| bottom-link"> | | | | style for a puzzle is the visual. In doing a puzzle of the |
| | | | USA the child will see the overall shape and also how |
| Many companies advertise their products as being | | | | the various states fit together to complete the whole. |
| educational. How much of this terminology is sales | | | | Jigsaw puzzles involve both the global (big picture) and |
| promotion and jargon, and how much is fact? | | | | analytic (details) aspects of learning. Puzzles are also |
| Many companies advertise their products as being | | | | good for the kinesthetic tendencies of learners. |
| educational. How much of this terminology is sales | | | | Kinesthetic learners learn best by practical hands on |
| promotion and jargon, and how much is fact? | | | | activities. For those with a auditory preference in |
| As an educator for many years, I can say with | | | | learning, conversation about the learning and the |
| authority, that there is educational value in all types of | | | | correlations in the puzzle combined with the overall |
| jigsaw puzzles. The skills acquired and practiced in | | | | learning objectives, needs to happen at the same time |
| completing jigsaw puzzles are a foundational part of | | | | as the puzzle is being done. |
| successful learning. Doing jigsaw puzzles develops | | | | However the greatest educational benefit comes |
| several functions of the brain simultaneously as a child | | | | when the jigsaw puzzle is done as part of the overall |
| has fun and also learns. Most notably developed in this | | | | learning objective. A jigsaw puzzle can be used to |
| learning process are the abilities to reason, deduce, | | | | introduce a new subject as well as reinforce learning |
| analyze, sequence, and develop logical thought and | | | | that has already occurred. The educational value |
| problem solving skills. Physically, eye-hand coordination | | | | increases to the extent that the subject of the puzzle |
| and spatial awareness are also required to complete a | | | | is meaningful to the knowledge the child already has. |
| jigsaw puzzle. | | | | To the degree that the child can correlate his prior |
| Putting these benefits aside, I want to look particularly | | | | knowledge with the puzzle experience, the more |
| at the jigsaw puzzles that are labeled | | | | educational value is gained. |
| Educational. These puzzles are designed to | | | | The jigsaw puzzle can also create new learning |
| teach a specific learning objective. Some examples of | | | | experiences. These experiences can then be |
| these might be a jigsaw puzzle map of the world, or | | | | developed in many other ways for an overall learning |
| of the solar system. The manufacturers claim that | | | | experience. For example, in doing a puzzle on |
| such puzzles will teach a child those specific facts. | | | | American Geography, famous landmarks located on |
| What educational value in reality do these types of | | | | the puzzle could then be looked up and researched in |
| puzzles contain? | | | | books or on the Internet. Stories can be read or told |
| Firstly the degree of the educational value of these | | | | about historical events that occurred. The actual size |
| types of puzzles is dependant on how the puzzles are | | | | of an American state could be explored by working |
| used in the learning process. For example, let us | | | | out how long it would take to travel across by car or |
| suppose that the learning objective is to learn about | | | | train. The learning possibilities are endless. |
| the geography of the United States of America, | | | | Some educational puzzles such as Faces and |
| specifically the position of the individual states. You buy | | | | Places’ and The Map of the Solar |
| a puzzle picturing all the states and their position in the | | | | System’ ,produced by the Great American |
| country, and give it to the child to do. Will the child ace | | | | Puzzle Company come accompanied by a guide book |
| a test on the States? Probably not! I’m sure | | | | that can be used to get the maximum educational |
| that some learning will take place, but it will be limited | | | | benefit and value from the jigsaw puzzles. |
| and a few weeks later very little of the learning would | | | | In conclusion, it can be said that all jigsaw puzzles have |
| be retained. To the child the learning process of doing | | | | educational value to some extent. The puzzles that |
| that puzzle would be similar to any jigsaw puzzle that | | | | are advertised as educational’ can be of |
| they do. Their focus on the states and where they fit | | | | great educational value if introduced, not in isolation, but |
| is limited to the process of completing the puzzle. | | | | as part of a specific learning goal that has both |
| In order to maximize the educational value of a jigsaw | | | | relevance and purpose for the child. |
| puzzle, it needs to part of the learning process, but not | | | | Any time spent doing a jigsaw puzzle with your child |
| all of it. | | | | will make it a more meaningful and memorable |
| Children have different styles of learning and an | | | | experience. Don’t just give your child a present |
| advantage of a jigsaw puzzle is that it does involve | | | | of a jigsaw puzzle-instead give your child an |
| using more than one type of learning aptitude in the | | | | educational experience and a memory that will last a |
| process of completing it. The most obvious learning | | | | lifetime. |