Project-Based Activity as a Means of Socio-Emotional Development in Preschool Children

Texto integral

Introduction

Social-emotional development of preschool children is an essential aspect of their overall personality formation. In contemporary psychological literature, social-emotional development is frequently defined as a set of social and emotional abilities, including capacity to understand and regulate one’s own emotions, comprehend the emotions of others, demonstrate empathy, and effectively cope with situations of social interaction, resolve conflicts, and show respect for others [36, 46, 50]. Preschool age is one of the most dynamic periods in a child's social-emotional development due to increased opportunities for social engagement with peers and adults and the transition from egocentric thinking to an understanding of others as active subjects of interactions [3; 19; 21]. Studies have shown that a high level of social-emotional development is essential for a child's successful adaptation during the transition from kindergarden to school and is also predictive of high academic achievement and subjective well-being in later life. Therefore, the search for effective methods to promote social-emotional development in early childhood is a crucial task.

Features of project approach in the context of social-emotional development

From the perspective of a cultural-historical approach, the specific nature of various forms of activity is determined by the psychological tools employed within it, allowing to master new ways of action [12, 42]. Mastering the system of cultural tools for one's own cognitive activities is a crucial aspect of the intellectual development in preschool age [6; 21]. In preschool age, two predominant types of psuchological tools can be identified: symbols and signs [11; 16]. Through the use of signs, a child gains an understanding of the objective properties of reality, discerns essential connections between objects, and learns the meaning of situations, objects, and conditions. These encompass sensory standards, exemplars, landmarks, visual models, words, and diagrams that depict the structure, significance, or characteristics of a concept. With the aid of signs, a child can, for instance, learn to recognize the emotions of others, learn the norms and rules of social behavior. Through the use of symbolic tools, children reveal and manifest their subjective attitudes towards reality, discovering their meanings and shaping their behaviour in accordance with these revealed meanings. Symbolic tools are peculiar to pretend play and also include visual means, expressive gestures and reactions, as well as literary and artistic means such as metaphor. Symbols are closely linked to the experience of emotions and the awareness of one’s own feelings and states. In a child’s natural development process, these two modes of mediation become intertwined, forming an integral structure [17]. However, the reliance on signs or symbols varies across different types of preschool activities, detemining the developmental potential of these activities.

Project-based learning is a form of collaboration between adults (teachers and parents) and children, based on the support of a children's initiative, in-depth exploration of topics relevant to children's lives, and the creation of a product [31] In project-based activities children face a challenging situation that cannot be resolved through direct action immediately, requiring assistance and cooperation with other children and adults. The child, along with an adult guide and other project participants, explores various solutions to the problem posed by the child's initiative. They then select the most effective way to solve the task based on established criteria and translate their idea into a final product such as crafts, performances, a museum exhibit, or a book etc [8]. The result of the project necessarily receives a social presentation, for example, in a kindergarten group.  Project-based activities can vary greatly in terms of content, themes, skills to be acquired, and outcomes.T herefore, it is important to discuss not only the general aspects of project-based learning for social and emotional development, but also the specific features of different types of projects. Projects can be classified in various ways, such as by educational subject (e.g., language, music, mathematics, etc.) [23];  by the leading professional activity of children, for example, information and analytical project, design, experimental, educational, etc. [13]; by the type of interaction with reality and the product being created, it is a research project aimed at obtaining new knowledge, and a creative one aimed at transforming practice [20]. In our opinion, this latter classification best captures the essential nature of project-based learning, and we will therefore focus on it in this paper. Accordingly, the question arises: which toolsare primarily mastered through research and creative projects?

Research projects are aimed at finding answers to questions of interest to preschoolers about phenomena and processes available for observation in everyday life, their specifics and causes from the point of view of modern knowledge [8]. In other words, the research project provides children with new knowledge to solve the problem. Research projects are similar to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) approach  [24]. Accordingly, the research project is more aimed at supporting the intellectual initiative of children, curiosity and search-oriented activity.Thus, in research projects the child is more often faced with tasks which implies more frequent use of signs [11].

 The purpose of creative project is to create a new original product in accordance with the ideas and needs of children, to transform practice [8; 20]. Creative projects allow for the realization of individual and social goals, as well as the expression of ideas and experiences. As such, creative projects require the use of symbolic tools to convey meaning.

The described specifics determine the possibilities for social and emotional development in preschoolers through project-based learning, particularly research and creative projects. Research confirms the effectiveness of project-based learning for the development of children's social skills [30; 31], the emotional sphere [54], the ability to cooperate and work in a team [22], and resolve social conflicts [49]. Despite a large body of research on the positive impact of  project-based learning on the social-emotional development of children, there is no data on how different types of projects  ensure social-emotional development. The study of the developing potential of different types of projects in the context of social-emotional development is necessary to increase the effectiveness of training and create individual development trajectories.

 

Сurrent study

The purpose of this study is to compare two types of projects (research and creative), the specifics of their impact on the social-emotional development of preschoolers. The social-emotional development of a preschool child is associated with the development of theit self-regulation [46; 47]. In this regard, the level of self-regulation of preschoolers was chosen as the control variable in this study. In research, self-regulation is most often considered in the context of executive functions (EF). According to the most common model developed by A. Miyake, EF are a group of cognitive skills that underlie adaptation to new life situations, mastering one's own behavior [40]. There are three components of EF: working memory, as the ability to memorize information and simultaneously use it to solve problems, cognitive flexibility — the ability to switch between conditions, inhibitory control — the ability to suppress automatic impulses that interfere with the task [27]. 

Considering the specific nature of the desicribed activities [8] and the understanding of child development within the cultural-historical approach [12], the following hypotheses have been formulated:

1. In terms of both creative and research projects, parameters of social-emotional development among preschoolers will increase compared to children from the control group that do not participate in project classes.
2. The socia-emotional development of children with low level of EF will be more effective through participation in creative project rather than research project. This is due to the fact that creative project activities rely heavily on symbolic tools, which facilitate the perception of materials and tasks completion for children with lower self-regulation [44]. Additionally, there is less restriction on spontaneous behavior, allowing for a more prominent child's author's perspective and reduced need for self-regulation compared to research project.
3. The social-emotional development of children with a high level of EF will be more effective through participation in research project. This assumption is based on the notion that children are more inclined to utilize signs in such activity. Consequently, it implies a higher cognitive demand on participants compared to creative project, necessitating a greater level of self-regulation [52].

In order to achieve this objective and test the research hypothesis, a randomized controlled trial was conducted.

 

Methods

Participants

The study involved 82 children aged 5 to 6 years from three kindergartens (M = 69, SD = 3.89). There were 41 boys in the sample (50%). All participants attended state-funded kindergartens in Moscow. The selected kindergartens have a similar level of infrastructure and cater to families with middle incomes. All participants had attended more than half of their project-classes. Parents of all children who participated in the study provided written consent. The study received approval from the Ethics Committee of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

 

Procedure

The study consisted of three phases. In the first phase, the assessment of EF, emotion comprehension, and social competence was conducted. The assessment was performed individually with each child. Based on the results of a cluster analysis (K-means clustering) in Jamovi 1.6.23.0, participants were categorized according to their levels of self-regulation: low or high.

In the second phase,  control group and two experimental groups: Research project and Creative were formed. The proportion of children with low and high self-regulation levels, as well as the number of boys and girls, were equal in all three groups. Experimental groups received 22 project sessions lasting 20–30 minutes, in groups of 10 participants. Meetings were held twice per week in classrooms for additional lessons at kindergarten facilities. Classes were completed simultaneously in all groups. In the third phase, a post-test assessment was conducted similar to the initial one to assess the level of emotion comprehension and social competence immediately following completion of the classes.

 

Measures

Assessment of the social-emotional development of preschool children involved the diagnosis of their ability to understand emotions and social competence. To assess the emotion comprehension we used an adapted Russian version of the “Test of Emotion Comprehension” [45], which requires the child to determine how a character is feeling or thinking in each of 13 scenarios. In the final scenario, the child must choose a strategy for managing emotions.

To assess social competence, we employed the Russian version of the  “Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation” (SCBE-30) questionnaire for educators. This instrument comprises three subscales: anxiety-withdrawl, anger-aggression, and social competence. Each subscale includes 10 items that reflect the emotional and behavioral traits of children.

To measure EF, the NEPSY-II subtests [35] adapted for the Russian-speaking sample were used [7]. To assess visual working memory, the "Memory for Designs" subtest was used, in which it is necessary to remember pictures and their location in a limited time and the presence of distractors. Auditory-verbal working memory was assessed using the "Sentence Repetition" subtest for repeating sentences that gradually become more complex lexically and grammatically. To assess the speed of information processing and cognitive inhibitory control, the "Naming and Inhibition" subtest was applied, in which it is necessary to name the presented stimuli in accordance with the specified rules. To assess physical inhibitory control, the "Statue" subtest was used, where the child needs to stand still with his eyes closed under distracting stimuli. To assess cognitive flexibility, the "The Dimensional Change Card Sort" test was used to sort cards according to a variable criterion [52].

 

Experimental groups

The study involved one control group and two experimental groups: Research project and Creative project. Two projects were developed in the research project group: one on space and one on electricity. In the initial sessions, specially trained researchers immersed the children in a problematic situation related to the topics of space and electricity. This involved presenting them with a task that needed to be solved. Discussions were then organized, and the most interesting aspect of the problematic situation for the children was identified. This was formulated as a research question, such as "What do we need to know to fly to Mars?" or "How does light comes to our houses?". In subsequent sessions, the researchers helped the preschoolers to find answers to sub-questions related to the main research question. They also helped them determine how to organize the information they had found, create a final product, and understand the role of the information they received and their attitude towards it. However, the children were the main drivers of the initiative, while the researchers assisted them more with operational and technical matters. At the conclusion of each of the two research projects, the participants showcased their creations to two kindergarten groups. As part of the space exploration project, the team produced a wall-paper with information about Mars in the background (Figure 1). Each child selected and framed their own unique question on the wall-paper, such as how long a Martian year lasts or what the temperature is like on the planet. Through the electricity project, preschoolers collaborated on an encyclopedia book about electricity (Figure 2). Every child designed their own chapter of the book, answering a specific question with text and  illustrations.

Within the framework of the Creative project, two projects were also completed: a universe mock-up and a performance based on children’s own idea. To begin, the participants created a problematic situation in which the children found a task that interested them and identified a creative solution. Following this, each child proposed an idea for their sketch, but only one was selected for implementation through voting. This process put the participants in a situation where it was important not only to be able to expres their opinions but also to compare them with the ideas of others, identify advantages and disadvantages, and experience the feelings associated with choosing other people's ideas.Then, the actual implementation of the creative concept took place, including the selection of materials, assignment of tasks, material manipulation, and so forth. Experimetators, as well as within the framework of the Research project, played the role of assistants. In particular, they assisted with operational and technical aspects of the project. At the conclusion of the project, the results were presented to two kindergarten groups. The preschoolers demonstrated a mock-up of the cosmos (see Figure 3), accompanied by explanations. They also performed a play called "Puppy Patrol and the Princesses", in which Puppy Patrol rescued the princesses from a villain.

 

Results

Descriptive statistics

The experimental groups were balanced in terms of the number of participants with low and high EF levels, based on the results of the cluster analysis (K-means clustering). The proportional distribution of participants with high and low EF levels within groups remained the same for the post-test period. There were no significant differences between the groups in any of the assessed indicators during the pre-test period (ANOVA, p > 0.05), as shown in Table 1. Data on the mean and standard deviation is presented in Table 2.

Gender differences were found on the pre-test for anger-aggression (ANOVA, F(1) = 6.98, p = 0.011) and social competence (ANOVA, F(1) = 6.82, p = 0.012). The girls showed higher levels of social competence, as well as levels  of anger-aggression. All experimental groups were equalized by sex composition (χ2(2) =4.27, p= 0.118), and the sex factor was also taken into account and controlled in further analysis.

Table 1.

Distribution of children with low and high levels of executive functions (EF) in the experimental and control groups for the period of pre- and post-test

 

Study group	EF level		Number of children
	High	Low
Research project	13 (8 males)	8 (6 males)	21
Creative project	12 (4males)	9 (5 males)	21
Control group	23 (11 males)	17 (6 males)	40
Total	48	34	82
χ2 (2) = 0.133, р = 0.936

 

 

Table 2.

Descriptive statistics on the assessd parameters for the experimental and control groups for the pre-test period

Parameter of social-emotional development	Study group	Mean	Standerd deviation	Minimum	Maximum	ANOVA
Emotion comprehension	Research project	4.7	1.45	2	7	F(2)=0.65, p = 0.526
	Creative project	5.19	1.75	2	8
	Control group	4.69	1.47	1	7
Anxiety-withdrawl	Research project	15.4	5.19	10	28	F(2)=1.44, p = 0.252
	Creative project	17.8	7.8	10	35
	Control group	14.4	4.24	9	24
Anger-agression	Research project	18	6.58	10	34	F(4)=0.899, p = 0.415
	Creative project	21.2	9.86	11	49
	Control group	17.7	7.17	10	35
Social competence	Research project	42.3	10.3	24	57	F(4)=0.064, p = 0.938
	Creative project	41.9	11.5	23	60
	Control group	41.1	9.96	21	56

 

Analysis of the effectiveness of research and creative project activities

To assess the efficacy of the training sessions, a variance analysis  on the differential changes between pre- and post-tests (comparison of gains) and a repeated measures variance analysis were conducted. Significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of the anxiety-withdrawal (ANOVA with repeated measures F(2) = 4.36, p = 0.018 for the interaction between time and group, ANOVA F (2) = 4.74, p = 0.012, η2 = 0.143). Within the context of the creative project, preschool children demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in this parameters compared to the control group (Post Hoc-test for ANOVA, t = 3.01, p < 0.011, see Figure 4). No intra-group differences were observed in pre- and post-test scores (Post Hoc-test for RM-ANOVA p > 0.05), although significant differences were identified for the interaction between group factors and level of EF (ANOVA F (2) = 2.44, p=0.046, η2=0.184). Children with low EF in Creative project showed a more significant reduction in anxiety-withdrawal compared to children from the control group at the trend level (Post Hoc-test for ANOVA t = 2.94, p < 0.054, see Figure 5).

Significant differences were found between the groups for the anger-aggression  (ANOVA with repeated measurements F(2)=7.47, p = 0.001 for the interaction of time and group factors, ANOVA F(2)=5.65, p = 0.006, η² =0.165). In the control group, preschoolers significantly increased scores on this parameter for the post-test (Post Hoc-test, t = -3.68, pTukey = 0.007), while in both project groups this parameter remained at the same level (Post Hoc-test for RM-ANOVA, pTukey > 0.05, see Figure 6). The change in anger-agression in the Research project significantly differed from the change in the control group (Post Hoc test for ANOVA, t = -3.3, pTukey = 0.005). Differences were also found at the trend level for the interaction of time, group, and EF level factors (ANOVA with repeated measurements F(2)=2.59, p = 0.065). As well as differences in the level of tendency between groups for children with different levels of EF (ANOVA F (2) = 2.59, p = 0.085). Children with a high level of self-regulation in both Research (Post Hoc-test for ANOVA, t = -3.759, pTukey = 0.005) and Creative projects (Post Hoc-test for ANOVA, t = -3.286, pTukey = 0.021) significantly differ from the control group in terms of changes in the anger-aggression from pre-test to post-test (Figure 7).

No significant differences were found between the groups for social competence and emotion comprehension.

 

Discussion and Conclusion

The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of two types of project activities (research and creative) on the social-emotional development of preschool children, including children with different levels of self-regulation. The results showed that preschoolers who participated in the Creative project showed a significantly greater reduction in anxiety and withdrawal than children from the control group. At the same time, creative project proved to be the most effective to reduce anxiety for preschoolers with low EF. Anxiety, as a state of emotional unease associated with the anticipation of trouble, is reduced in the context of project-based activities, which are characterized by the development of prosocial attitudes in a child's personality through their support in a space for child expression, providing children with ways to manage their own actions [22]. In project activities, the child feels that his ideas are approved and accepted, and actions are supported. A special role here belongs to creative projects, in which the child acts through symbolic tools. Symbolic tools, on the one hand, contribute to the working out emotions and stress relief [48]. In creative projects the development of symbolic tools of controlling one's own affective sphere can take place [16]. The child learns a cultural way of expressing or overcoming anxiety. On the other hand, the use of symbols is especially important for children with low self-regulation, since the emotional "charge" of symbols facilitates the perception of task conditions and makes it easier to control their behavior [12, 52]. Therefore, creative project can become a place where a child with a low level of self-regulation finds himself in a situation of academic and social success, which can reduce the level of anxiety [41]. The results obtained partially confirm our first hypothesis and are fully consistent with the second one, that the social-emotional development of children with a low level of EF will be more effective when participating in creative project than in research project.

It was also found that preschoolers who participated in the Research project showed a significantly greater decrease in aggression than children from the control group, and the scores of children in Creative project did not change. At the same time, children from the control group who did not participate in project activities showed a significant increase in aggression. This feature at the trend level is also typical for children with high EF levels: children from the control group became more aggressive by the post-test than children who attended classes. Aggression as a purposeful destructive behavior that contradicts generally accepted social norms can be for preschool children a way to realize their own rights, opinions, and a way of self-defense[4]. This is the simplest and most biologically natural action that they can afford, due to the fact that they are just learning more advanced interpersonal skills [5]. However, the manifestation of aggression can be kept within the framework of socially acceptable behavior, for example, through verbal expression [2]. In project activities, and especially in research projects, the child learns to interact with others in socially positive ways. In a research project, more than in a creative one, the child uses signs as tools, in particular, words and the simplest schemes such as "for – against" type. Therefore, in research project a preschooler learns to conduct a discussion, defend his opinion while respecting the opinions of others, objectively assess the advantages and disadvantages of his work and someone else's [9]. Thus, preschoolers learn to express anger, irritation and agression in an environmentally friendly way [14]. In fact, in research project, a child can overcome the egocentrism of thinking inherent in preschool age and treat someone else's position with greater respect and understanding, as well as less resentment and aggression. These features explain the effectiveness of research project to reduce the level of aggression in children. It is important to emphasize that children who did not attend project activities began to show greater aggression in the kindergarten group, especially for children with high self-regulation. This feature may be due to the lack of acceptable ways for children to express aggression, as well as fatigue by the end of the year in kindergarten. Despite the fact that preschoolers with a high level of self-regulation are better able to control their behavior and are less prone to expressing anger and aggression [43], restraining impulsive reactions and aggressiveness leads to an accumulation of tension [14]. It should also be noted that the study used questionnaires for educators. Educators are more likely to expect more socially approved behavior from preschoolers with a high levele of self-regulation. In this case, the assessment of behavior by educators could be subject to the effect of contrast and expectation: if the child had previously behaved socially approvingly, negative changes would seem more significant to others than if the child was disobedient.

In this study, the effectiveness of project activities in reducing anxiety and aggressiveness as components of the social-emotional sphere was shown. However, there were no significant changes in social competence and understanding of emotions. Despite the fact that some studies suggest the possibility of developing sepecific social skills through project activities [30, 31, 49], it is likely that the development of systematic, complex indicators of a child's social and emotional shere requires a longer period of engagement in situations that promote cooperation and shared ideas for a qualitative transformation in communication and emotional understanding. In the short term, more focused methods and activities aimed at developing specific social and emotional abilities, such as sharing, respecting others, following rules, and recognizing and identifying the emotions of others, may be more promising [37].

Finally, gender differences were found in terms of social competence and anger—aggression, which persisted after the classes. It was found that girls had a higher level of social competence, while boys demonstrated higher values in terms of anger—aggression. The revealed sex differences are consistent with the data obtained in previous studies: differences in the characteristics of the social-emotional sphere can be identified already at preschool age [29] and may be associated with differences in the upbringing and playing preferences of boys and girls of preschool age [51].

Despite the relatively long duration of project classes in groups (classes lasted 11 weeks), it can be said that this intervention was non-systemic in nature. This is the main limitation of the study. It is assumed that the project-based learning should be fully integrated into the structure of the kindergarten group's life and involve not only children, but also the educator, as well as parents [8]. However, in this study, the organizers of the project activities were third-party specialists. A relatively small sample is also a limitation of the study, which complicates the assessment of the effectiveness of project classes for the social-emotional development of preschool children. However, complementary statistical methods were used in the data analysis to increase the reliability of the conclusions.

This work was aimed at comparing the effectiveness of two types of project activities, particularly research and creative, for the social-emotional development in preschoolers. It has been shown that creative projects are more effective in reducing social anxiety. At the same time, creative projects play a special role for children with low self-regulation due to the prevalence of symbolic tools in such projects. Using symbolic tools contributes to the successful inclusion of such children in a peer group and reduces anxiety. Research projects have proved effective in reducing aggressive behavior in preschoolers. By carrying out research projects, preschoolers master sign as tools to control their own psyche and learn to respect other’s opinions and express their position in an environmentally friendly way. We emphasize that children who did not attend classes showed an increase in anxiety and aggression. This indicates the importance of including preschoolers in activities where they can express their personality and create a socially significant result. The results obtained in this study expand the understanding of the application of project activities for the social-emotional development of preschool children, including those with different levels of EF in kindergarten. Namely, the results revealed the specifics of the influence of different types of projects on the components of social and emotional development. The results obtained can be used by teachers and psychologists in kindergartens to determine the most effective individual development trajectories for preschoolers, as well as to reduce the level of anxiety and aggressiveness in the group.

Sobre autores

Valeriya Plotnikova

Federal Science Center for Psychological and Interdisciplinary Research; Lomonosov Moscow State University

Autor responsável pela correspondência
Email: ler.shinelis@yandex.ru
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1092-3290
Código SPIN: 1062-7290
Scopus Author ID: 58134634700
Researcher ID: IWE-4026-2023

Research Assistant, Laboratory of Childhood Psychology and Digital Socialization; Student of the Chair of Psychology

Rússia, 9, bld. 4 Mokhovaya St., Moscow 125009; 1 Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991

Alexander Veraksa

Lomonosov Moscow State University; Federal Science Center for Psychological and Interdisciplinary Research

Email: veraksa@yandex.ru
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7187-6080
Código SPIN: 9953-2754
Scopus Author ID: 15770369700
Researcher ID: H-9298-2012

Dr.Sci. (Psychol.), Head of the Chair of Psychology of Education and Pedagogy; Неad of the Laboratory of Childhood Psychology and Digital Socialization

Rússia, 1 Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991; 9, bld. 4 Mokhovaya St., Moscow 125009

Nikolai Veraksa

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: neveraksa@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3752-7319
Código SPIN: 9770-0787
Scopus Author ID: 43061607700
Researcher ID: U-2976-2017

Dr.Sci. (Psychol.), Professor of the Chair of Psychology of Education and Pedagogy

Rússia, 1 Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991

Nataliya Nikolaeva

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: nikolaeva.n.s@bk.ru
ORCID ID: 0009-0004-6636-8737

Student of the Chair of Psychology of Education and Pedagogy

Rússia, 1 Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991

Bibliografia

Arquivos suplementares