An Assessment of the Influence of Toys in Cognitive Function of Pre-school Children in Ogun State
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the Study:
The main purpose of the study is to determine the influence of selected toys on the cognitive development of preschool children in Ogun State.
Specifically, the study will determine the:
- Influence of construction toys on the language skills development of preschool children.
- Influence of construction toys on the social skills development of preschool children.
- Influence of manipulative toys on the problem solving skills development of preschool children.
- Influence of manipulative toys on the creative skills development of preschool children.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
Cognitive tools enable learners to achieve goals they are already motivated to reach (Malone and Lepper, 1987). Because toys have great potential to motivate children to reach specific goals, smart toys can be considered cognitive tools. The goals of the instructional or cognitive tools are to increase motivation and interest and improve retention and higher-order thinking skills (Hogle, 1996). From this perspective, the nature of smart toys as cognitive tools for children’s needs requires attention from instructional technologists. As Eisenberg (2003) stated, “we can look to various children’s cultures around the planet; and we can explore how children’s activities with materials might lend themselves to robust, creative, emotionally, and intellectually inspiring integration with technological artifacts” (p. 50). The important point is that smart toys can serve to integrate children’s thinking, creativeness, imagination, reflection, and so on with technology. These toys create an environment that motivates children to play and promotes their cognitive activities. For instance, storytelling, mathematical thinking, and concept-learning activities can be augmented with smart toys. Interaction also has a great influence on technological systems and instructional activities. Resnick (1998) emphasized that managing interactions with toys or other playable tools has a considerable effect on children’s play and learning. From this perspective, structured and meaningful interactions with toys have an important role in children’s lives. Smart toys have great potential to provide mutual interactions between children and systems (Cagiltay et al., 2014). Smart toys allow children to participate actively and interactively in mixed-reality environments. This is a distinctive point compared to classic electronic or digital toys because smart toys use interaction for purposeful tasks in authentic play environments. For instance, in the smart storytelling toy StoryTech, interactions can prompt children to share imaginative stories in mixed-reality environments (Kara et al., 2013). Open-ended features can also improve the effectiveness of smart toys. Rather than providing a determined system, smart toys allow children to explore new things. For instance, children can decide how to handle plush (smart) toys in storytelling and are prompted to produce different stories for the toys (Kara et al., 2014). Combining physical and virtual realities in mixed reality makes open-ended features easy to develop. An important contribution of these features is motivating children to play collaboratively. Through open-ended smart-toy features, children can share their play activity with others and mutually enhance learning experiences. Similarly, Petersson Brooks and Brooks (2006) emphasized that “open-ended design features evoke children’s motivation to learn and the physical and virtual explorations optimized a sense of being immersed which can enhance collaborative play and learning experiences” (p. 198). Because play activity is considered one of the central points in preschool education, designing a toy that allows children to be included in play activities in accordance with children’s needs is the focus of designing and developing a smart toy.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to an assessment of the influence of toys in cognitive function of preschool children
SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
- Primary source and
- Secondary source
Primary source: Personal interview was conducted with the staff of first bank of Nigeria plc.
Secondary source: The secondary formed the major theoretical part that was derived through critical review of library and also other related literature (material written by others researchers).
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information on an assessment of the influence of toys in cognitive function of preschool children. 200 staffs of selected nursery schools in Ogun state state was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected from the respondents were analyzed in tabular form with simple percentage for easy understanding.
A total of 133(one hundred and thirty three) questionnaires were distributed and 133 questionnaires were returned
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain an assessment of the influence of toys in cognitive function of preschool children
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of toys in cognitive function of preschool children
Summary
This study was on an assessment of the influence of toys in cognitive function of preschool children. Three objectives were raised which included: Influence of construction toys on the language skills development of preschool children, Influence of construction toys on the social skills development of preschool children, Influence of manipulative toys on the problem solving skills development of preschool children and Influence of manipulative toys on the creative skills development of preschool children. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staffs of selected nursery schools in Ogun state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made headmasters, class teachers, head teachers and nonteaching staffs were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Toys can be considered as new forms of play activity combining physical toys with virtual settings. Since play activities have a valuable role in preschool education, smart toys have potential to support and enhance these play activities by including not only physical toys but also the richness of virtual mediums. In addition, these toys may be the materials enhancing settings by integrating technology into preschool curriculum appropriately. Many design guidelines emerged in the course of the study. These guidelines were categorized as content, visual design, and interaction. It is expected with these guidelines that the best smart toy practices can be applied in preschool education. The design principles emerged at this study can guide instructional designers to design and develop similar systems combining physical and virtual realities. Smart toys can be alternative and supportive materials, since they have not only enjoyable, fun and augmented characteristics but also a structure allowing curriculum-based components.
Recommendation
Since toys help in developing children learning skills, should availability of toy in preschool to help children and their teachers in teaching
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