Beliefs And Practices Related To Play And Learning In Tanzania: Experiences From Dodoma Region Preschools

ABSTRACT

Play has been acknowledged worldwide as an important arena for holistic child

development, and is included in the UN‟s article 31 of the Convention on the Rights

of the Child (CRC) as among the basic rights of the child. Studies throughout the

world show that play is important for children‟s cognitive, socio-emotional and

language development.

This study sought to investigate beliefs and practices related to play and learning in

Dodoma region preschools, Tanzania. The study deployed multiple case study design

and followed qualitative research approach. The study was guided by Social-Cultural

Theory (SCT), and it involved 24 respondents who were purposively selected. Data

were collected through use of semi structured interview, Focus Group Discussion

(FDG), and documentary review. The Data collected were analyzed following Miles

and Huberman (1994) procedures for qualitative data analysis which involved data

reduction, data display and drawing conclusion and verification.

The study findings revealed that play was almost nonexistent in most preschools in

Dodoma region. Classrooms were found to be dominated by academic instructions

despite the awareness teachers had of the importance of play in relation to learning.

Lack of sufficient play materials, influence of the Big Results Now (BRN)

legislation, unsafe playgrounds, untrained teachers and age of preschool teachers

were identified as major factors for the nonexistence of play in Dodoma preschools.

Based on these findings, it was concluded that as play disappeared from the

landscape of preschools, experts were called upon to recognize that its demise will

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have a long lasting impact on children. The emphasis on narrowly defined academic

activities in early childhood may result in decreased exposure to activities that

naturally foster complex cognitive processing and social-emotional understanding

which are easily acquired through play.

It was finally recommended that public teacher education colleges need to prepare a

special cadre of trained preschool teachers specifically on play-based learning so as

to re-invent the play-based learning in Dodoma region preschools and elsewhere in

the country.