Date of Conferral

8-7-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Grace Lappin

Abstract

The problem addressed in this study was that kindergarten teachers in a Western United States elementary school were challenged by standards that have become heavily focused on teaching academic skills at a younger age, instead of teaching with developmentally appropriate practices that allow for play-based learning (PBL). Framed by Vygotsky’s theory of PBL, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore what challenges local kindergarten teachers had when embedding PBL in a standards-based curriculum. Data were collected through 15 semistructured interviews with Kindergarten teachers who had at least 2 years' experience embedding PBL in instruction. Using thematic analysis with open coding, six themes emerged indicating teachers: (a) believe PBL to be foundational; (b) need greater understanding of PBL alignment with standards; (c) expressed concerns when working with English Language Learners (ELLs); (d) had difficulty incorporating PBL into curriculum; (e) expressed concern conducting assessments due to time limitations; and (f) expressed the need for professional development to support PBL implementation within state standards and instructional frameworks. Findings from this study support and extend the literature about the specific challenges teachers face with PBL in a standards-based curriculum. Positive social change may occur if schools apply the findings to help support teachers with strategies for effectively implementing PBL during instruction in a standards-based curricular environment, which is shown to improve both academic and social skills for the future success of young children.

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