The Changing Face of Play in Australian Primary School Playgrounds
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THE CHANGING FACE OF PLAY IN AUSTRALIAN PRIMARY SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS Barbara Anne Chancellor MEd., Grad. Cert. Teaching (Early Childhood), Dip. Teaching (Primary) A thesis submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Education RMIT University July, 2005. DECLARATION Except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of the candidate alone. The work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any other academic award. The content of the thesis is the result of work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved research program. Signed……………………………………………………………………………… Date………………………………………………………………………………… ii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .......................................................................................................... ii LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ xiii SUMMARY ............................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................17 1.1 An overview of the research problem ..................................................................17 1.2 The case being investigated................................................................................19 1.3 Study rationale.....................................................................................................20 1.4 Overview of the thesis .........................................................................................21 1.5 Glossary of terms ................................................................................................23 CHAPTER 2 : LITERATURE REVIEW .....................................................................24 2.1 Play: an introduction ............................................................................................24 2.1.1 Theories of play ................................................................................................24 2.1.2 Play: learning for life .........................................................................................31 2.1.3 Reaching a definition of play ............................................................................33 2.1.4 Categories of play.............................................................................................36 2.1.5 Play in educational settings ..............................................................................46 2.1.6 Gender and play ...............................................................................................53 2.1.7 Risk and play ....................................................................................................55 2.1.8 The influences of local and international organisations promoting play ...........57 2.2 Playground design...............................................................................................59 2.2.1 Historical perspectives of playground design ...................................................60 2.2.2 Opportunities to make changes........................................................................67 2.2.3 Redesigning existing playgrounds....................................................................67 2.2.4 Planning school playgrounds............................................................................69 2.2.5 Types of playground equipment .......................................................................71 2.2.6 Types of playspaces.........................................................................................72 2.2.7 Children’s perceptions of their school playgrounds ..........................................74 2.3 Teacher supervision styles and the impact on children’s play.............................77 2.2.4 Overview of historical changes to school playgrounds in Australia ..................80 2.4.1 Primary school playgrounds in the Australian context today ............................96 2.4.2 Research in Australian primary school playgrounds ......................................101 iii CHAPTER 3 : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .......................................................104 3.1 Introduction........................................................................................................104 3.2 Theoretical perspective: Interpretivism..............................................................104 3.3 Epistemology: Subjective ..................................................................................105 3.4 Approach: Qualitative ........................................................................................106 3.5 Case study.........................................................................................................107 3.6 Sampling............................................................................................................107 3.7 Selection of the sample of schools ....................................................................108 3.8 Participants........................................................................................................110 3.9 Location and timing of the study........................................................................111 3.10 Getting approval for the study and gaining access.........................................112 3.11 Triangulation....................................................................................................112 3.12 Data Collection ................................................................................................113 3.13 Methods...........................................................................................................115 3.13.1 Playground observations ..............................................................................117 3.13.2 Interview with principals................................................................................119 3.13.3 Teacher questionnaires ................................................................................121 3.13.4 Focus group interviews and artifact collection..............................................121 3.14 Pilot study .......................................................................................................123 3.14.1 Findings of the pilot study.............................................................................124 3.15 Play categories ................................................................................................127 3.16 Major study ......................................................................................................131 3.17 Data analysis ...................................................................................................131 CHAPTER 4 : RESULTS ........................................................................................136 4.1 School case studies...........................................................................................136 4.2 School 1.............................................................................................................137 4.2.1 Summary of School 1 results..........................................................................179 4.3 School 2.............................................................................................................182 4.3.1 Summary of School 2 results..........................................................................218 4.4 School 3.............................................................................................................220 4.4.1 Summary of School 3 results..........................................................................262 4.5 Comparison of results across all schools ..........................................................264 CHAPTER 5 : DISCUSSION...................................................................................276 5.1 Introduction and discussion in relation to the aims of the study ........................276 5.2 Types of play children are engaging in at recess breaks in the playground......279 5.2.1 Games with rules............................................................................................280 5.2.2 Scientific/sensory............................................................................................283 iv 5.2.3 Rough and tumble ..........................................................................................286 5.2.4 Imaginary........................................................................................................287 5.2.5 Chants and Rhymes .......................................................................................289 5.2.6 Popular ...........................................................................................................289 5.2.7 Illicit.................................................................................................................289 5.3 Age groups and numbers of players..................................................................291 5.4 School playground design .................................................................................292 5.5 Types of equipment and playspaces and their use by