Dissertation Title

[hali]

Ok ladies,

 

im really stuck - doing research project in my setting. Have observed children playing with plastic toys (seesaws, climving frames, trikes) to see what their involvent levels, interaction levels and what learning experiences they are gaining from them. Then taken them away and done same using just natural materials (drain pipes, planks, tyres etc)...

 

but need a title - help!!!!

 

Here are some suggestion given me already - please vote or let me know if you can think of anything better..

 

thanks xxx

Edited May 21, 2008 by hali

[Inge]

Sorry Hali, but I can only see one option, so vote on that one?

 

or is it just my senior moments taking over?

 

Inge

[Beau]

Give us a clue - what were we meant to vote for??

[hali]

im trying to add them but obviously doing something wrong - bear with me

[hali]

yerrrrrrrrrrrrr - too much after a gateway review!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Susan]

can you replace a trike with a drainpipe?

[hali]

you can susan with fantastic results !!!!!

[Guest Wolfie]

How did your Gateway go??

[mundia]

Im in the camp where the title comes last Hali, maybe its my very crazy head, but when I wrote my dissertation I had only a working title until the day I submitted it.

 

Also think you may need to define natural.. a drainpipe wouldn't fit my thinking there?

 

(or is it me having the senior moment, i do seem to have rather a lot of those these days)

[hali]

im with you Mundia but have to do a presentation on it on friday so need my title!

[hali]

opps sorry Wolfie - it was good really enjoyed it - mad woman i am

[Lorna]

I would def define what you mean by natural as I would not think of drainpipes, tyre etc as natural.... they are manufactured....

 

Maybe something along the lines of manufactured toys and everyday objects.... looking at the creativity of children's play using bought toys or a range of evryday objects...

 

Hope that helps.

Good Luck with the presentation.

Lorna

[Sue R]

Just to be irritating ( ) - IS a tyre not natural?? They are made of rubber, a NATURAL material, and I'm rather allergic to them...(a good excuse not to have anything to do with them at all!! Ho HO)

 

Like I said, no help, but a thought....

 

I should add here, that I'm allergic to latex - epipen.

[hali]

thank u sue was really beginning to panic there! - and im so sorry you are allergic to them

[Guest]

Sorry I'm not going to be much help but I would provide both types of resources together, to observe and define, childrens choice, because if the child has chosen the resource then it is most probably going to affect their length of participation with it. I would also like to know what draws a child to a resource, the sensory factors such as touch & smell (most likely with natural resources) or the visual and auditory senses of bright colours, shapes, electonic noises, etc most associated with plastic manufactured resources.

 

I would try and find resources that have similar properties, and do similar things within each catagory to 'balance' the argument.

ie: a totally wooden wheel alongside a plastic, say lego wheel.

 

With the above comparison study i'd opt for the title:

 

"one setting's experiences of how plastic and natural materials affect childrens' involvement levels"

 

If of course you are not looking at actual defined learning potential, and just involvement.

 

I agree with others that the term 'natural' needs a clear definition.

 

Best of luck for Friday.

 

Peggy

[Sue R]

Well, I've voted!!

 

Do let us know :

 

1) the results of the plastics v natural debate in your setting

 

2) the results of the poll

 

and

 

3) the result of the project!!!!! As in, your result! ( - although I guess you will anyway )

[hali]

really upset the apple cart now havnt i - and after such a good day

 

Research is done observations with the children using plastic equiptment toys eg plastic seesaw, cars etc.

 

then only the tyres, stones, sticks, leaves pipes etc were put out for 2 months then children observed again

 

results on a small cohort of children revealed involvement levels, interactions between staff and peers all excelled along with ELGS.....

 

i just need to know what to call the study!!!!!!

 

thanks

[Sue R]

Ah, we crossed - actually, hali, I'd be verrrry interested in your project, should you feel like sharing at some time in the future?

 

Sue

[hali]

i will do Sue ive been suprised by the results

[dublinbay]

I've voted too and good luck with everything Hali.

Your study sounds extremely interesting and I look forward to reading it if/when you are able to share.

Best of luck for Friday!

[Beau]

I would put a spanner in the works too and say that unless you are comparing like for like then this isn't actually a comparative study about plastics vs natural but something else entirely......... (Sorry!)

[hali]

its fine Beau but too late ill just go hide under my duvet gain and hope i dont fail

[HappyMaz]

With the above comparison study i'd opt for the title:

 

"one setting's experiences of how plastic and natural materials affect childrens' involvement levels"

Peggy: you are truly a woman of discernment and intellect!

 

Hali: you can guess which one I voted for but I also liked the last one very much

[HappyMaz]

I would put a spanner in the works too and say that unless you are comparing like for like then this isn't actually a comparative study about plastics vs natural but something else entirely......... (Sorry!)

Beau strikes again You haven't put a spanner in the works - you've just given her something meaty to evaluate! That's the beauty of this kind of research project: the reflection on whether things went according to plan (or not) is as important as being able to analyse the results.

 

Come out from under that duvet, hali: you'll be fine....

 

Maz

[Guest]

Not really sure what to vote with your title, as someone else has commented that drainpipes etc. wouldn't be classed as natural.

 

My setting uses only natural play things (as in anything organic... stones, wool, wood....) and there are very definite reasons for this. If you would like to ask any questions about our setting then feel free to pm me.

[Posy]

Hi Hali,

I liked Susan's comment:

'Can you replace a trike with a drainpipe?'

 

So how about: 'Children's play: Can you replace a trike with a drainpipe?'

 

Or am I missing the point?

 

Posy

[Sue R]

OH!! NICE ONE!!!!

[Beau]

I vote for Posys suggestion!! (With credit going to Susan too. )

[HappyMaz]

I vote for Posys suggestion!! (With credit going to Susan too. )

All done and dusted now - well the presentation is out of the way. I'm not in Hali's research study group but I understand she carried the day with her usual aplomb!

 

I'll leave her to tell you which title she chose in the end

 

Maz

[Guest]

I've voted!

 

Sounds interesting!!