The Concept of Play/Playing from Perspective of Kindergarten Teachers

The scientific study presents results of research of the concept of play/playing in aspect of kindergarten teachers; analyzes principle of spontaneous and controlled play. Play is the main formative childhood activity, as well... [ view full abstract ]

The scientific study presents results of research of the concept of play/playing in aspect of kindergarten teachers; analyzes principle of spontaneous and controlled play. Play is the main formative childhood activity, as well as a means for a child to acquire diverse learning experiences. Play/playing eliminates superiority in knowledge, because during play knowledge is mutually formed together between the playing subjects. Play provokes intelligence while acting and operating subjects in terms of their further development. Our study focuses to differentiate misunderstandings use of plays in the process of education of highlighting the specifics through professional essays. We used simultaneously conceptual maps and interviews with research subjects. The research was carried out using a qualitative methodology in order to identify specific educational events related to play. The determining factors were the mental representations of the research subjects - kindergarten teachers. It is also a comparative scientific study because research participants were involved from the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. Research design, its implementation and the conditions were equal for both countries involved in the research. Comprehensive research material was subjected to qualitative analysis using the method of constant comparison, while integrating categories and their properties and providing the theory. The aim of this scientific study is to present two different concepts of the play/playing.

Keywords: play/playing, spontaneous play, controlled play, kindergarten teachers, qualitative methodology