Exploring implementation of imaginative free play activities by preschool teachers / Thivasenikumari Viswanathan

Thivasenikumari , Viswanathan (2023) Exploring implementation of imaginative free play activities by preschool teachers / Thivasenikumari Viswanathan. Masters thesis, Universiti Malaya.

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Abstract

The issue of exploring the implementation of Imaginative Free-Play (IFP) activities in preschool brought understanding of how this practical teaching experience worked among preschool teachers. The importance of IFP activities in children's development and how preschool teachers implement IFP activities in the preschool have not been studied, despite the fact that many other studies on other types of play activities have been conducted. The aims of the study were to: 1) To explore the importance of Imaginative Free-Play Activities in children’s development. 2) To explore the role of preschool teachers during Imaginative Free-Play Activities in class. 3) To observe the strategies that preschool teachers apply in implementing Imaginative Free-Play Activities. 4) To explore the issues and challenges faced by preschool teachers when conducting Imaginative Free-Play Activities. The study was a qualitative case study. A private preschool located in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, was selected to sample four preschool teachers. The data was gathered in two ways: through interviews and observational analysis, as well as through a checklist review and administration. Nvivo, a qualitative data analysis software, was used to organise the interview transcripts and observation analysis forms. Through the software, thematic analysis was conducted and codes were created and reformed after conceptual grouping to form descriptions and themes. The findings of the study revealed that the implementation of IFP activities by preschool teachers had positive effects on children’s holistic development. Overall, it was seen that the children had built and strengthened all their developmental areas: cognitive development, social development, language development, physical development, emotional development, and creative development. The role of preschool teachers in IFP activities was linked to the theory that IFP activities were a form of creative teaching with given elements: innovative planner, self-reliance facilitator, supportive motivator, and divergent-thinking playmate. The effectiveness of IFP activities is linked to the strategies of preschool teachers used during IFP activities, which are to boost children’s curiosity, stimulate children’s imaginative thinking, and develop children’s innovative and creative skills. However, some issues and challenges encountered by preschool teachers during IFP activities were related to children’s behaviour, the environment, and the teacher’s behaviour. The study concluded that the implementation of IFP activities by preschool teachers is important because it has positive impacts on the children’s holistic development, academic achievement, and broadened knowledge.

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