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Multiple perspectives on superhero play in an early childhood classroom

Galbraith, Jeanne Susanne
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1180468850

Abstract Details

2007, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Educational Theory and Practice.
This dissertation study examines the phenomenon of superhero play in an early childhood classroom. Superhero play is an understudied and sometimes controversial form of play that is sometimes banned or limited in early childhood classrooms (Holland, 2003). The limited studies on superhero play focus on the teachers’ perspectives, often of those who ban or limit it, and on developmental perspectives emphasizing either positive or negative aspects of the play. The purpose of this study is to understand superhero play from multiple perspectives including the perspectives of the people involved, particularly the children and through teachers who support this play, and through theoretical perspectives, including sociocultural and poststructural. This is an ethnographic study focusing on understand superhero play in context through a thorough examination of the school culture, the peer culture interested in superheroes, and the intersections between the school and peer culture. The primary methods are participant observation, with the researcher becoming a member of the school culture and peer culture interested in superheroes, interviews, video recording and revisiting, and document analysis. Findings of the study reveal superhero play to be complex and multifaceted phenomenon. The findings from the school culture and teachers’ perspectives highlight how superheroes and superhero play became part of almost every aspect of the school routines and activities. The teachers’ perspectives on supporting superhero play align with their valuing children’s interests, relationships, and using democratic practices. The findings from peer culture and children’s perspectives are presented through both a group and individual analysis. From the peer culture group, shared connections to superhero play included affiliation and inclusion, leadership, power, and the expression of care. Individual differences in the group included emotional connections, physical expression, and learning language. The intersections between the school culture and peer culture around superhero play occurred as a result of mediation from the teachers. The findings of this study have implications for classroom teachers to understand more about children’s interest in superheroes and how a set of teachers was able to mediate superhero play in the classroom context.
Laurie Katz (Advisor)
313 p.
Education, Early Childhood
Superhero Play; Early Childhood; Peer Culture; School Culture; Multiple Perspsectives; Poststructual; Sociocultural

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Galbraith, J. S. (2007). Multiple perspectives on superhero play in an early childhood classroom [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1180468850

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Galbraith, Jeanne. Multiple perspectives on superhero play in an early childhood classroom. 2007. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1180468850.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Galbraith, Jeanne. "Multiple perspectives on superhero play in an early childhood classroom." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1180468850

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1180468850
36,205
© 2007, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.