Intellectual Outputs

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The project will develop three Outputs

MAPPING ANALYISIS



The mapping analysis (IO1) will offer an overview on the topic of the project, determining the existing needs and the gaps in methodologies and knowledge related to play-based learning. Research on play as a phenomenon emphasizes the importance of teachers working with play in a systematic way to support children’s development and learning in Early Childhood Education. The mapping analysis has two aims:
  1. to conduct a literature review which collect and compile research about play in Early Childhood Education in Europe. The focus in the review is on how preschool teachers can support children’s play.
  2. to invent the preschool practice in the different partner organizations by asking the following questions:
    • in what way do preschool teachers support and stimulate children ́s social and communicational skills through play? And what characterizes their actions?
    • in what way can the children be recognized as active agents in the creation of play?- what kind of possibilities and obstacles can be detected by the invention?
At the base of the mapping study there will be the literacy review on pedagogical models involving play-based learning. The literature review will be conducted by all partners, each partner will have a specific focus in their own country (Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Belgium) on important publications written by relevant scholars and each partner will explain how the publications in their country are differing from the others.
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TRAINING METHODOLOGY



The training methodology (IO2) on play based learning is a teaching method comprises the principles and methods used by preschool teachers to enable children learning through play. The methodology will be based on guidelines, a set of principles that will provide directions to teachers to enhance children’s understanding and linguistic production through the use of the play in preschools. The main sections of the guidelines will be:
  1. the concept of play-based methodologies and play;
  2. the role of teachers: direct and indirect teachers’ intervention in play;
  3. essential aspects that make symbolic play a source of learning and developing linguistic skills in childhood
  4. correct adoptions of play in preschools:
    • design the space
    • materials
    • time for playing

PEER REVIEW
TOOLKIT



The peer review toolkit (IO3) will be a tool to evaluate all preschool services in Europe on the correct implementation of play based learning methodologies in play activities. The aims of the IO3 are:
  • Enhancing ongoing personal practice
  • Engaging in reflective, constructive and analytical discussion with a peer on the use of play based learning activities
  • Sharing good practice and allow for ongoing professional development
The IO3 will develop explicit and defined criteria for peer reviewers to apply that will guide the reviewers through the whole peer review process, starting from how to get into peer reviewing, how to organize the peer visit, how to write the reports and provide constructive feedbacks, including review templates. Through this output will be delivered a tool capable to support teachers, pedagogical coordinators from preschools in Europe in evaluating the quality of their peers. The guidelines and the tools available at the end of the project will be replicable in every other preschool and this will ensure the transferability of the output.
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