Developing Toddlers’ Cooperative Problem-Solving Abilities Through “Totally-Absorbed Play”: Integrating Quantitative Data and Educational Practices

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  • 幼児の協同的問題解決能力を育む「遊び込み」 －量的データと保育実践研究データの統合による考察－

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Abstract

The purpose of this article was twofold: 1) to integrate a small-sample quantitative study and field studies as part of the larger ongoing research project at the Kindergarten attached to Joetsu University of Education (K-JUE), and 2) to consider the feasibility or viability of using a mixed method in a single school setting in Japan. This study examined whether toddlers’ cooperative problem-solving abilities are fostered by “totally absorbed play” (Asobi-komu) (K-JUE, 2014, 2015, 2016). Self-regulation, foresight, and curiosity are all viewed as fundamental abilities for cooperative problem-solving. Six kindergarten teachers at K-JUE responded to a questionnaire about eight abilities of the children in their classrooms and the children’s “degree of being absorbed in play” in January 2014, 2015, and 2016 (N = 59, 57, 47, respectively). The results of longitudinal path analyses showed that the “totally absorbed play” enhanced children’s fundamental abilities in cooperative problem-solving. These findings were consistent with those found in case studies. Finally, the significance of this mixed-method study using mixed methods include the following: a) This study confirms that fitting quantitative data with teachers’ practical knowledge enriches the practical and contextual value of the quantitative data. Teachers’ awareness of the consistency between their practical knowledge and quantitative data (although derived from a small sample) gave them confidence in their practices. b) Mixed methods were able to accommodate the complex relations between some educational interventions, children’s psychological states, and performances. c) Even with a small sample, using quantitative data on a single school can be of great practical value in promoting children’s development over the span of several years.

Journal

  • 教育研究

    教育研究 (59), 63-76, 2017-03-31

    国際基督教大学

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