Hannah Somers and Kristina Wittmann, “Exploring How Instructions Guide Children’s Play”
Mentor: Christopher Lawson, Educational Psychology
Poster #190
The method by which instruction is facilitated affects how children learn and play. Depending on how directions are given, a child’s ability to gain new information through exploration may either be strengthened or constrained. Signage or verbal instructions are two common ways of instructional communication in a museum setting. For this study, an overhead video is taken of the exhibit, split into four imaginary sections, where the children can play. The sections include blocks, dress up materials, foam circles, and a climbing structure. When the children enter the exhibit, they are given one of two instructions: “This area is for playing, play however you want” or “This area is for playing with [the object in a specific quadrant.” The video is then watched several times, looking at how long the children spend in each quadrant of the space and what they are engaged with during their time within the exhibit. The anticipated conclusion of this study is that when specific instruction is given, it constrains the scope of a child’s curiosity. They are less likely to explore the whole exhibit if they are told to play specifically with blocks versus if they are told the area is for playing with anything. The information gathered in this study is important because it makes us think about how we facilitate information to people. It is especially important with children that the instruction which is given to them does not limit their ability to explore new ideas on their own.