The effect of quality of early childhood education on executive function and cognitive ability: from the perspective of fruitful play

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K04330
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Educational psychology
• Research Institution: Notre Dame Seishin University
• Principal Investigator: YUZAWA Miki ノートルダム清心女子大学, 人間生活学部, 准教授 (80335637)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 幼児教育の質 / ワーキングメモリ / SDQ / わらべうた / 森のようちえん

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study found the effects of the quality of early childhood education on executive function and cognitive ability through observational studies, intervention studies, and research studies. First, in order to clarify the appropriate environment for child development through observational studies, observations were made with a forest kindergarten and places for child care support (temporarily suspended due to the spread of corona infection). As a result, we found 4 higher categories of 10 categories. Next, focusing on the nursery rhyme, we conducted an intervention research using the nursery rhyme at the nursing center and measured the working memory and social difficulty and strength (SDQ) of the children. As a result, the effect of the intervention was confirmed. Finally, we examined whether an appropriate environment in early childhood affects later social skills and adaptability using a questionnaire.

Free Research Field

保育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は，子どもの発達にふさわしい環境について観察研究を通して明らかにし，そこでの知見を発達支援センターで短期縦断的介入研究に取り入れ実施したところ，情緒，多動・衝動性，仲間関係が改善し，向社会的行動がみられるようになったことに加え，通常単純な認知トレーニングでは向上しないとされる子どものワーキングメモリ（認知能力の基盤）が，遊びを通して向上しうる点を実証した点である。また，社会的意義は，子どもの発達にふさわしい遊び環境を明らかにしたことで，保育の質向上に貢献するとともに，わらべうたを用いた発達支援の可能性を拓いたことにある。