Can guidance during play enhance children’s learning and development in educational contexts? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Skene, Kayleigh, O’Farrelly, Christine M., Byrne, Elizabeth M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5018-5643, Kirby, Natalie, Stevens, Eloise C. and Ramchandani, Paul G. (2022) Can guidance during play enhance children’s learning and development in educational contexts? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Development, 93 (4). pp. 1162-1180. ISSN 0009-3920

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Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis considered evidence of guided play compared to direct instruction or free play to support children's learning and development. Interventions from 39 studies were reviewed (published 1977–2020); 17 were included in meta-analysis (Ntotal = 3893; Mchildage = 1–8 years; Mgirls 49.8%; Methnicity White 41%, African American/Black 28%, Hispanic 19%). Guided play had a greater positive effect than direct instruction on early maths skills (g = 0.24), shape knowledge (g = 0.63), and task switching (g = 0.40); and than free play on spatial vocabulary (g = 0.93). Differences were not identified for other key outcomes. Narrative synthesis highlighted heterogeneity in the conceptualization and implementation of guided play across studies.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding Information: This work was funded by an unrestricted donation from the LEGO Foundation. We would like to thank Bo Stjerne Thomsen, Hanne Jensen, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Glenda Walsh, Elizabeth Sproule, and Carol McGuinness for providing expert review of the protocol and guided play definition used in this review and for identifying additional papers to be considered for review. We are also grateful to the authors for their time in providing additional information included in the review. Funding Information: This work was funded by an unrestricted donation from the LEGO Foundation. We would like to thank Bo Stjerne Thomsen, Hanne Jensen, Kathy Hirsh‐Pasek, Glenda Walsh, Elizabeth Sproule, and Carol McGuinness for providing expert review of the protocol and guided play definition used in this review and for identifying additional papers to be considered for review. We are also grateful to the authors for their time in providing additional information included in the review. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Child Development published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Research in Child Development.
Uncontrolled Keywords: pediatrics, perinatology, and child health,education,developmental and educational psychology ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2735
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Psychology
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Developmental Science
Related URLs:
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 20 Jan 2023 10:30
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 18:15
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/90660
DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13730

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