This paper reports a finding that emerged from a wider study into children's engagement with literacy provision in child-initiated play. In this observation-based study 25 of the 42 children involved were observed engaging a particular form of participation, a learning modality that aligns with Rogoff's et al.'s (2003) description of first-hand…

This paper investigates the impact of the LEGO® Serious Play simulation technique on accounting students' learning outcomes. Data is from a stratified random sample of undergraduate accounting students at a leading higher education institution in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerging market. This paper uses parametric statistical analysis…

The author examines guided play among students in a South African classroom using a play-and-write workshop constructed by her and her students. She determines that the workshop displays the characteristics of playful learning, lies on the playful learning spectrum, and fits the criteria for guided play. She concludes that, given the benefits of…

At a young age, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit restrictive/repetitive or stereotypical behaviors that hinder their participation in the general community. The play activities of children with ASD often lack creativity, diversity, and flexibility due to deficits in social and communication abilities. Play activities for…

Purpose: Being "literate" is well established as key to active civic participation, right from the earliest years of life. Young children's natural curiosity and motivation to understand the world and their places within it through playful explorations offers rich opportunities for learning. Reported here are findings from a STEAM…

The study examined conceptualisation and implementation of play-based curriculum and pedagogy in early childhood education in preschools in Oromia Regional State. The study employed mixed research method with concurrent triangulation design. A researcher selected the samples of the study by using purposive, availability, stratified and simple…

Background: The evidence on loose parts play suggests its potential for positive impact on physical activity levels, social-emotional and cognitive outcomes, and the overall quality of play experiences in the outdoors. The facilitator plays a key role in ensuring these effective measures are fostered. However, literature specific to facilitators'…

Understanding children's willingness to take risks is crucial for sound educational strategies and play environments. This study investigates children's risk willingness using a virtual reality (VR) playground balancing scenario and examines its associations with sensation-seeking personality trait, age, gender, and the likelihood of failing the…

This article considers innovative research in neuroscience and psychology showing that we need to transform environmental storytelling, moving away from stories focused on awareness raising, to ones which develop people's capacity for action. We investigate how this knowledge might be applied in an environmental education context, developing a…

Recently scientists have underscored a significant mismatch between the latest theoretical Computational Thinking conceptualizations as an upcoming literacy that goes beyond computer science, and its operationalizations in current empirical research and designs, which are limited to coding-centred and domain-specific tools and approaches. To…

Children's physical activity is low and play outdoors has been declining, coinciding with a greater preoccupation with risk in many countries. This study examines how policy actors frame the issue of risk in children's active physical play in schools. Using a theory-informed, multi-method, qualitative case-study design, 30 participants from a…

This study explores the integration of game play into an inclusive, hands-on computing project in Calculus class. The project is focused on designing and analyzing priority switches for applications competing for computational resources on embedded devices such as smart watches and tablets. By engaging students in real-world problem-solving…

Social-emotional competence is critical to children's social and school success, prompting interest in understanding factors that promote these skills prior to elementary-school. Cognitive stimulation (e.g., reading, playing) is related to preschool children's social outcomes; However, few studies have examined these associations earlier, or…

This study investigates the use of GeoGebra, a Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) for math learning in Virtual Reality (VR) using head-mounted displays. We conducted a study with n = 20 middle school students receiving a mathematics tutoring intervention over time in a VR environment. Using theories of embodied cognition and playful mathematics, this…

Technology is transforming children's lived experience with spatial play. In particular, parents may interact with children differently depending on whether they play together with tangible or digital materials. The present research examined whether the medium for play (tangible or digital) affected kindergarten-aged children's language experience…