PARENT AND PRACTITIONER’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ROLE OF PLAY IN EARLY YEARS SETTING

Introduction

Play is essential to the optimal development of children because it leads to their physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being. It also allows the parents to interact with their children efficiently. The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) has recognized play as one of the fundamental rights of every child due to the benefits it has on every child. Research conducted by Aubrey, Davies, Godfrey, and Thompson (2000) has a particularly connected play with cognitive and social skill development that are necessary for learning more complex concepts in children at early stages. For instance, they linked play to memory growth, self-regulation, identifying symbols, and oral language. Christensen and James (2017) also linked it to increased levels of social development and school adjustments as well as high literary skills and academic learning. During play, the child acquires social skills. Since play is a significant aspect of child development, parents must provide their children with a lot of opportunities to take part in different types of play, mainly free play. Clark and Moss (2017) defined free play as a play initiated by a child, which does not involve the instructions of parents or teachers. This kind of unsupervised play offers essential educational opportunities for children.

According to Mukherji and Albon (2018), children who participate more in free play have an upper hand of working productively towards attaining self-directed goals compared to those spend more time in parent-guided activities. Mukherji and Albon (2018) further asserted that unstructured play results in more physical movements, which promotes the physical health of a child. It is worth noting that children often learn by engaging in creative make-believe play. Cooperative play starts in the late preschool when children migrate from the world of self-centeredness to that of understanding the significance of social contracts and rules. Regardless of the type of play, all children require at least one hour every day to participate in physical play. When they run or jump or play hide and sick, they take part in physical exercise that encourages the development of their muscles.

Today there is a growing trend in the United Kingdom (UK) towards the use of measured standardized learning outcomes for children in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Within this context, the value of education attributed to children play by parents and practitioners is associated with cognitive learning outcomes as opposed to holistic point-of-view of the development of a child. Many authors argue about the importance of protecting children’s play as a process that allows children to explore new cultural settings. Roberts-Holmes (2014) explained that the rights-based approach to play in children focuses on issues like decision, freedom, participation, and inclusion. These elements are an essential part of children’s play.

Although play contributes to vital aspects of child development, parents and practitioners believe that many children today lack enough opportunities for physical play due to TV, computer, and videos. They tend to interact with toys and digital devices that affect their social skills, imaginations, and interests in dramatic play themes. As Bruce (2011) noted, children who focus on video games as their primary type of play are influenced by permissive parents. These parents create an environment that allows the child to make every decision they want.  Despite the importance of computer games in exposing a child to the current technology, it affects the development of their social skills. For that reason, the benefit of play in early years setting depends on the type of play the child prefers.

This research outlines the perspectives of parents and practitioners on the role of play in children aged three to five in the UK. To answer the research questions, the study was conducted in a Private school setting situated in North London with toddlers, nursery, and reception class. The school has children of foundation stage between 6 months to 5 years, practitioners, teaching assistants, additional support staff, and administrators. The study used an interpretive paradigm that offers a qualitative focus that enables a holistic understanding of Practitioners and Parents to view on the role of play. An interpretive model is a type of research paradigm concerned with the understanding of the world as it is from the subjective experience of a participant.

The study utilizes primary methods of data collection, such as interviews and observations to identify the relationship between the researcher and subjects. Using this paradigm, parents and practitioners of the school were interviewed about their views on the role of play in early years setting. Findings suggest that play is essential in the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development of a child. The participants gave various views on the role of pay, with most of them suggesting that the function of play is to enable children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, agility, and cognitive, physical, and emotional strength. Overall, the participants agreed that play has a decisive role in child development.

Purpose of the Study

This study outline the perspectives of parents and practitioners on the role of play in children aged 3 to 5 in the UK. The primary purpose of the study is to identify the impact of play in the development of a child. The following are the specific objectives of the proposed research;

1. To explore the early childhood parents’ perspectives of the role of play in a preschool setting
2. To explore the early childhood practitioners’ perceptions of role of play in early years setting.

Significance of the study

This research outlines the perspectives of parents and practitioners on the role of play in children aged 3 to 5 in the UK.  The previous research identified play in early childhood as a significant element in child development. The benefit of play for the healthy development of a child is based on a strong body of research (Ball, Gim & Spiegal, 2012).  Several studies have proved that play, as a natural and exciting activity, improves physical, cognitive, emotional and social well-being, offering the essential conditions for the child to succeed.

Through play, the child can solve problems, cooperate with others, and think creatively (Bento & Dias, 2017). These activities enable them to gain a deeper understanding about themselves and the world.  From an early age, the likelihood to have various opportunities for unstructured play where a child can decide on what, how and with whom to do things promotes their autonomy, self-esteem and confidence.  The current study provides evidence on the overall role of play in preschool setting with the perceptions of parents and practitioners of a Private school located in North London.  The research also integrates the findings of the previous studies to draw conclusions about the role of play in preschool setting.

Literature Review

Definition of Play

Pyle and Danniels (2017) define play as the activities that children engage in when they opt to follow their interests and ideas for their way and based on their reasons. On the other hand, Wilkinson (2017) defines play to be the ability of the children to derive fun from manipulating objects. Athey (2018) asserts that play refers to the spontaneous activities that children undertake in a bid to obtain enjoyment. He underlines that play rewards the children with benefits such as being happy, joyful, and creative. From the three definitions, it is evident that play does not entail the children receiving or following orders or getting instructions from their parents on what to do at a particular time. Bulgarelli and Bianquin (2017) underline that play is an essential part of the lives of children as it provides them with a suitable platform to meet new friends and socialize. Hence, it denotes the fact that play plays an integral role in keeping the children active. Play can take place both in and outside the house.

According to Johnston, Nahmad-William, Oates, and Wood (2018), children learn more from the outdoor environment as compared to indoor activities. Loose part and outdoor activities are very vital for every growing child in early childhood education. Some of the parents, as well as guardians, prefer their children to be indoors rather than outdoors. Even though the parents and guardians need to underscore the need for security for their children, the outdoor environment is critical for a child. A child’s learning environment should be developed in a manner that will permit learning activities to take place.

Parents and practitioners embrace diverse strategies in a bid to trigger the children to engage in playing activities as forms of learning. For instance, the parents and practitioners can provide the children with either a single set of toys or objects to ensure they engage in play as a group. On the other hand, the child can be given objects to play with alone. In some instances, the parents embrace the individual approach whereby they let the child use the resources available such as clay and flowers and sticks to come up with objects on their own without any assistance from the parents or practitioners. The learning process can take place both within and outside the classroom setup. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that both the outdoor and indoor environments are prepared and set up in a manner that provides for the children’s learning process to take place.

Theoretical Review

The Cognitive Development Theory

This theory was developed by a psychologist known as Jean Piaget in 1936. It is based on the children’s development theories that seek to determine appropriate learning and development environments for children (Bento & Dias, 2017). This theory gives an insight into how children construct the mental models of the world. According to Jean Piaget, children’s development is categorized into four stages, which include children in different age brackets. For instance, the sensory-motor stage (0-2 years), Preoperational stage (2- 6years), Concrete operational stage (7-11 years), and Formal operational stage (11 years to adulthood). Jean Piaget underscores that during the sensory-motor stage, the children organize their knowledge by having building blocks, which are a result of repeated actions (Hughes, 2010). The theory also highlights that children learn through object manipulation and sensory experiences.

The theory postulates that in the preoperational stage (2-6 years), children tend to think symbolically as well as use words and pictures to represent their thoughts. Besides, it emphasizes that in the preoperational stage, children tend to be egocentric and often struggle to see things from other people’s perspectives (Johnston, Nahmad-William, Oates & Wood (2012). The theory emphasizes that children embrace active roles in the learning process as they tend to behave like scientists by trying to understand the world through engaging in experimental activities.

The experiments are attributable to the fact that children make discoveries by interacting with their environments (Knight, 2011). In this stage, children learn both physical and language aspects such as crawling, walking, and even people’s language. This theory outlines the stages of development a child goes through in the learning process (Bjorklund, 2017). Also, it is integral for the practitioners as well as parents of the toddlers in understanding the needs of the children. However, it fails to underline the strategies used by practitioners to incorporate play and environmental manipulation in the early years.

The Psychosocial Development Theory

Erik Erikson introduced this theory. The theory was a modification of Sigmund Freud’s controversial psychosexual theory. The approach is underlined by the fact that human beings are motivated to achieve success in certain aspects of their lives. Erikson developed his theory in eight stages. In this study, the three steps that form a basis for discussion include; Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1 year), autonomy vs. shame/doubt (0-3 years), and Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6 years).

The Trust vs. Mistrust level denotes the fact that parents ought to meet the basic needs of the children. According to Bruce (2011), children can develop a sense of trust in their parents if they can meet their needs. The unresponsive parents, who fail to meet the needs of the children appropriately, make the children develop feelings relating to anxiety, fear, and even mistrust. Hence, the baby views the world as unpredictable. Based on this theory, Dunkel and Habke (2017) assert that, when the needs of the infants are not met adequately in this stage, they are likely to develop a sense of mistrust towards the people in the world. Failure to address the child’s needs may lead to future problems such as the child may become an alcoholic and introvert or even a pessimist. Cherry (2018) underscores that in the autonomy vs. mistrust stage, children the event that the parents can meet a child’s needs appropriately, the child is bound to develop trust in the parents. Hence, the child, in his later years, learns to have confidence in him or herself and may stay for brief moments when the parents leave for a short period without feeling insecure.

Chung (2018) underlines that if a child is not only feeling confident about his or her actions but also gets support from the parents, he or she is bound to become an honest, respectful and even more self-assured. In the initiative vs. guilt stage, the children can express themselves using speech. Macintyre (2012) denotes that children at this stage tend to establish relationships with other people. Besides, the two authors underline that children at this stage have sexual curiosity and may end up playing sexual games. According to Vosniadou (2014), parental behavior and action play an integral role in determining whether the act or a child’s behavior will reoccur again at a future date.

Vygotsky’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Vygotsky’s approach is based on the fact that people’s culture plays an integral role in the cognitive development of a child or even a person. Furthermore, Vygotsky’s theory underpins the existence of ZPD (zone of proximal development). Conkbayir and Pascal (2016) underline that the region of proximal development denotes the children who have confidence in what they are doing. In most cases, they may need a little help in a bid to undertake some tasks. Similarly, Dafermos (2018) asserts that social influences served as a basis for Vygotsky to come up with the theory.

Moreover, he highlights the fact that the prospect of getting assistance or instructions from an individual who the child confides in helps significantly to ensure that the cognitive development of a child (Bruce, 2011). Vygotsky, in his theory, asserts that children can learn by interacting with other people through several aspects such as playing. All in all, scaffolding remains the most crucial element, according to Vygotsky, as it underlines the importance of children receiving support and instructions from a more knowledgeable person.

Importance of Play in Learning

Plays offer a range of aspects that are vital to the overall growth of the children. For instance;

Physical Exercise

As children engage in play, they also participate in physical exercise. Physical activity plays an integral role in the development of both the large motor and small motor skills. Besides, Nolan, Macfarlane, and Cartel (2013) underscore that children also get to develop cardiovascular endurance, which is essential in ensuring a child is fit. As a result, physical exercise ensures that a child can avoid some of the health conditions or diseases such as obesity.

Enjoyment of Outdoor Environment

Play allows the children not only to enjoy the outdoor environment but also to have an opportunity for exploration. As Kessel (2018) underlines, the outside environment ensures that children enjoy themselves to a great extent. Moreover, he asserts that the environment gives them an avenue to learn new things such as language. Conkbayir and Pascal (2016) underline that the outside climate must comprise of the several elements that may make a child’s play enjoyable, such as loose parts, which may include objects, toys, among others.

Learn about the World

Playing in the outside environment ensures the children can learn several things about the situation. For instance, Mukherji and Albon (2015) assert that children can learn about several objects in the environment, such as how snow looks line, what makes the butterflies fly, among other things.

Insight about Oneself and the Environment

Through play, the children can realize several aspects of themselves as well as the situation. For instance, a child realizes his potential and how far can he or she push his or her limits. For example, play can enable a child to understand how high he or she can swing (Canning, 2011).

Surplus Health-Energy Theory

This theory asserts that play plays an integral role in ensuring that the pent-up energy in a child is spent. The approach underlines that the pent-up energy collects in the body for a relatively long time, and engaging in play and releasing it through play also serves as a basis for the children to reinvigorate themselves (Canning, 2011). The reinvigoration ensures that the children are in the right state of mind to engage in academics.

Health

According to Palaiologou (2016), outdoor play guarantees that the children are safe from conditions that have a detrimental effect on their lives, such as the presence of bacteria and viruses in some stuffy rooms. As children engage in play, they are bound to become adults who love nature and may participate in activities such as hiking in the future. Hence, it is a basis for reducing obesity among other conditions.

Types of Play

There are several types of game. Children can engage in the following types of play:

Object play- in this form of play, the child uses objects to create a playing experience. For instance, a child can play with a ball, toys, etc. Gardner, Freley, and Brett (2016) underscore that this type of play is vital in early childhood as it helps the children to learn skills relating to being flexible. The flexibility is underlined by the fact that the children can use objects for the purpose that the practitioners and parents had not intended.

Explorative play- in this type of play, the child utilizes his or her natural senses. This play can be highlighted by making dens, among others. According to Broadhead, Howard, and Wood (2010), the explorative game promotes learning in formative years as the child tests several aspects such as an animal, object environment, among others in his play. Thus, it aids in developing solving questions and understanding the world around them.

Solitary play- in this type of play, the child plays alone without referring to the other kids or even adults are doing. It is a preferred type of game as it aids in nurturing self-confidence among children.

Associative play- in this type of play, the child engages in play by using toys or objects with other children. However, the objective of the game is different from one child to the other. Thus, it is a suitable type of play as it teaches aspects of interdependence and team play among the children (Palaiologou, 2016).

Cooperative play- in this play, the children engage in a play together, and they aim at achieving a common goal. This type of game is essential to the learners as it ensures that the learners can easily coexist with other people and undertake new tasks. Corbin and Strauss (2014) underline that cooperative play allows the children to learn new things and make them receptive to new experiences.

Recapitulative play- in this type of play, a child uses his or her natural and basic instincts. For instance, the child may engage in cooking, building shelters, among others. According to Canning (2011), this type of play is essential to the learners in the development and belief in their instincts, which are integral in adulthood and specific situations in facing life experiences.

The Literature on Parents and Teacher’s Perception about Play

Clark and Moss (2011) underline that parents view games to be an integral part of the children’s lives, especially before the children attain the schooling age. After the children achieve the schooling age, the parents view play as less critical. Besides, Clark and Moss (2011) assert that mothers see games as more vital as compared to fathers. Robertson (2016) underpins that parents find play to be valuable to their children; however, parents are more concerned about the safety of their children and would prefer the children to play in the house as compared to the neighborhood. Nonetheless, Knight (2011) highlights that parent’s view plays an integral aspect in the lives of the children as it enables them to become creative as well as try new things. Moreover, it reduces the tendencies of being gloomy and sad as they are often happy and busy engaging in games.

Ball, Gim, and Spiegal (2012) denote that parents view incorporating both the traditional and modern toys as well as other objects as vital since they provide different experiences to the child. Hence, it is a basis for improving their scope of viewing things in life at a future date. Dowdell et al. (2011) underscore that parents despite relishing the fact that play is an avenue for the children to interact and build friendships with other people, she highlights that the existence of limited play has hindered the impact of outdoor play among the children. Besides, Dowdell et al. (2011) denote that the type of play that a child engages in is often due to the parent’s choice. Moreover, she argues that parents and practitioners view playing with the children as an essential way of increasing the bond between them and the children.

How Children Communicate Through Play

MacNaughton, Rolfe, and Siraj- Blatchford (2010) underline that Communication is an integral part of determining whether a child is satisfied with his or her playing ordeals. Children communicate differently when they are engaging in playing activities. Often, children express their play experiences through speech and emotions. Palaiologou (2016) underlines that Children make certain sounds to highlight their contentment and joy they have derived from engaging a given play. The sounds and language used to notify the parents and practitioners about the state of the child as far as the play is concerned. For instance, Doherty and Hughes (2014) underline that parents and practitioners can deduce whether the child is happy or not.

Similarly, children also communicate by expressing certain emotions during a play. Also, the children can smile to indicate their contentment and state of being happy. Hughes (2010) underlines that understanding the feelings and Communication emphasized by the children during their play activities play an essential role in determining the nature of support a parent and a practitioner can provide to a child.

Methodology

The methods chosen to gather my primary research focused upon a Private school setting situated in North London with toddlers, nursery, and reception class included. This setting has children of foundation stage between 6 months to 5 years, practitioners, teaching assistants, additional support staffs and administrators. This research was designed based on interpretivist paradigm that offers a qualitative focus that enables a holistic understanding of Practitioners and Parents to view on the role of play. Denscombe (2014) explained that the interpretivist paradigm could be used to gain a better understanding of people’s detailed insight into the issue and accept different perceptions from different participants. This approach offers opportunities for the researchers to interact with practitioners and cross-check the authenticity of their responses. Denscombe (2017) proposes that information generated can only be effective if, indeed, it is reliable and is the authentic voice of participants (practitioners).

Using the interpretive approach leads to collecting data using a choice of qualitative methodologies that allowed building relationships with the participants using an open-ended question. Mukherji and Albon (2015) qualitative research method allowed an open, honest conversation with the study participants more specifically for the research. In addition, Nolan et al. (2013) highlighted that qualitative research permits smaller group collecting data or capturing meaningful experiences that gives a more reliable representation of practitioners and reduces one-sidedness. In conducting this research, a volunteer sampling method with a focus on the practitioners’ interviews with deep, interesting, and informative conversations should occur between the researcher and the practitioners.

Using the qualitative approach enabled the researcher to encourage the participants to examine and to reflect on their classroom experiences with play. This method was suitable for the research because it enabled me to understand, examined, and explored the perspectives, thinking, and beliefs of the practitioners about the use of play in supporting children’s learning in the early years.

To obtain answers to my questions in this research, the data collection method was interactive through scheduled interview sessions with all practitioners involved in the study.  According to MacNaughton and Siraj- Blatchford (2010), interviews were semi-structured in nature, which allowed for flexibility even though there was a clear list of questions to be answered. Mukherji and Albon (2015) defined interview, as a data collection technique that offers an opportunity for the interviewer to be flexible with questions and the interviewee constructs their own meaning, develop ideas and speak widely on the questions asked, this allowed them to elaborate their points of interests.

Denscombe (2017) agreed that interviews are suitable ways to gather data that may not be conveniently obtained from observations or other forms of data gathering. Four semi-structured questions were used to keep the interview focus on the research topic and ensure all the necessary information was collected by taking general field notes. Corbin and Strauss (2014) research emphasized on how effective interview offers the opportunity to interact and check the authenticity of data generated from the discussion.

I chose to use a qualitative approach to conduct this study because the relational aspects of teaching and learning appealed to me, and the qualitative design allowed me to establish a relationship with the participants. The qualitative research method allowed an open, honest conversation with the parents and practitioners as the study participants.  Allowing the parents and practitioners to express their beliefs and perceptions was of the utmost significance. The interview with the participants presented the opportunity to understand the instructional approaches of the parents and practitioners regarding play.

As interviews were performed, sincere and informative conversations occurred with the participants. The practitioners and parents were very open about their thoughts on the role of play in early childhood. Using the qualitative approach enabled me to encourage the participants to examine and reflect on their experiences with play. Priority was given to the type of research that would produce the most reliable information. The idea of the study emerged from Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child that gives children freedom of joining a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities (UNICEF, 2013).

As a researcher for an early childhood education program, I have the opportunity to visit many classrooms and observe teachers in these settings. Visiting these classrooms gave me an awareness of play and its significance in the preschool setting. Inquisitiveness about the stance of the parents and practitioners on play invoked several research questions.

The Question of the Study

1. What are the perspective of parents and practitioners on early childhood, and what factors influenced those beliefs?
2. What are the strategies used by practitioners to incorporate play in the early years?
3. What are the benefits/limitations of play in the early years?
4. What are the preferred types of play to promote learning in the early years?

The Design of the Study

Mukherji & Albon (2018) asserted that for effective use of the constructionist viewpoint in an interview, it is imperative to give meaning and organization to enable the interviewee to go beyond the information provided. It was logical to use a qualitative method for this research and focus on an interview process due to its ability to complete the study purpose. The reason for choosing an interview process was to give the parents and practitioners of the school setting a voice to narrate their stories. Early Childhood education teachers need to reflect on their practices and realize their strengths and limitations within the role of play in their classrooms.

One theory used to encircle this study is constructivism. MacNaughton (2009) pinpointed that the interaction of the mind and the physical world is what creates the theoretical perspective of constructivism. Mac Naughton, Rolfe and Siraj-Blatchford (2010), stated that constructivism is naturally analytical in the sense that it concentrated on meaning-making activities of thinking people. According to Harcourt, Perry and Waller (2011), the role of the researchers is to listen carefully to grasp a deep understanding of the information being provided. This approach allows the study participants to freely express their beliefs and perceptions with total corporation and affinity. Advocates of this approach believe that since values are present throughout the inquiry, the researcher must be mindful and appreciative of the participants’ values and beliefs.

The relevance of using a qualitative method for this research was monumental. A primary element of the study was comprehending how the parents and practitioners interpreted play and how they encourage it at home and in class. The diversity of the social worlds of every participant influenced the meaning, interpretation, and sustainability of play. I intended to delve into the depiction of play that was existing in the classroom and compare these types of play to what the policy expresses. Through the definitive accounts and policy perspectives of the participants, I examined the meaning, intent, and thinking related to play. Data obtained from the participants exhibited interpretive and subjective posture on play-based learning in early childhood.

Schools Setting and Participants

Qualitative research should contain valuable descriptions of the study to allow the reader to quickly understand the actual conditions of the setting where the research occurs. Valuable descriptions of the study settings and the participants help to determine the transferability of the discovered study results due to the existence of similar characteristics. Hewson, Vogel and Laurent (2016) advises that appropriate descriptions like words and imagery related to the study are compelling because they assist in defining the scope of the study. For that reason, this research presents a highly detailed description of the setting where the study was conducted and the participants.  The study setting was a Private school setting situated in North London with toddlers, nursery, and reception class. This setting was selected because of its accessibility and feasibility.

Most importantly, the setting was seen as the best choice of answering the research questions. Since the research focused on the outdoor play environment and practices, we chose a setting that will facilitate the interaction between the researcher and the participants in real-time as children carry on with their everyday activities.  The study also interfered with the daily schedules of the school.  The fact the school activities involved outdoor play in daily schedules implied that the study could explore how participants describe their thoughts connected to those practices and ideal outdoor contexts.

Participants

The participants were 15 preschool parents and educators of a Private school setting situated in North London with toddlers, nursery, and reception class. These included ten practitioners working in the setting and five willing parents of children enrolled in this school. The purpose of the study was to establish a comprehensive understanding of the perspectives of parents and practitioners about their belief in the role of play in early childhood. Five of the participants completed their master’s degree, six have completed their bachelor’s degrees, three have completed their associate’s degrees, and two did not have any degree. Participants were selected based on their experience with children and their credentials. Lead practitioners or teachers were also included in the sample.

I sent an invitation to the 25 participants through emails and phone calls. I included a brief description of the study in the invitation. I asked the candidates to respond via email or phone if they were willing to take part in the study. All the invited participants agreed to cooperate. The reason for selecting a small sample was to yield the best results. This was in line with Greig, Taylor,  MacKay’s (2013) assertion that small, purposeful sampling in qualitative study yields the best results.

The participants, especially the practitioners, selected to participate in this study, were a true definition of proficient early childhood educators due to their credentials and use of evidence-based methods in their classrooms. These practitioners have taken advantage of training. They remain current in the field not only by reading professional literature but also by being members of professional groups. It was effective to interview practitioners who are sure with their proficiency in early childhood education and would feel comfortable sharing their perceptions about play as an appropriate practice in children.

Data Collection

The study employed various instruments of data collection and procedures, with the primary methods being surveys and semi-structured interviews.  The purpose of using surveys and semi-structured interviews to collect data was to increase the reliability and credibility of the research. The survey focused on various developmentally appropriate practices. This tool opened the discussion about play, although it did not allow an in-depth analysis. It also reduced the willingness of the participants to express their beliefs about the role of play. Additionally, since the focus of this study was directed to the perceptions of parents and practitioners on the role of play in early childhood, the interview was designed to capture the participants’ beliefs by giving them a substantial amount of time to think and reflect their personal views and practices concerning play.  A simple survey could not attain this.

After considering the limitations of the survey, a qualitative interview approach, in particular, a semi-structured interview, was considered as an alternative method of collecting data and assimilating the information needed for effective research. Semi-structured interviews included a set of open-ended questions that aimed to obtain detailed and elaborative responses on perspectives and interpretations of practitioners and parents on the role of play in early childhood. The open interview encouraged the participants to respond adequately within the interview context.  All interviews were carried one-one-one and recorded, and notes were taken for accuracy. Later, the recordings were transcribed and reviewed by participants for member checking.

The interview tapes, together with the hard copies, were secured for future reference.  According to Stake (2010), the interview approach enhances the exchange of ideas and opinions when used as a convenient tool for collecting data.  The selected interview process offered an opportunity to capture the beliefs of the practitioners and parents about the role of play. The open-ended questions encouraged each participant to expound on their perceptions about the role of play and how play was carried out in the classroom and at home.

Data Analysis

This study used a small sample size.  Creswell (2017) noted that a hybrid method that uses a physical approach and a computer program is suitable for a smaller study. This study used interviews as a physical approach, which were transcribed and stored on a computer. Interview questions classified the data then analyzed using themes, patterns, and content analysis to develop persistent themes, triangulation, and direct interpretation. An understanding of the collected data was achieved by recognizing the existence of identified factors that influenced the beliefs of the participants. Each interview was considered separately then evaluates as part of the entire process.  The completion of the interview was followed by a transcription. The transcripts were then sent to the participants to certify the accuracy of the notes. Corrections were made where necessary. A comparison between interviews, notes, and transcriptions were also made to discover patterns and themes.

After considering the data, the researchers included all the information in one document to ease manipulation. All the responses were then categorized in another document based on the questions.  This approach allowed the researcher to analyze and group the same responses, beliefs, and experiences of the participants. Each group was coded with a number, and the codes were used for each participant. The researcher also looked for patterns, similarities, and differences in each response. This process was the genesis of the formation of the participants’ narrative.  The themes that emerged included types of play, the importance of play in child development, how curriculum and toys impact play, and play schemas.

Reliability and Validity

The reliability and validity of data collected were carefully measured, as it is essential for the issue of trust and acceptance of the result in this project. According to Bell and Waters (2014), reliability in a study is the level an analysis produces the same effect under the same condition. However, William and Anderson (2018) argued that reliability is rather based on the trustworthiness of the data gathered from real life than a link with prejudice once a researcher adopts a subjective approach towards this project.

Furthermore, Denscombe (2017) suggests strategies that the researcher can employ to enhance the truthfulness or validity of qualitative findings is to be watchful of the sources of error when planning and implementing their studies. I will increase the validity and reliability of the whole project to make sure it reflects on current practice by not being biased or influencing the practitioner’s view during the interview session, which may affect findings. In this Research, I will listen, described, explained, and reconstructed the personal realities of the practitioners as they share their beliefs, practices, and their perspectives on the use of play in the setting to facilitate children’s learning.

The project will be keeping accurate and detailed field notes for consistency and transparency.  It will also ensure different opinions are duly acknowledged and represented. Importantly, it will attempt to express descriptions and responses of practitioners participating in the interview. The participating practitioners will be given enough opportunity to authenticate their reactions on the interview transcript for completeness and comprehensiveness of coverage, as this will provide another chance to reflect on the final theme. Mukherji and Albon (2015) suggest that participants look again at the final draft will support the process and enables them to achieve objectivity, reliability, and validity.

Ethical Consideration

Ethics and morality are in close relation to each other and are essential parts of education. The practitioners are considered as the agents that are responsible for bringing the changes in society. Teachers are regarded as role models, and the profession of teaching is considered as the foundation of the development of human beings. Hence, it is essential for the teachers to be ethical during teaching or conducting the researches. For this research, the consideration of ethics is crucial as it involves parents, teachers, and setting. For this, I will first take the permission of the school Managers as well as the Senior Management for conducting research. A consent form will be sent to the parents asking them to be involved in the study by doing an interview.

The teachers who are Practitioners will also be asked to become a part of this research by providing help in conducting different activities. I am aware of all the ethical issues that might appear during the study, and as a professional, I consider it my duty to be inclined with the British Education Research Association’s guidelines. I am fully aware of my responsibility to identify the relevant ethical issues related to all of the participants, parents and the settings. As per the guidelines of BERA, all the educational research should be collected with the ethics of respect for the knowledge and the individual (BERA, 2018).

References

Aubrey, C., Davies, T., Godfrey, R. and Thompson, L. (2000) Early Childhood Educational Research: Issues in methodology and ethics, London: Routledge/Falmer, E book

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