AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SEMI-STRUCTURED BLOCK PLAY VERSUS UNSTRUCTURED BLOCK PLAY IN THE ACQUISITION OF SPECIFIC VISUAL PERCEPTUAL AND PERSONAL-SOCIAL SKILLS AMONG URBAN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of semi-structured block play with free block play in the acquisition of specific visual-perceptual and specific personal-social skills among inner-city preschool children. Two null hypotheses were stated: (1) There is no significant differences between the Experimental Group and the Control Group in their respective pre/post scores on the Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP); (2) there is no significant difference between the Experimental and Control Groups in developmental age pre/post scores as measured by the Personal-Social Subscale of the MEMPHIS Comprehensive Developmental Scales for Children. Five additional sub-hypotheses relevant to the DTVP stated that there would be no significant difference between the Experimental and Control Groups in their receptive test scores on (1.1) Eye-Motor Coordination, (1.2) Figure-Ground Perception, (1.3) Perception of Constancy of Shape, (1.4) Perception of Spatial Relations, and (1.5) Perception of Position in Space. Of the 40 preschool boys and girls who participated in the study, 32 children remained with the study throughout the testing and treatment programs. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance, Two-Way with Repeated Measures on one factor. The .05 level of significance was used. No significant differences between the Experimental and Control Groups were noted on any of the dependent variables when pre/post test scores were compared. Very significant differences, however, were observed within groups of subjects. Interpretations of data suggested that consideration be given to the following factors as having possibly confounding results: (1) Limited validity of the instruments to precisely measure changes in the subjects. (2) Small sample size effects. (3) Limited duration of the experimental period. (4) Soundness of the theory relative to its use with inner-city black children of low-income families. Two basic conclusions resulted from the study: (1) There was no significant difference between the methods of block play, i.e., semi-structured or free play, and the subsequent improvement in the visual perceptual and personal-social skills of preschoolers as assessed by the dependent measures. (2) The current measures available to test inner-city black preschoolers did not appear to be appropriate for this sample. Several major recommendations were proposed. It was recommended that a basic study be conducted in this area to determine whether block play (semi-structured or free play) could result in significant change in visual perceptual and personal-social development among urban low-income black preschoolers or whether such development, if any, is a function of maturation. It was further recommended that future researchers utilize a much more extensive visual perceptual training program, including activities with blocks, which may provide a richer, more complete experience and may prove to be more effective with this sample. Another recommendation was that individual learning styles of children be considered prior to planning instructional programs and that children be trained according to their unique styles of learning. It was further recommended that assessment instruments (preferably three-dimensional tasks) with sufficient precision for measuring the development of visual perceptual and personal-social skills of inner-city black preschoolers be developed and used. Finally, it was recommended that the experimental treatment period be extended considerably for this sample and that the sample size be increased.