The Development of a Curriculum to Enhance Learning Through Play Management Competencies for Teacher Students to Promote Elementary School Students' Literacy

Abstract

Background and Aims: Enhancing learning management competencies for teacher students is a process of producing professional teachers who are ready to promote students’ literacy. This process is based on learning through playing which is believed to be an opportunity to enhance thinking ability and learning motivation. Therefore, this research contained the following objectives. 1) To investigate the situation and needs in the development of a curriculum to enhance learning management competencies. 2) To develop a curriculum to enhance learning management competencies. 3) To experimentally use the developed curriculum. And 4) To evaluate and certify the curriculum to enhance learning management competencies.

Methodology: The research methodology was divided into four phases. Phase 1 is an investigation of the situation and learning management needs. Phase 2, curriculum design and development. Phase 3, is curriculum experimentation, and Phase 4, is curriculum evaluation and certification. The sample groups used in Phase 1 included individuals providing data through interviews. In Phase 2, data was collected from 7 qualified individuals and 5 experts. Phase 3 involved a sample group for curriculum experimentation consisting of 20 teacher students and 50 students. In Phase 4, curriculum evaluation and certification were conducted by 5 qualified individuals. The tools used for data collection included document analysis forms, interviews, conformity and suitability assessment forms, tests, ability assessment forms, questionnaires, and awareness measurement forms. Statistical tools for data analysis included percentages, means, and standard deviations.

Results: (1) The current situation of the overall literacy of elementary school students was at a highly problematic level. Additionally, the overall needs of teacher students to enhance play-based learning management competencies were at the highest level. (2) Results of the development of a curriculum to enhance play-based learning management competencies for teacher students revealed that the curriculum to enhance play-based learning management competencies for teacher students comprised of 8 elements as follows. 1) Curriculum background, 2) Curriculum principles, 3) Objectives, 4) Learning duration according to the curriculum, 5) Content structure and practices, 6) Learning management guidelines according to the curriculum, 7) Instructional media, and 8) Measurement and evaluation guidelines according to the curriculum, along with six learning modules as follows. 1) The importance of instructional competencies, 2) The investigation of the guidelines to enhance students’ literacy, 3) Guidelines and process of play-based learning, 4) The design and implementation of learning management according to the process of play-based learning, 5) Media and learning sources, 6) Measurement and evaluation of students’ literacy. The results of the curriculum quality evaluation showed that the curriculum had overall conformity at the highest level and overall suitability at the highest level. (3) The results of the experimental use of the curriculum to enhance play-based learning management competencies for teacher students revealed that 1) Teacher students' knowledge scores from the training were significantly higher than before the training at a statistical significance level of .05. 2) Teacher students had the overall ability to design the learning at a high level. 3) Teacher students had the overall ability to manage learning at a high level. 4) As for the awareness of the importance, value, and benefits of play-based learning management, 90% were aware of the importance, 90% were aware of the value, and 95% were aware of the benefits. 5) Satisfaction of teacher students who participated in training for play-based learning management was at a high level in all aspects. 6) The scores for the evaluation of students' literacy were significantly higher than before the learning at a statistical significance level of .05. (4) The results of curriculum evaluation showed that every aspect of the curriculum to enhance play-based learning management competencies for teacher students was at the highest level.

Conclusion: The research results indicated that the current situation of overall literacy among elementary school students was at a highly problematic level. Additionally, the overall needs of teacher students to enhance play-based learning management competencies were at the highest level. The curriculum to enhance play-based learning management competencies comprised of eight elements and six learning modules, in which conformity and suitability were at the highest level. Teacher students who participated in the training gained knowledge and competence in play-based learning management ranging from 80-100% and expressed the highest level of satisfaction. The awareness of the importance, value, and benefits was between 90-95%, and the curriculum evaluation revealed that every aspect was at the highest level.