Cross-Country Document Analysis of Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education in Zambia and Beyond
Keywords:
Cross-country, Document Analysis, Early Childhood, Play-based Learning, Zambia
Abstract
This research examined the incorporation of play-based learning in Early Childhood Education (ECE) policies across Zambia and twenty other diverse countries. Through document analysis, it uncovers commonalities and disparities in play-based learning principles. While both Zambian and global documents emphasise the significance of play in child development, they differ in scope, regional practices, and emphasis on global advocacy and cultural variations. Zambia’s documents highlight specific practices, while global perspectives offer a broader international view. Both stress the multifaceted benefits of play in physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth. In summary, the findings underscored a global consensus on the significance of play-based learning in early childhood education, emphasising its role in holistic child development. Additionally, they highlighted the imperative of recognising cultural diversity and aligning policies with child rights, particularly in the Zambian context. Furthermore, the recommendations were aimed at bolstering the effectiveness of play-based pedagogies in early childhood education. They advocated for celebrating diversity, fostering holistic development, and ensuring the availability of appropriate resources and guidelines to support this approach. These recommendations ultimately seek to enhance the quality of early childhood education in Zambia by embracing cultural diversity, promoting global collaboration, and aligning play-based pedagogies with local and international best practices.References
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2. Berk, L. E., and Winsler, A. 2019. Scaffolding Children’s Learning: Vygotsky and Play. In Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play (pp. 29-45). Oxford University Press.
3. Bowen, G. A. 2009. Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27-40.
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5. Chiong, C., and Shuler, C. 2019. Learning: Is there an app for that? In A. D. Pellegrini (Ed.), Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play (pp. 355-373). Oxford University Press.
6. Dore, R. A., and Lillard, A. S. 2019. An educational perspective on the effects of pretend play. In Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play (pp. 103-122). Oxford University Press.
7. Duncan, R. M., and Tarulli, D. 2003. Play as the leading activity of the pre-school period: Insights from Vygotsky, Leont’ev, and Bakhtin. Early Education and Development, 14(3), 271-292.
8. Ginsburg, H. P. 2007. The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182-191.
9. Han, S., Suh, E. S., Park, S. H., and Jeong, J. 2020. The role of pretend play in children’s cognitive development: A literature review and a revised theoretical framework. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 586153.
10. Hart, B., and Risley, T. R. 1995. Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Paul H Brookes Publishing.
11. Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Berk, L. E., and Singer, D. (Eds.). 2019. Play = Learning: How Play Motivates and Enhances Children’s Cognitive and Social-Emotional Growth. Oxford University Press.
12. Kabwe, C. N., and Lund, P. D. 2018. Implementing play-based learning in Zambian preschools: Challenges and opportunities. Early Child Development and Care, 188(5), 583-594.
13. Kalinde, B., and Vermeulen, D. 2016. Fostering children’s music in the mother tongue in early childhood education: A case study in Zambia. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 6(1), a493. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v6i1.493
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21. Njobvu, B. 2013. The value of play in early childhood development in Zambia. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 23(2), 299-303.
22. Pellegrini, A. D., and Holmes, R. M. 2019. The Role of Play in Human Development. Oxford Research Encyclopaedia of Communication.
23. Ramani, G. B., Zippert, E. L., Schweitzer, S. M., and Pan, S. 2019. Playing with math: Developmental consequences of mathematically rich preschool board games. Journal of Cognition and Development, 20(2), 261-277.
24. Republic of Zambia. 2016. National Policy on Early Childhood Care, Development and Education. Ministry of General Education.
25. Lungu, S., and Matafwali, B. 2020. Play-based learning in early childhood education (ECE) centers in Zambia: A teacher perspective. European Journal of Education Studies, 7(12).
26. Vandenberg, B., and Smart, K. 2019. Play as pedagogy in early childhood education: A conceptual and empirical critique. Early Childhood Education Journal, 47(4), 411-419.
27. Verenikina, I., and Kervin, L. 2019. Engaging with digital play: A review of the literature on children’s use of video games and other digital media for learning. In Handbook of Research on Cross-Cultural Business Education (pp. 82-100).
28. White, R. E. 2012. The power of play: A research summary on play and learning. Minnesota: Minnesota Children’s Museum.
29. Zosh, J. M., Fisher, K. R., Golinkoff, R. M., Golinkoff, R., and Hirsh-Pasek, K. 2019. Playful learning: An integrated approach for early childhood curriculum. Oxford University Press.
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31. Republic of Kenya. 2018. National Pre-Primary Education Policy Standard Guidelines. Nairobi: Government Printers.
32. State of Palestine. 2017-2022. National Strategy for Early Childhood Development and Intervention: ECE in Palestine.
33. Republic of Kenya. 2018. Sector Policy for Learners and Trainees with Disabilities. Nairobi: Government Printer.
34. Republic of Kenya. 2017. National Pre-Primary Education Policy Standard Guidelines. Nairobi: Government Printer.
35. Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. 2020. National Education Policy 2020. Available at: https://www.education.gov.in/en/nep/nep-2020 Accessed: 20 October, 2023.
36. Ministry of Education. 2004. Resource book for Early Childhood Care Development and Education. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
37. Ministry of Education. 2015. Early Childhood Teachers Diploma Syllabus. Lusaka: Directorate of Teacher Education and Specialised Services.
38. Ministry of Education. 2014. Early Education Standards Guidelines. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
39. Ministry of Education. 2013. Zambia Curriculum Framework. Lusaka: Curriculum Development Centre.
40. Ministry of Education. 2016. Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) for Zambia. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
41. Ministry of Education. 2015. Early Childhood Teachers Diploma Syllabus. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
42. Ministry of Education. 2020. Continuous Professional Development Manual for ECE teachers. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
43. Ministry of Education. 1992. Focus on learning: Strategies for the development of school education in Zambia. Lusaka.
44. Ministry of Education. 2007. Zambia National Implementation Framework 2008-2010. Lusaka.
2. Berk, L. E., and Winsler, A. 2019. Scaffolding Children’s Learning: Vygotsky and Play. In Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play (pp. 29-45). Oxford University Press.
3. Bowen, G. A. 2009. Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27-40.
4. Bredekamp, S. 2011. Effective Practices in Early Childhood Education: Building a Foundation. New Jersey: Pearson Education.
5. Chiong, C., and Shuler, C. 2019. Learning: Is there an app for that? In A. D. Pellegrini (Ed.), Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play (pp. 355-373). Oxford University Press.
6. Dore, R. A., and Lillard, A. S. 2019. An educational perspective on the effects of pretend play. In Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play (pp. 103-122). Oxford University Press.
7. Duncan, R. M., and Tarulli, D. 2003. Play as the leading activity of the pre-school period: Insights from Vygotsky, Leont’ev, and Bakhtin. Early Education and Development, 14(3), 271-292.
8. Ginsburg, H. P. 2007. The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182-191.
9. Han, S., Suh, E. S., Park, S. H., and Jeong, J. 2020. The role of pretend play in children’s cognitive development: A literature review and a revised theoretical framework. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 586153.
10. Hart, B., and Risley, T. R. 1995. Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Paul H Brookes Publishing.
11. Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Berk, L. E., and Singer, D. (Eds.). 2019. Play = Learning: How Play Motivates and Enhances Children’s Cognitive and Social-Emotional Growth. Oxford University Press.
12. Kabwe, C. N., and Lund, P. D. 2018. Implementing play-based learning in Zambian preschools: Challenges and opportunities. Early Child Development and Care, 188(5), 583-594.
13. Kalinde, B., and Vermeulen, D. 2016. Fostering children’s music in the mother tongue in early childhood education: A case study in Zambia. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 6(1), a493. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v6i1.493
14. Ministry of Education, Zambia. 2013. Zambia education curriculum framework 2013. Lusaka: Author.
15. Ministry of Education. 1977. Zambia Educational Reform: Proposals and recommendations. Lusaka: Author.
16. Ministry of Education. 1996. Educating our future. Lusaka: Zambia Educational Publishing House.
17. Ministry of Education. 2005. Educating the nation: Strategic framework for implementation of education for all. Lusaka: Education Sector Ministries.
18. Ministry of Education. 2006. Vision 2030: Zambia a Prosperous Middle-income Nation by 2030. Lusaka: Ministry of Finance and National Planning.
19. Munsaka, E., and Kalinde, B. 2017. Laying a Foundation for Optimal Outcomes in Early Childhood Education. Lusaka: UNZA Press.
20. Musenge, E., Zaloumis, A., Kapambwe, S., and Munsaka, E. 2015. Teachers’ perspectives on the implementation of play-based learning in early childhood education in Zambia. International Journal of Educational Sciences, 8(3), 371-376.
21. Njobvu, B. 2013. The value of play in early childhood development in Zambia. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 23(2), 299-303.
22. Pellegrini, A. D., and Holmes, R. M. 2019. The Role of Play in Human Development. Oxford Research Encyclopaedia of Communication.
23. Ramani, G. B., Zippert, E. L., Schweitzer, S. M., and Pan, S. 2019. Playing with math: Developmental consequences of mathematically rich preschool board games. Journal of Cognition and Development, 20(2), 261-277.
24. Republic of Zambia. 2016. National Policy on Early Childhood Care, Development and Education. Ministry of General Education.
25. Lungu, S., and Matafwali, B. 2020. Play-based learning in early childhood education (ECE) centers in Zambia: A teacher perspective. European Journal of Education Studies, 7(12).
26. Vandenberg, B., and Smart, K. 2019. Play as pedagogy in early childhood education: A conceptual and empirical critique. Early Childhood Education Journal, 47(4), 411-419.
27. Verenikina, I., and Kervin, L. 2019. Engaging with digital play: A review of the literature on children’s use of video games and other digital media for learning. In Handbook of Research on Cross-Cultural Business Education (pp. 82-100).
28. White, R. E. 2012. The power of play: A research summary on play and learning. Minnesota: Minnesota Children’s Museum.
29. Zosh, J. M., Fisher, K. R., Golinkoff, R. M., Golinkoff, R., and Hirsh-Pasek, K. 2019. Playful learning: An integrated approach for early childhood curriculum. Oxford University Press.
30. Regulation of the Minister of National Education. 2019, August 27. Early Childhood Education and Care, Educational Guidelines: Poland.
31. Republic of Kenya. 2018. National Pre-Primary Education Policy Standard Guidelines. Nairobi: Government Printers.
32. State of Palestine. 2017-2022. National Strategy for Early Childhood Development and Intervention: ECE in Palestine.
33. Republic of Kenya. 2018. Sector Policy for Learners and Trainees with Disabilities. Nairobi: Government Printer.
34. Republic of Kenya. 2017. National Pre-Primary Education Policy Standard Guidelines. Nairobi: Government Printer.
35. Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. 2020. National Education Policy 2020. Available at: https://www.education.gov.in/en/nep/nep-2020 Accessed: 20 October, 2023.
36. Ministry of Education. 2004. Resource book for Early Childhood Care Development and Education. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
37. Ministry of Education. 2015. Early Childhood Teachers Diploma Syllabus. Lusaka: Directorate of Teacher Education and Specialised Services.
38. Ministry of Education. 2014. Early Education Standards Guidelines. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
39. Ministry of Education. 2013. Zambia Curriculum Framework. Lusaka: Curriculum Development Centre.
40. Ministry of Education. 2016. Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) for Zambia. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
41. Ministry of Education. 2015. Early Childhood Teachers Diploma Syllabus. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
42. Ministry of Education. 2020. Continuous Professional Development Manual for ECE teachers. Lusaka: Ministry of Education.
43. Ministry of Education. 1992. Focus on learning: Strategies for the development of school education in Zambia. Lusaka.
44. Ministry of Education. 2007. Zambia National Implementation Framework 2008-2010. Lusaka.
Published
2024-03-05
How to Cite
Kalinde, B., Sichula, N., Mambwe, R. and Kaluba, C. (2024) “Cross-Country Document Analysis of Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education in Zambia and Beyond”, Journal of Law and Social Sciences, 5(4), pp. 1-20. doi: https://doi.org/10.53974/unza.jlss.5.4.1162.