RESUMO
Early childhood teachers routinely facilitate play-based learning experiences in their physical classrooms; however, the pivot to virtual teaching platforms created a barrier for providing age appropriate, play-based learning opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are few studies exploring how to promote play in the virtual classroom or what types of activities and learning experiences promote play in synchronous and asynchronous settings. Therefore, this study explored the barriers and challenges to fostering play through virtual teaching and the types of play-based instruction teachers were effectively able to implement in their virtual classroom. This study used content analysis along with descriptive analysis of an online survey with open-ended prompts that early childhood teachers completed (n = 76). Findings revealed two major themes related to challenges and barriers in teachers' efforts to foster play-based learning through virtual formats. Even though teachers noted significant challenges and barriers they identified multiple play-based activities they were able to facilitate effectively through virtual formats. These activities were categorized through the theoretical framework of Piaget's stages of the development of play with the addition of guided play. Implications for how play can be fostered through virtual teaching in early childhood classrooms were discussed.
RESUMO
Food preferences begin in early childhood, and a child's willingness to try (WTT) new vegetables is an important determinant of vegetable intake. Young children living in rural communities are at increased risk for food insecurity, which may limit exposure to and consumption opportunities for vegetables. This manuscript describes the validation of the Farfan-Ramirez WTT (FR-WTT) measure using baseline data from the FRESH study, a gardening intervention for Native American families with preschool-aged children in Osage Nation, Oklahoma. Individually weighed vegetable containers were prepared with six types of vegetables and ranch dip. Researchers presented children (n = 164; M = 4.3 years, SD = 0.8) with these vegetables preceding a snack- or lunch time and recorded the child's FR-WTT for each vegetable using a 5-point scale, ranging from "did not remove food (0)" to "put food in mouth and swallowed (4)". After the presentation period, contents were re-weighed to calculate vegetable consumption. Household parents/guardians completed the Child Food Neophobia Scale (CFNS) for their child. FR-WTT scores were positively correlated with consumption weights of all vegetables (r = 0.7613, p < 0.0001) and each vegetable individually (r = 0.2016-0.7664). The total FR-WTT score was inversely correlated with the CFNS score (r = 0.3268, p < 0.0001). Sensitivity analyses demonstrated similar relationships by BMI, food security, and age. In conclusion, the FR-WTT is a valid method for assessing young children's vegetable eating behavior and intake.