Experience shapes perceptions and perceptions shape practice: how different experiences shifted the practitioners’ perceptions and practice of outdoor play

Abstract

This dissertation is an investigation of childcare practitioners’ experiences of outdoor play and what role these experiences play in shaping practitioners’ perceptions and practice of outdoor play within the early years. The current Scottish Government’s focus on outdoor play offered evidence of the inherent value of outdoor play to
children’s learning and development within the early years. The policy and guidance documents introduced by the Scottish Government on advocating for and supporting outdoor play in the early years (see Appendix A) additionally spoke on the adult’s role in supporting and delivering the outdoor play and learning provision. Regardless of this vast amount of documentation on the issue and the study findings, also as I
have experienced first-hand, and as a practitioner working in a busy early education setting, it became clear that while practitioners can list the benefits of outdoor play
and learning, which is not always reflected within their practice. Through adopting the interpretivist paradigm, this project challenged the participants to reflect on their
childhood and professional experiences and make links between experiences and perceptions, and then perceptions and practice. Interestingly, this project found that
again, while practitioners could offer sound examples of effective practice (Moyles et al, 2002), they struggled to make connections, which then suggested that early years
practitioners would benefit from more specific training opportunities as well as having the time to engage in collaborative reflection that would challenge their perceptions and could also potentially improve their practice that in hand would help to improve outcomes for children in their care in the context of outdoor play.