Objectives This study intends to examine the educational meaning of design thinking as a teacher support program according to the child-centered and play-based curriculum by exploring the play experiences that apply design thinking to early childhood ...
Objectives This study intends to examine the educational meaning of design thinking as a teacher support program according to the child-centered and play-based curriculum by exploring the play experiences that apply design thinking to early childhood teachers.
Methods For this, an in-service teacher who had a high will to design play and expressed a willingness to participate in the study was selected as the research participant, and the data collected after in-depth interviews were analyzed using Creswell's triangulation technique.
Results As a result of exploring the experience of play execution applying design thinking, first, in the initial stage of design play, ‘experience difficulties in applying design play’ and ‘experience new play in design while having fun together’. Second, in the design play execution stage, ‘experience that crosses the infant-teacher-centered teaching method’, ‘experience discovering novelty through trial and error’, ‘experience that inspires play with limited autonomy’, and ‘fix the teacher themselves’ ‘Experience that breaks down notions’ appeared. Third, the perception of the teacher's major roles according to design play was ‘coordinating work time’, ‘becoming a volunteer and observer in play’, and ‘configuring a space for imagination and collaboration’.
Conclusions This study examines the importance of recognition of the role of the teacher as a play environment builder for design play, as well as a case that shows that design thinking play has an application value as an educational approach for the implementation of a toddler/play-centered curriculum. We want to make it meaningful.