invited children to assess students’ projects on the Berkeley campus and in local schools, parks, playgrounds and hospitals. This article presents Design 12 as an important example of environmental design pedagogy in the USA, which uniquely attempted to synthesize British post-war constructivism with ‘design science’ and adventure play. The result was a course that placed play at the centre of design pedagogy, where it …

Special Issue: Global Matrix 3.0 — An Introduction To The Report Cards On The Physical Activity Of Children And Youth From Five Asian Countries And Regions, Grant R. Tomkinson, Stephen H. S. Wong

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Play In Early Childhood, Keri Griswold

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review looks at play in early childhood education and why play is important for early learners. The review looks at the history of play and the benefits that play has on brain development, as well as defining play. Adults play an important role in play, as does the early childhood learning environment. Early learners develop their critical thinking skills and their social and emotional skills through play. The curriculum that is offered to early learners should revolve around play but should ensure that they are being provided the opportunity to learn about the outdoors, math, reading, and all …

Georgia Southern University Golf Course Newsletter, Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern Golf Course Newsletter

• Dont Forget Dad!
• Golf Skills Camp
• Play a Perfect 10 with our 10-Play pass

Georgia Southern University Golf Course Newsletter, Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern Golf Course Newsletter

• Faculty Staff & Friends
• Happy Mothers Day
• Senior Golf Clinic
• Play a Perfect 10 with our 10-play Pass

Tatyana Markus: Hero Of Ukraine, Ariana L. Martineau

Honors Projects

A dramatized telling of the story of Tatyana Markus, a young Jewish resistance fighter from Kiev, Ukraine. Under a false identity, she personally killed dozens of Nazis during WWII. Along the way she lost many people she cared about until she was captured herself. Tatyana has gone on virtually unknown throughout the world, so this play is an effort to spread word about this brave, amazing girl who was only in her early 20s. I think the themes are very relatable to today's society with the struggle of whether to stand up to injustice, or stand by. Especially since she …

Engagement And Positive Psychology For Stem Learning And Beyond, Mark Tuominen, Lori Tuominen

Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars

Positive psychology is the study of how people flourish. A considerable amount of recent scientific research is now showing how the basic tenets of positive psychology used in schools can boost engagement, learning and wellbeing for students and teachers. These principles apply to any type of learning, including STEM courses. The concepts and practices of positive psychology effectively serve as affective multipliers, enhancing learning success and personal wellbeing. This seminar will introduce a sampler plate of ideas and activities from their course for first-year UMass students, entitled “Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness, Creativity, and Accomplishment.”

The Importance Of Play In Early Childhood Education, Melissa Irvin

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review stresses the importance of play for all early learners. The review begins by discussing the history of play and its impact on the evolution of family dynamics over time. Studies have shown that playing provides a safe and necessary way for young learners to be able to practice and experience a variety of life skills, including problem solving within a peer group while gaining and enhancing language skills. Through daily play, young children gain valuable life experiences through a variety of roles that will support growth and ultimately translate into adulthood. According to research, play is an …