Chinese teachers’ and parents’ perspectives on learning through play

This qualitative study investigated Chinese teachers’ and parents’ perspectives on and understanding of learning at play. A total of 14 teachers and 6 parents took part in this study. Among the participants, 6 kindergarten teachers were interviewed to obtain their perspectives on learning at play. The participants assisted the researchers in the selection of exemplary play episodes used in their own classrooms. Four three-minute videos containing the largest amount of learning elements based on the teachers’ views were selected from each culture. Applying video-cued multivocal ethnography, the selected video clips were shown to 8 other teachers and 6 parents in focus groups to elicit their perspectives on and understanding of learning at play. The findings revealed different social representations of learning at play in Hong Kong, the contributions of which are important and useful for professional practices and curricular policies. Copyright © 2017 The Education University of Hong Kong.