Logical-mathematical game in the context of early education. A study about the Romanian preschool teachers

Abstract

In this paper, we intend to provide explanations for the fact that logical-mathematical games (a teaching method in which simulated procedures prevail and its goals are to build the capacity to understand the causal relations between actions and events, to develop logical reasoning, and to perform operations and logical deductions) have a lower recurrence in current educational activities, although their importance is well known. We have studied the hypothesis of a dependence between experience and use of the logical-mathematical game in daily teaching activities, t he hypothesis that the teacher who has already used logical-mathematical games is more flexible in adapting a teaching game to become a logical-mathematical game, t he hypothesis of teachers who have already used logical-mathematical games being more willing to apply this type of game to a wider variety of target groups, the hypothesis that there is a  direct connection between a teacher’s past experience with logical-mathematical games and his/her willingness to use a variety of resources and high professional standards in planning them. The research provides statistically significant evidence suggesting that only teachers with less experience/seniority in education appear more interested in using logical-mathematical games in daily teaching activities, and teachers who have experience with logical-mathematical games rely more on that very experience in planning teaching than on specialist reference. Additionally, educators with little interest in teaching mathematics itself had low capacity to do exercises that involve a high effort in teaching and limited willingness to conceive, design and implement complex projects.