Perception of Teachers and Parents on Appropriate Physical Environment for Learning Through Play in Malaysian Preschools
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Published:
Dec 24, 2018
Keywords:
appropriate preschool physical environment teachers and parents’ perception learning through play environment Malaysian preschools
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Abstract
As physical environments play a role in supporting learning though play (LTP) in preschools, users and interest group’s perceptions of appropriate physical environment features for LTP become significant. This article examines perceptions of teachers and parents concerning an appropriate indoor physical environment for LTP in Malaysian preschools.A five-point Likert scale and preference ranking were employed to understand teachers’ and parents’ perception of six features including sizing of spaces; material availability; spaces for creation and respite; indoor-outdoor connection; and provision of challenges. The findings included; variety of materials, spaces for personalization, spaces for challenges and good indoor-outdoor connection.
Article Details
How to Cite
Lim, P. P. L., Bahauddin, A., & Aziz, N. F. (2018). Perception of Teachers and Parents on Appropriate Physical Environment for Learning Through Play in Malaysian Preschools. Nakhara : Journal of Environmental Design and Planning, 15, 95–106. https://doi.org/10.54028/NJ20181595106
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Research Articles
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References
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de Winter, J. C. F., & Dodou, D. (2010). Five-point Likert items : t test versus Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 15(11), 1–16. https://doi.org/citeulike-article-id:10781922
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Gandini, L., Hill, L., Cadwell, L., & Schwall, C. (Eds.). (2005). In the spirit of the studio: Learning from the Atelier of Reggio Emilia. New York: Teachers’ College Press.
Herrington, S., Lesmeister, C., Nicholls, J., & Stefiuk, K. (2007). An informational guide to young children’s outdoor play spaces. Consortium for Health, Intervention, Learning and Development (CHILD). Retrieved from https://www.wstcoast.org/playspaces/outsidecriteria/7Cs.pdf
Hughes, B. (1996). A Playworkers taxonomy of play types. London: PLAYLINK.
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Kagan, S. L. (1990). Children’s play: The journey from theory to practice. In E. Klugman & S. Smilansky (Eds.), Children’s play and learning: Perspectives and policy implications, (pp. 173–187). New York: Columbia University.
Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182.
Korpela, K., & Hartig, T. (1996). Restorative qualities of favourite places. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 16, 221–233.
Li, J. (2005). Mind or virtue: Western and Chinese beliefs about learning. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(4), 190–194. Retrieved from http://www.jstor. org/stable/20183022
Lim, P. P. L., & Bahauddin, A. (2018). Factors for consideration to achieve a contextually appropriate physical environment in Malaysian preschools. International Journal of Early Years Education, 0(0), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.10 80/09669760.2018.1507903
Lim, P. P. L., Khan, T. H., Hussein, A. H. Bin, & Hee, J. M. (2015). Application of available attributes and physical characteristics for learning through play in Malaysian preschools. World Journal of Social Science Research, 2(2), 307–335. Retrieved from http://www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/wjssr/article/view/427/390
Lippman, P. C. (2010). Can the physical environment have an impact on the learning environment ? CELE Exchange 2010/13, 6. https://doi.org/10.1787/5km4g21wpwr1-en
Majzub, R. M. (2013). Critical Issues in preschool education in Malaysia. Recent Advances in Educational Technologies, 150–155. Retrieved from http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2013/CambridgeUSA/EET/EET-26.pdf
Mason, M. (2010). Sample size and saturation in PhD studies using qualitative interviews. Retrieved from http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1428/3027
Maxwell, L. E. (2007). Competency in child care settings: The role of the physical environment. Environment and Behavior, 39(2), 229–245. https://doi. org/10.1177/0013916506289976
Ministry of Education (MOE). (2001). Kurikulum prasekolah kebangsaan. Malaysia: Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum.
Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2016). Pendidikan Prasekolah Dokumen Standard Kurikulum Dan Pentaksiran. Malaysia.
Moore, G. (2002). Designed Environments for Young Children. In M. Gallop & J. McCormack (Eds.), Children and Young People’s Environments. (pp. 1–14). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago.
Moore, G. T. (1986). Effects of the spatial definition of behavior settings on children’s behavior: A quasi-experimental field study. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 6, 205–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(86)80023-8
Nicholson, E. (2005). The school building as third teacher. In M. Dudek (Ed.), Children’s Spaces (pp. 44–65). Great Britain: Architectural Press.
Oblinger, D. G. (Ed.). (2006). Learning spaces. Washington D.C.: EDUCAUSE. Retrieved from www.educause.edu/learningspaces
Olds, A. R. (2001). Child Care Design Guide. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Osborne, S. L., & Franz, J. (2015). Reflecting on Reggio: An evaluation of design intent in an early childhood learning environment.
Parsaee, M., Motealleh, P., & Parva, M. (2016). Interactive architectural approach (interactive architecture): An effective and adaptive process for architectural design. HBRC Journal, 12(3), 327–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. hbrcj.2015.01.001
Prentice, R. (2000). Creativity: a reaffirmation of its place in early childhood education. Curriculum Journal, 11(2), 145–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585170050045173
Qin, T. Y., & Nor, M. M. (2018). Exploring issues on teaching and learning in Malaysian private preschools. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management, 4(1), 64–85.
Rook, M. M., Choi, K., & Mcdonald, S. P. (2015). Learning theory Expertise in the design of learning spaces: Who needs a seat at the table? Journal of Learning Spaces, 4(1), 1–29.
Shackell, A., Butler, N., Doyle, P., & Ball, D. J. (2008). Design for play: a guide to creating successful play spaces. Nottingham: DCSF Publications. Retrieved from http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/5028/
Siti Zaliha Reduan. (1999). Teachers’ perception of play in pre-school education in Sarawak. University of Bristol.
Taylor, A. (2009). Linking architecture and education: Sustainable design of learning environments. New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press.
Thomas, R., & Garnham, T. (2007). The environments of architecture: Environmental design in context. Oxford: Taylor & Francis.
Trancik, A. M., & Evans, G. W. (1995). Spaces fit for children: Competency in the design of daycare center environments. Children’s Environments, 12(3), 311–319. Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/
Wachs, T. D., & Gruen, G. E. (1982). Early experience and human development. New York: Plenum.
Walden, R. (2015). Schools for the future: Design proposals from architectural psychology. Koblenz, Germany: Springer. Retrieved from http://www.fgould.com/uk/projects/the-cost-of-breeam-compliance-in-schools/
Wood, E. (2010). Developing integrated pedagogical approaches to play and learning. In P. Broadhead, J. Howard, & E. Woods (Eds.), Play and learning in the early years (pp. 9–25). London: Sage Publications.
Addison, N., Burgess, L., Steers, J., & Trowell, J. (2010). Understanding Art Education: Engaging reflexively with practice. London: Routledge.
Alwin, D. F., & Krosnick, J. A. (1985). The Measurement of Values in Surveys: A Comparison of Ratings and Rankings. Public Opinion Quarterly, 49(4), 535–552. Retrieved from https://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0033-362X(198524)49:4%3C 535:TMOVIS%3E2.0.CO;2-L
Badzis, M. (2003). Teachers’ and Parents’ Understanding of the Concept of Play in Child Development and Education. University of Warwick.
Bakar, N. A., Daud, N., Nordin, N., & Abdullah, A. H. (2015). Developing integrated pedagogical approaches in play pedagogy: Malaysian experiences. Asian Social Science, 11(4), 234–245. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n4p234
Children in Europe. (2005). Curriculum and assessment in the early years. Children in Scotland. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Curriculum Development Centre. (2008). Early childhood care and education policy implementation review 2007. Malaysia. Retrieved from https://www.tadika.org/Malaysian_ ECCE_Policy_Review_24_Jan_2008.pdf
Davison, K. K., & Lawson, C. T. (2006). Do attributes in the physical environment influence children’s physical activity? A review of the literature. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 3(1), 172–196. https://doi. org/10.1186/1479-5868-3-19
Day, C., & Midbjer, A. (2007). Environment and children: Passive lessons from the everyday environment. Great Britain: Elsevier.
de Winter, J. C. F., & Dodou, D. (2010). Five-point Likert items : t test versus Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 15(11), 1–16. https://doi.org/citeulike-article-id:10781922
Department of Statistics Malaysia Official Portal. (2016). Children statistics, Malaysia 2016. Retrieved from https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/index.php?r=column/cthemeByCat&cat=333&bul_id=NVYwaEtwM21MempVb WpBZFpxOFZHZz09&menu_id=U3VPMldoYUxzVzFaY mNkWXZteGduZz09
Dudek, M. (2005). Children’s Spaces. In MY. Dudek (Ed.). Great Britain: Architectural Press.
Economist Intelligence Unit. (2012). Starting well. Benchmarking early childhood education across the world. Retrieved from https://graphics.eiu.com/upload/eb/lienstartingwell.pdf
Evans, G. W. (1994). Learning and the physical environment. In L. D. Dierking, J. H. Falk (Eds.), Institutions for personal learning: Establishing a research agenda (pp. 119–126). Washington D.C.: American Association of Museums.
Gainsley, S. (2011). Look, Listen, Touch, Feel, Taste: The Importance of Sensory Play. Escience, 25(5), 2 & 8.
Gandini, L., Hill, L., Cadwell, L., & Schwall, C. (Eds.). (2005). In the spirit of the studio: Learning from the Atelier of Reggio Emilia. New York: Teachers’ College Press.
Herrington, S., Lesmeister, C., Nicholls, J., & Stefiuk, K. (2007). An informational guide to young children’s outdoor play spaces. Consortium for Health, Intervention, Learning and Development (CHILD). Retrieved from https://www.wstcoast.org/playspaces/outsidecriteria/7Cs.pdf
Hughes, B. (1996). A Playworkers taxonomy of play types. London: PLAYLINK.
Itoh, S. (2001). Children and the physical environment in school settings: Case studies in Danish folkeskoler from a socio-ecological approach. Danish building and urban research. Retrieved from https://www.sbi.dk/download/rumformfunktion/Children and physical environment in school settings.pdf
Iwan, A., & Poon, K. K. Y. (2018). Architects’ and early childhood educators’ notions of quality preschool environments: case studies of award-winning Green Preschools in Bali, Berkeley, and Hong Kong. Intelligent Buildings International, 8975, 1–20. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.108 0/17508975.2018.1434476
Jilk, B. A. (2005). Place making and change in learning environments. In M. Dudek (Ed.), Children’s Spaces (pp. 30–43). Great Britain: Architectural Press.
Kagan, S. L. (1990). Children’s play: The journey from theory to practice. In E. Klugman & S. Smilansky (Eds.), Children’s play and learning: Perspectives and policy implications, (pp. 173–187). New York: Columbia University.
Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182.
Korpela, K., & Hartig, T. (1996). Restorative qualities of favourite places. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 16, 221–233.
Li, J. (2005). Mind or virtue: Western and Chinese beliefs about learning. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(4), 190–194. Retrieved from http://www.jstor. org/stable/20183022
Lim, P. P. L., & Bahauddin, A. (2018). Factors for consideration to achieve a contextually appropriate physical environment in Malaysian preschools. International Journal of Early Years Education, 0(0), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.10 80/09669760.2018.1507903
Lim, P. P. L., Khan, T. H., Hussein, A. H. Bin, & Hee, J. M. (2015). Application of available attributes and physical characteristics for learning through play in Malaysian preschools. World Journal of Social Science Research, 2(2), 307–335. Retrieved from http://www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/wjssr/article/view/427/390
Lippman, P. C. (2010). Can the physical environment have an impact on the learning environment ? CELE Exchange 2010/13, 6. https://doi.org/10.1787/5km4g21wpwr1-en
Majzub, R. M. (2013). Critical Issues in preschool education in Malaysia. Recent Advances in Educational Technologies, 150–155. Retrieved from http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2013/CambridgeUSA/EET/EET-26.pdf
Mason, M. (2010). Sample size and saturation in PhD studies using qualitative interviews. Retrieved from http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1428/3027
Maxwell, L. E. (2007). Competency in child care settings: The role of the physical environment. Environment and Behavior, 39(2), 229–245. https://doi. org/10.1177/0013916506289976
Ministry of Education (MOE). (2001). Kurikulum prasekolah kebangsaan. Malaysia: Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum.
Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2016). Pendidikan Prasekolah Dokumen Standard Kurikulum Dan Pentaksiran. Malaysia.
Moore, G. (2002). Designed Environments for Young Children. In M. Gallop & J. McCormack (Eds.), Children and Young People’s Environments. (pp. 1–14). Dunedin, New Zealand: University of Otago.
Moore, G. T. (1986). Effects of the spatial definition of behavior settings on children’s behavior: A quasi-experimental field study. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 6, 205–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(86)80023-8
Nicholson, E. (2005). The school building as third teacher. In M. Dudek (Ed.), Children’s Spaces (pp. 44–65). Great Britain: Architectural Press.
Oblinger, D. G. (Ed.). (2006). Learning spaces. Washington D.C.: EDUCAUSE. Retrieved from www.educause.edu/learningspaces
Olds, A. R. (2001). Child Care Design Guide. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Osborne, S. L., & Franz, J. (2015). Reflecting on Reggio: An evaluation of design intent in an early childhood learning environment.
Parsaee, M., Motealleh, P., & Parva, M. (2016). Interactive architectural approach (interactive architecture): An effective and adaptive process for architectural design. HBRC Journal, 12(3), 327–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. hbrcj.2015.01.001
Prentice, R. (2000). Creativity: a reaffirmation of its place in early childhood education. Curriculum Journal, 11(2), 145–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585170050045173
Qin, T. Y., & Nor, M. M. (2018). Exploring issues on teaching and learning in Malaysian private preschools. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management, 4(1), 64–85.
Rook, M. M., Choi, K., & Mcdonald, S. P. (2015). Learning theory Expertise in the design of learning spaces: Who needs a seat at the table? Journal of Learning Spaces, 4(1), 1–29.
Shackell, A., Butler, N., Doyle, P., & Ball, D. J. (2008). Design for play: a guide to creating successful play spaces. Nottingham: DCSF Publications. Retrieved from http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/5028/
Siti Zaliha Reduan. (1999). Teachers’ perception of play in pre-school education in Sarawak. University of Bristol.
Taylor, A. (2009). Linking architecture and education: Sustainable design of learning environments. New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press.
Thomas, R., & Garnham, T. (2007). The environments of architecture: Environmental design in context. Oxford: Taylor & Francis.
Trancik, A. M., & Evans, G. W. (1995). Spaces fit for children: Competency in the design of daycare center environments. Children’s Environments, 12(3), 311–319. Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/
Wachs, T. D., & Gruen, G. E. (1982). Early experience and human development. New York: Plenum.
Walden, R. (2015). Schools for the future: Design proposals from architectural psychology. Koblenz, Germany: Springer. Retrieved from http://www.fgould.com/uk/projects/the-cost-of-breeam-compliance-in-schools/
Wood, E. (2010). Developing integrated pedagogical approaches to play and learning. In P. Broadhead, J. Howard, & E. Woods (Eds.), Play and learning in the early years (pp. 9–25). London: Sage Publications.