Date

2021-8-29

Author

Eren Öcal, Tuba

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This case study aims to investigate preschool teachers’ views, self-reported practices, and actual practices with respect to the use of loose parts in daily activities. The study was conducted with 10 preschool teachers. Semi-structured interviews, 120 hours systematic observations, and children's work samples were used to obtain research data and triangulate findings. The findings of the study derived from the data sources suggest that these materials are easily accessible and can be used effectively and beneficially in children’s development and learning, that children play longer with loose parts compared with ready-made toys, and that loose parts contribute significantly to creative and different thinking skills. Moreover, the teachers stated that they also had the opportunity to observe the children more closely by participating in the process together with them and that there were many opportunities to carry the children’s learning processes one step further. They listed the activities that they thought the loose parts were used most effectively in as follows: mathematics, symbolic play, sensory-motor play, configuration play, art, science-nature, and language activities. When looking at the practices in addition to the teachers’ views, it was observed that the teachers had an encouraging, participatory, and supportive role and that many opportunities arose for the children to use many skills, such as creativity, different thinking, problem-solving, sharing, strategy development, and asking questions. Teachers used very rich documentation techniques in activities with loose parts. Lastly, further implications were suggested related to loose parts materials and various learning activities.

Subject Keywords

Loose parts, play, teachers, teacher role, documentation

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/92040

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis