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ERIC Number: EJ1470683
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1082-3301
EISSN: EISSN-1573-1707
Available Date: 2024-04-29
Preschool Children's Deeper-Learning in Mature Play
Zi Juan Cheng1; Chun Xiao Ma1; Runke Huang2,3; Ying Bai1
Early Childhood Education Journal, v53 n5 p1391-1406 2025
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.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Jilin International Studies University, Faculty of Education, Changchun, China; 2Chinese University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen, School of Humanities and Social Science, Shenzhen, China; 3University of Oxford, Department of Education, Oxford, UK