Two Monash University Faculty of Education researchers recently received a highly competitive grant to examine play-based approaches to teaching and learning in early childhood settings.
Dr. Susan Edwards and Dr. Amy Cutter-Mackenzie received one of only eight Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery education-based research grants and the first discovery grant of its kind to explore the relationship between play-based education and children’s learning about the environment and issues of sustainability.
Dr Cutter Mackenzie said they hope their findings will contribute to knowledge about how concepts of sustainability can be taught in kindergarten settings.
“Some early years educational programs can focus on play based learning and be limited in adult intervention,” Dr Cutter-Mackenzie said.
“However, this pure learn-by-doing, self directed approach can undervalue children’s capacity to learn with direction from adults.”
The idea that children are best left to explore environments that they are most interested in as a basis for learning about sustainability, is also being tested. Dr Edwards said they’re looking at three different play types.
“Open ended play, which largely involves children doing their own thing without much or any direction. Modelled play, which is teacher orientated whereby the teacher will plan activities around a topic and provide examples to the children about participation. The third type is purposefully framed play, which is a combination of open ended and modelled play,” Dr Edwards said.
The researchers feel that using the environment and sustainability as the educational focus for their research is a valuable way of helping increase the topic’s esteem and credibility in an early learning environment.
“We know that good habits, education and knowledge at an early age set the building blocks for life,” Dr Cutter-Mackenzie said.
“Our environmental dispositions are generally formulated in the early years of life so having a focus on the environment and sustainability at a young age is vital in developing a deep bond and sense of care with and for the environment.”
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