Play As Antecedent Of Academic Emotion And Student Engagement In Araling Panlipunan

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the role of play as an antecedent to academic emotion and student engagement among Grade 3 students at Sampaguita Elementary School in Caloocan City during the 2018-2019 school year. Grounded in Berlyne's (1969) Arousal Modulation Theory, which suggests that play enables children to discover stimulating sources for learning, the study explored how incorporating play in teaching Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) influences academic emotions and engagement.

Addressing a common challenge in Filipino education—engaging students amid internal factors impacting their interest in learning—the study adopted a quasi-experimental design, with pretest and posttest assessments to gauge changes in students’ academic emotions and engagement. Data were collected using standardized tools: Pekrun’s (2011) Class-Related Emotions questionnaire and Niki Wosnak's (2016) Student Engagement Scale.

Results indicated that incorporating play significantly enhanced students’ academic emotions in the subject but did not impact their already high levels of engagement. The study’s findings informed the development of a self-learning kit integrating play to support learning in Araling Panlipunan.