Development of Preschool Children’s Executive Functions throughout a Play-Based Learning Approach That Embeds Science Concepts

Vidal Carulla, Clara; Christodoulakis, Nikolaos; Adbo, Karina

doi:10.3390/ijerph18020588

Open AccessArticle

Development of Preschool Children’s Executive Functions throughout a Play-Based Learning Approach That Embeds Science Concepts

by

Clara Vidal Carulla

,

Nikolaos Christodoulakis

and

Karina Adbo

^*

Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, 39231 Kalmar, Sweden

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(2), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020588

Submission received: 7 December 2020 / Revised: 2 January 2021 / Accepted: 4 January 2021 / Published: 12 January 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Development and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents)

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Abstract

This study focuses on the development of executive functions in preschool children during a series of science activities. A longitudinal play-based learning intervention was designed and implemented following the design of an educational experiment. Data were collected through visual ethnography in hot situations with adult supervision. Results show how entwined the concepts of inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility are within young children’s development. The development of cognitive flexibility or attention shifting readily occurred when there were fictive characters (such as the king and his royal family), but changing perspective toward a nonfictive environment (i.e., taking other children’s perspectives) was a more difficult and time-consuming process. This process began in an individual perspective and expanded to acknowledging others’ perspectives, then moved toward creating common perspectives or alternative narratives. Results show that science activities can be a bridge for preschool children to transfer their use of executive functions, from fairytales and games toward everyday tasks.

Keywords: science activities; chemistry; preschool; executive functions

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MDPI and ACS Style

Vidal Carulla, C.; Christodoulakis, N.; Adbo, K. Development of Preschool Children’s Executive Functions throughout a Play-Based Learning Approach That Embeds Science Concepts. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 588. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020588

AMA Style

Vidal Carulla C, Christodoulakis N, Adbo K. Development of Preschool Children’s Executive Functions throughout a Play-Based Learning Approach That Embeds Science Concepts. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(2):588. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020588

Chicago/Turabian Style

Vidal Carulla, Clara, Nikolaos Christodoulakis, and Karina Adbo. 2021. "Development of Preschool Children’s Executive Functions throughout a Play-Based Learning Approach That Embeds Science Concepts" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 2: 588. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020588

APA Style

Vidal Carulla, C., Christodoulakis, N., & Adbo, K. (2021). Development of Preschool Children’s Executive Functions throughout a Play-Based Learning Approach That Embeds Science Concepts. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 588. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020588

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Development of Preschool Children’s Executive Functions throughout a Play-Based Learning Approach That Embeds Science Concepts

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