Early Childhood Preservice Teacher’s Perception on Play: Focusing on Concept Mapping Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine early childhood preservice teacher’s perception on play using the concept mapping analysis. Multidimentional scale analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were performed. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. 47 final statements were finally generated based on the perception on play, and were classified into two dimensions of “the essence of play-play support” and “the educational significance of play-the developmental importance of play”. In addition, the statements were classified into five clusters: ‘diversity of play’, ‘aspects of play’, ‘role of teacher’, ‘necessity of play in young children’, and ‘value of play’. This study provides implication for support necessary for early childhood preservice teachers or the direction of early childhood teacher education course to form the desirable perception on play.