Prepare a 15-minute narrated poster on the following:Compare and contrast two theories of Play in childhood. Critically evaluate these theories in relation to relevant contemporary research studies.The narrated PowerPoint presentation should be 15 minutes in duration. The PowerPoint presentation should include a reference list on a separate slide.Please note that exceeding the narration duration will result in a reduction in grade proportionate to the amount of time exceeded.GuidanceThe poster must include the following three parts:a) Introduction Introduce and define the key concepts Provide a concise overview of what you would be presenting in your poster.b) Main body of the presentation Discuss your two chosen theoretical theories, providing a critical overview of the two, i.e., providing more than a description of the theories but demonstrating your understanding of the theories by critically reflecting on their strengths, limitations and how effectively each theory explains Play in childhood.c) Conclusion You could explain the importance of and the significance of your chosen theories to our overall knowledge and understanding of theories of Play. Your conclusion should address the key concepts referred to in the introduction.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Presentation Title: Comparing and Contrasting Theories of Play in Childhood
Slide 1: Title Slide
– Title: Comparing and Contrasting Theories of Play in Childhood: A Critical Evaluation
– Subtitle: An exploration of Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory and Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory
– Name: [Your Name]
– Date: [Date]
Slide 2: Introduction to Play
– Definition of Play: – Play is an essential activity for children that fosters creativity, social skills, cognitive development, and emotional well-being.
– Key Concepts:- Theories of Play: Frameworks that explain the role and significance of play in child development.
– Importance: Understanding these theories helps educators and parents create environments that support healthy developmental processes.
– Overview of Presentation:- Introduction to Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory.
– Introduction to Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory.
– Critical evaluation of both theories based on contemporary research.
Slide 3: Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
– Overview:- Proposed by Jean Piaget, this theory posits that children learn through active engagement with their environment, progressing through four stages of cognitive development.
– Key Concepts:- Assimilation and Accommodation: How children integrate new information into existing frameworks and adjust those frameworks based on new experiences.
– Stages of Play: – Sensorimotor (0-2 years): Play is exploratory.
– Preoperational (2-7 years): Symbolic play emerges.
– Concrete Operational (7-11 years): Logical reasoning begins; play becomes more structured.
Slide 4: Strengths of Piaget’s Theory
– Strengths:- Emphasizes the active role of the child in learning through play.
– Provides a clear framework for understanding cognitive development stages, which can inform educational practices.
– Supported by extensive observational studies in child development.
Slide 5: Limitations of Piaget’s Theory
– Limitations:- May underrepresent the role of social interaction in play.
– Stages are often seen as rigid; children may demonstrate abilities from multiple stages concurrently.
– Lacks consideration for cultural and contextual factors influencing play.
Slide 6: Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory
– Overview:- Developed by Lev Vygotsky, this theory emphasizes the importance of social interactions and cultural context in cognitive development.
– Key Concepts:- Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): The difference between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance.
– Scaffolding: Support provided by adults or peers to help children achieve tasks within their ZPD.
– Role of Language: Language as a tool for cognitive development and social interaction during play.
Slide 7: Strengths of Vygotsky’s Theory
– Strengths:- Highlights the impact of social contexts and relationships on learning through play.
– Emphasizes collaborative play as a means to develop higher cognitive functions.
– Incorporates cultural tools and symbols, recognizing the diversity in play experiences.
Slide 8: Limitations of Vygotsky’s Theory
– Limitations:- Less focus on individual cognitive processes compared to Piaget’s theory.
– May overemphasize the role of adults in facilitating play, potentially undervaluing children’s autonomy.
– Limited empirical data directly supporting the theory’s application to play.
Slide 9: Contemporary Research Studies
– Piaget’s Theory in Contemporary Research:- Studies indicate that while Piaget’s stages provide a foundational understanding, children often display cognitive abilities earlier than suggested (Lindgren & Johnson, 2019).
– Vygotsky’s Theory in Contemporary Research:- Research supports collaborative play as beneficial for cognitive and language development, emphasizing peer interactions (Hirsch-Pasek et al., 2015).
Slide 10: Comparative Analysis
– Cognitive vs. Social Focus:- Piaget focuses on individual cognitive growth through play, while Vygotsky emphasizes social interactions as crucial for development.
– Application in Education:- Piaget’s insights lead to age-appropriate learning activities, whereas Vygotsky’s perspective supports collaborative learning environments.
Slide 11: Conclusion
– The theories of Piaget and Vygotsky provide valuable frameworks for understanding play in childhood.
– Their strengths highlight different aspects of child development—cognitive growth and social interaction, respectively.
– Understanding these theories informs educational practices and enhances our overall knowledge of child development.
– Future research should aim to integrate both perspectives, recognizing the interplay between cognitive processes and social contexts in play.
Slide 12: References
1. Hirsch-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Berk, L. E., & Singer, D. G. (2015). Playful Learning: How Young Children Learn in a Playful Environment. Oxford University Press.
2. Lindgren, A., & Johnson, C. (2019). Rethinking Piaget’s Stages: Evidence from Recent Research. Child Development Perspectives, 13(1), 42-47.
3. Piaget, J. (1952). The Origins of Intelligence in Children. International Universities Press.
4. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.
Narration Tips:
– Practice your narration to fit each slide within approximately one minute to ensure you stay within the total time limit of 15 minutes.
– Engage your audience by varying your tone and pacing; emphasize key points and encourage reflection on how these theories apply to modern educational practices.
