Introduction to Action Research

My Action Research Project has been thought out for an extensive amount of time. Upon visiting the school on my field visits I noticed that developmental play occurred on three days out of the five teaching days, so I assumed that it would play a large role in the children’s learning at school. However, as my field visits went on I came to notice that although the developmental play was structured and the activities changed every three weeks, many of the resources were kept very simple other than some craft activities which the children enjoyed doing. I then began to speak to my teacher about integrating some of my lessons into developmental play and creating some more structured learning experiences into developmental play, where the children were providing with a focus and were still able to meet outcomes and indicators of the Key Learning Areas as well as allowing a space for more indirect learning to occur rather than just play. My teacher found this idea for an Action Research Project to be great and also told me “That sounds like a great idea. Micheal (another teacher) and I were discussing developmental play earlier and he was saying that he believes that developmental play should have more learning focuses and concepts which the children will be able to learn through play.”

Since my teacher was all for the idea I had immediately begun to plan for my Action Research. I was able to plan a range of lesson plans which I was able to fit into developmental play. I was also able to integrate a unit of work based on “This Is Me” for Human Society and Its Environment into developmental play. Through these lessons I ensured that I was able to design activities which were able to accommodate to all children as I have a very broad learning knowledge in my classroom which extends from children who come from non English speaking backgrounds or have additional needs, right through to gifted and talented children.

I was also able to relate back to my personal professional teaching philosophy which includes some strong beliefs on children’s development being fostered through play. By incorporating a range of various hands-on learning resources in developmental play children will be providing with an environment which is stimulating, nurturing and encouraging, will foster children’s learning and there is greater chance for a child’s potential to stand out (Falls, 2005). Children consider the play environment to reflect their real-life experiences, and consequently prove to be meaningful to the child. Therefore, children’s play reflects the meaningful environment and context of play, which allows children to explore and experiment, which provides them with the opportunity to build their skills, knowledge and ideas (Degotardi, 2005). Moreover, Cutter-Mackenzie and Edwards (2006) note that Piaget’s cognitive development theory notes that children actively construct their knowledge through hands-on learning experiences, being based on a constructivist approach, and allow for active engagement and exploration of materials, so that children are able to learn through investigation. It is therefore critical that as an educator I provide children with a hands-on approach where they will become active participants in their own learning, and thus construct knowledge and make meaning of this information according to their own levels of understanding.

In creating this Action Research Project I also firmly believe that I am fostering children’s processes of self-discovery by providing them with the opportunity to study things which are relevant to their own sociocultural context so that children can express their own ideas and opinions. Bourdieu’s social learning theory highlights field and capital through the power that children hold through their social practices and within their social contexts (Bourdieu, 1986; as cited in Arthur et al., 2008). It is through these social practices and the children’s everyday learning experiences that children are able to grow, learn and evolve as competent individuals.

References:
Arthur,L., Beecher,B., Death,E., Dockett,S. & Farmer,S. (2008). Programming and planning in Early Childhood Settings (4th Ed.). Thompson:Australia.
Cutter-Mackenzie, A. & Edwards, S. (2006). Everyday Environmental Education Experiences: The Role of Content in Early Childhood Education. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 22(2), 13-19.
Degotardi, S. (2005). Exploring children’s play: Development and contexts. In A. Talay-Ongan & E. Ap (Eds.), Child Development and Teaching Young Children. Pp.131-148. Australia: Thomson.
Falls, J. (2005). Gifted and talented young children: Exploring the possibilities. In A. Talay-Ongan & E. Ap (Eds.), Child Development and Teaching Young Children. Pp.255-272. Australia: Thomson.