ECE teachers’ views on play-based learning: a systematic review

Figures & data

Table 1. List of included studies (in alphabetical order).

Author and year	Country	Method	Country Cluster
(Aldhafeeri, Palaiologou, and Folorunsho 2016)	Kuwait	Survey	Asia
(Aras 2016)	Turkey	Interviews and observations	Single study / Uncategorized
(Aubrey and Durmaz 2012)	UK	Case study with interviews, survey and observations	English-speaking
(Baker 2014a)	Abu Dhabi	Interviews	Asia
(Baker 2014b)	Abu Dhabi	Interviews	Asia
(Baker 2015)	Abu Dhabi	Interviews	Asia
(Broström et al. 2014)	Sweden/Denmark	Survey	Europe
(Broström et al. 2015)	Australia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Sweden	Survey	Comparative
(Cheng 2001)	China - Hong Kong	Case study of two teachers – interviews and observations	Asia
(Cooney 2004)	Guatemala	Observations + survey among teachers and parents	Single study / Uncategorized
(Cutter-Mackenzie and Edwards 2013)	Australia	Video-observations + group interviews with children + interviews with teachers	English-speaking
(Edwards and Cutter-Mackenzie 2011)	Australia	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Fesseha and Pyle 2016)	Canada	Survey	English-speaking
(Foote, Smith, and Ellis 2004)	New Zealand	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Fung 2009)	China - Hong Kong	Interviews and observations	Asia
(Fung and Cheng 2012)	China - Hong Kong	Interviews and observations	Asia
(Gray and Ryan 2016)	Ireland	Interviews, survey and observations	English-speaking
(Guilfoyle and Mistry 2013)	UK	Exploratory case study - observations, interviews and questionnaire	English-speaking
(Hegde and Cassidy 2009)	India	Interviews	Asia
(Hegde et al. 2014)	Japan	Interviews	Asia
(Hope-Southcott 2013)	Canada	Action research - drawing on photos, observational notes used for own reflection	English-speaking
(Howard 2010)	UK	Semi-structured questionnaires	English-speaking
(Howard, Miles, and Rees-Davies 2012)	UK	Interviews with teachers, video-observations of children, focus groups with children to rate playfulness of computer practice	English-speaking
(Hu et al. 2014)	China - Hong Kong	Case study - interviews, observations and document analysis	Asia
(Hunter and Walsh 2014)	UK	Observations and survey to teachers	English-speaking
(Hvit 2015)	Sweden	Interviews	Europe
(Izumi-Taylor, Samuelsson, and Rogers 2010)	Japan; USA; Sweden	Survey	Comparative
(Johansson and Sandberg 2010)	Sweden	Critical incident questionnaire	Europe
(Kim 2004)	South Korea	Interviews and observations	Asia
(Kroll 2017)	USA	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Leggett and Ford 2013)	Australia	Case studies including observations, focus group interviews, researcher memoes and journal / diary keeping by practitioners	English-speaking
(Lynch 2014)	Canada	Exploratory netnography	English-speaking
(Lynch 2015)	Canada	Exploratory netnography	English-speaking
(Martlew, Stephen, and Ellis 2011)	UK	Exploratory study including interviews and observations	English-speaking
(McInnes et al. 2011)	UK	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Miller and Smith 2004)	UK	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Moon and Reifel 2008)	USA	Interviews, informal conversations, observations and self-reflexive notes	English-speaking
(Nikolopoulou and Gialamas 2015)	Greece	Survey	Europe
(Palaiologou 2016)	UK, Luxemburg, Malta, Greece & Kuwait	Survey followed by focus group interviews	Comparative
(Pui-Wah and Stimpson 2004)	China - Hong Kong	Interviews	Asia
(Pyle and Bigelow 2015)	Canada	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Pyle and Danniels 2017)	Canada	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Pyle and Luce-Kapler 2014)	Canada	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Pyle, Poliszczuk, and Danniels 2018)	Canada	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Pyle, Prioletta, and Poliszczuk 2018)	Canada	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Roberts-Holmes 2012)	UK	Interviews	English-speaking
(Sandseter 2012)	Norway	Interviews	Europe
(Sisson and Kroeger 2017)	USA	Interviews and observations	English-speaking
(Sundberg et al. 2016)	Sweden	Case studies based on interviews and observations	Europe
(Sæbbe and Samuelsson 2017)	Norway	Interviews and observations	Europe
(Tsai 2015)	Taiwan	Interviews and observations	Asia
(Tsai 2017)	Taiwan	Interviews	Asia
(Vogt et al. 2018)	Switzerland	Interviews (as part of a large-scale intervention)	Europe
(Vong 2012)	China	Observations, interviews and document analyses.	Asia
(Vu, Han, and Buell 2015)	USA	Questionnaire and observations	English-speaking
(Wager and Parks 2016)	USA	Teacher stories on learning	English-speaking
(Walsh and Gardner 2006)	UK	Survey and focus group interviews	English-speaking
(Wang and Hung 2010)	China - Hong Kong	Intervention with pre-post supplemented with observations and teachers’ reflective journals	Asia
(Wood and Bennett 1997)	UK	Interviews and video-observations of play	English-speaking
(Wu 2014)	Germany and China - Hong Kong	Interviews and observations	Comparative
(Wu, Faas, and Geiger 2018)	Germany and China - Hong Kong	Interviews and observations	Comparative
(Wu and Rao 2011)	China; Germany	Video-observations, group discussions and questionnaires	Comparative

Figure 1. Flowchart.

Aldhafeeri, Fayiz, Ioanna Palaiologou, and Aderonke Folorunsho. 2016. “Integration of Digital Technologies Into Play-Based Pedagogy in Kuwaiti Early Childhood Education: Teachers’ Views, Attitudes and Aptitudes.” International Journal of Early Years Education 24 (3): 342–360. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2016.1172477.

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Aras, Selda. 2016. “Free Play in Early Childhood Education: A Phenomenological Study.” Early Child Development and Care 186 (7): 1173–1184. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1083558.

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Aubrey, Carol, and Döndϋ Durmaz. 2012. “Policy-to-Practice Contexts for Early Childhood Mathematics in England.” International Journal of Early Years Education 20 (1): 59–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2012.664475.

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Baker, Fiona Sally. 2014a. “Tensions in Policy and Practice: Influences on Play in Abu Dhabi’s New School Model KG Framework.” Early Child Development and Care 184 (12): 1830–1842. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2014.888176.

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Baker, Fiona Sally. 2014b. “Teachers’ Views on Play-Based Practice in Abu Dhabi Kindergartens.” International Journal of Early Years Education 22 (3): 271–286. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2014.944884.

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Baker, Fiona Sally. 2015. “Challenges Presented to Personal Theories, Beliefs and Practices of Play in Abu Dhabi Kindergartens: The English Medium Teacher Perspective.” Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development 35 (1): 22–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2014.958982.

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Fesseha, Ellen, and Angela Pyle. 2016. “Conceptualising Play-Based Learning From Kindergarten Teachers’ Perspectives.” International Journal of Early Years Education 24 (3): 361–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2016.1174105.

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Foote, Lyn, John Smith, and Fiona Ellis. 2004. “The Impact of Teachers’ Beliefs on the Literacy Experiences of Young Children: A New Zealand Perspective.” Early Years 24 (2): 135–147. https://doi.org/10.1080/0957514032000732993.

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Fung, Chanel Kit Ho. 2009. “The Complexities in Promoting Play-Based Kindergarten Curriculum in Hong Kong: One Teacher’s Story.” Canadian Children 34 (2): 16–24.

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Fung, Chanel Kit Ho, and Doris Pui Wah Cheng. 2012. “Consensus or Dissensus? Stakeholders’ Views on the Role of Play in Learning.” Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development 32 (1): 17–33.

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Gray, Colette, and Anna Ryan. 2016. “Aistear Vis-à-Vis the Primary Curriculum: The Experiences of Early Years Teachers in Ireland.” International Journal of Early Years Education 24 (2): 188–205. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2016.1155973.

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Guilfoyle, Natalie, and Malini Mistry. 2013. “How Effective Is Role Play in Supporting Speaking and Listening for Pupils with English as an Additional Language in the Foundation Stage?” Education 3-13 41 (1): 63–70.

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Hegde, Archana V., and Deborah J. Cassidy. 2009. “Kindergarten Teachers’ Perspectives on Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP): A Study Conducted in Mumbai (India).” Journal of Research in Childhood Education 23 (3): 367–381. https://doi.org/10.1080/02568540909594667.

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Hope-Southcott, Laura. 2013. “The Use of Play and Inquiry in a Kindergarten Drama Centre: A Teacher’s Critical Reflection.” Journal of Childhood Studies 38 (1): 39–46. https://doi.org/10.18357/jcs.v38i1.15437.

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Howard, Justine. 2010. “Early Years Practitioners’ Perceptions of Play: An Exploration of Theoretical Understanding, Planning and Involvement, Confidence and Barriers to Practice.” Educational and Child Psychology 27 (4): 91.

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Hunter, Thelma, and Glenda Walsh. 2014. “From Policy to Practice?: The Reality of Play in Primary School Classes in Northern Ireland.” International Journal of Early Years Education 22 (1): 19–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2013.830561.

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