This study sought to identify and compare the characteristics of the social pedagogic context of cognitive activities in a sample of early education settings in six European countries (England, ...Finland, Greece, Italy, Spain and Sweden). Previous research concerning the social context within which cognitive/learning activities take place has focused on practitioner-child relations; yet, children undertaking these activities spend the majority of their time with peers and away from the presence of practitioners. Data were collected in two early education settings in each of the countries, using as research tools: descriptive narrative contextual information (concerning structure, size, curriculum framework), mapping of interpersonal activity, reflective rating scales (concerning nature of cognitive tasks and support for children's interactions) and practitioner interviews (concerning children's interactions for learning and development). Results identified some variation in frameworks, activity and practice between the partner countries but noted more generally that children are found in distinct pedagogic "worlds" when acting/interacting with practitioners and peers. These pedagogic worlds were separated by size and composition of grouping, activities and communication. The pedagogic worlds also related to task and interpersonal support for learning and development within settings. Interviews with practitioners showed a concern to promote children's social development but a consistent focus on individual children's development (rather than a social focus on all children). Conclusions identify that the distinctive pedagogic "worlds" may be the source of social exclusion (especially among peers) and question how practitioners may more fully integrate/support a socio-constructive basis of cognitive activities into peer-based interactions. (Contains 12 tables and 5 notes.)
This qualitative, exploratory research investigates the type of knowledge, as well as the profile necessary for early education teachers in the perspective of the teachers who work with that segment. ...Using semi-structured interview, 17 participants (10 from private and 7 from state schools) were interviewed at length. Participants emphasize knowledge about children in general and particularly about their developmental phases as fundamental aspects which orientate the quality of the work undertaken. They also consider playing as pedagogical resource as an important learning device. Notwithstanding, underneath to all of this is a working practice that privileges affective relationships as a base from which all pedagogical action should be built up. Concerning the profile, respondents consider the loving of children as fundamental requisites. Such view of early education helps consolidating old stereotypes associated to the profession (eg. female profession, motherhood) which disturb the professional development of the segment.
Family-centered early education is essential to the development of infants and young children. In this research, questionnaire surveys and interviews were used to investigate the current situation of ...family-centered early education (aged 0-3) in urban areas of Chongqing, and chi-square analysis was used to analyze the differences in the development of family-centered early education in cities and towns. The survey found that most parents' awareness of family-centered early education has a tendency to be superficial, the content of family-centered early education is not effective enough and the implementation is not good; the ways of family-centered early education are single and lack scientificity, and their subjective awareness of education responsibility is unclear. And this survey puts forward the popularization of early education knowledge to cultivate a scientific value of child rearing; rational arrangement of family-centered early education content, and provision of appropriate space for children; reshaping family affinity, and being good at positive discipline improvement strategies.
La estimulación del lenguaje, y específicamente del vocabulario en las edades previas a la adquisición del proceso lector, permite generar mejores y más significativas posibilidades de aprendizaje de ...la lectura inicial. El vocabulario además se correlaciona con buenos niveles de comprensión lectora. Desde la perspectiva de justicia social, acompañar a niños y niñas en el desarrollo del vocabulario, permitirá acortar brechas en el desempeño lingüístico entre niños que presentan niveles heterogéneos de desarrollo de lenguaje. Con ello, tendrían mejores posibilidades de éxito en el aprendizaje de la lectura desde los primeros años de su escolaridad. Este estudio tiene el propósito de evaluar el vocabulario receptivo en niños y niñas que pertenecen al segundo nivel de transición (kínder) de escuelas municipales de la comunidad de Talca, Chile. Se concluye que un 37.5% de los participantes del estudio presenta retraso del vocabulario receptivo, sin haberse encontrado diferencias significativas en los puntajes alcanzados por niñas y niños. La implicación de estos resultados se discute desde el marco entregado por la justicia social.
Gifted pupils differ from their age-mates with respect to development potential, actual competencies, self-regulatory capabilities, and learning styles in one or more domains of competence. The ...question is how to design and develop education that fits and further supports such characteristics and competencies of gifted pupils. Analysis of various types of educational interventions for gifted pupils reflects positive cognitive or intellectual effects and differentiated social comparison or group-related effects on these pupils. Systemic preventive combination of such interventions could make these more effective and sustainable. The systemic design is characterised by three conditional dimensions: differentiation of learning materials and procedures; integration by and use of information and communication technology (ICT) support; and strategies to improve development and learning. The relationships to diagnostic, instructional, managerial, and systemic learning aspects are expressed in guidelines to develop or transform education. The guidelines imply the facilitation of learning arrangements that provide flexible self-regulation for gifted pupils. A three-year pilot in Dutch nursery and primary school was conducted to develop and implement the design in collaboration with teachers. The results constitute prototypes of structured competence domains and supportive software. These support the screening of entry characteristics of all four-year-old pupils and assignment of adequate play and learning processes and activities throughout the school career. Gifted and other pupils are supported to work at their actual achievement or competency levels since their start in nursery school, in self-regulated learning arrangements either in or out of class. Each pupil can choose other pupils to collaborate with in small groups, at self-chosen tasks or activities, while being coached by the teacher. Formative evaluation of the school development process shows that the systemic prevention guidelines seem to improve learning and social progress of gifted pupils, including their self-regulation. Further development and implementation steps are discussed.
Summary
Educational authorities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China introduced an early childhood education voucher system in 2007 with two implicit goals: to turn profit ...kindergartens into non-profit ones and to curtail parental choice. This initiative has caused a great deal of controversy locally and internationally, so the development of the voucher theory and practice in the Chinese context has become an interesting case to study. To investigate public views in Hong Kong on how well this voucher scheme adapts to local needs and to the local context, we collected Internet posts and analysed all the views presented in both Chinese and English virtual communities. Content and statistical analyses were conducted on the search results, and it was found that (1) there is overwhelming support for the voucher system; and (2) there is a range of opposing or supporting opinions and rationales on the two implicit goals. Based on the results, this unique Hong Kong voucher scheme is judged to be a rationally localised development of the voucher theory. The sociocontextual factors that shape the policy-making process are discussed, and the implications of this policy beyond Hong Kong and the field of ECE are also addressed.
The aim of this article is to describe the research made at the Centro de Educación Inicial Simón Rodríguez, on the utilization of didactical techniques to improve the children’s socialization ...process in an ideal environment. Some didactical techniques used in other educational levels were applied in the classrooms of this institution with innovating resources. To collect the data, it was used the participant observation method; to analyze the information, it was used the descriptive record. This research was based on Lev Semionovich Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, because one of the aims of the research was to persuade children to use oral and writing language as a learning and communication mean. Some conclusions drawn were: didactical techniques can be used in teaching process during early education to build knowledge throughout the active participation of children.
El propósito del artículo consiste en describir el trabajo realizado en el Centro de Educación Inicial Nacional Simón Rodríguez, sobre la utilización de técnicas didácticas para facilitar el proceso de socialización de los niños y las niñas en un ambiente relacional óptimo. Para ello, se puso en práctica en el aula de clases algunas técnicas didácticas que son utilizadas en los otros niveles educativos, utilizando recursos innovadores para dicha institución. Se utilizó la observación participante como técnica de recolección de datos y como instrumento para registrar y analizar la información obtenida se usó el registro descriptivo. El estudio se fundamenta en la teoría sociocultural de Lev Semionovich Vygotsky, ya que una de las finalidades que perseguía la investigación al poner en práctica técnicas didácticas en aulas de Educación Inicial, era que los niños y las niñas utilizaran el lenguaje oral y escrito como medio de aprendizaje y comunicación. El estudio arrojó entre sus conclusiones la siguiente: Las técnicas didácticas son herramientas que pueden ser utilizadas en el proceso de enseñanza en el nivel de Educación Inicial para construir conocimientos, a través de la participación activa de los niños y las niñas de este nivel educativo.
Design Thinking with Children Voigt, Christian; Unterfrauner, E.; Aslan, Tamer ...
Proceedings of FabLearn 2019,
03/2019
Conference Proceeding
One of the main challenges in designing learning activities at the intersection of digital fabrication and solving complex problems is creating a motivating context to keep up children's engagement ...with the problem and going through the iterations of design thinking. Based on a four day out-of-school learning workshop with 18 children, we reflected upon ways to boost children's agency. The main question of our research relates to the interdependencies of workshop design and children's ability to steer the co-design of activities and outcomes. We present first evidence gained during the workshop series and suggest a framework for scenario-based, digital fabrication workshops.
Transformações culturais, sociais e econômicas têm gerado o incremento de políticas públicas de atendimento à criança pequena. Nossa discussão sobre essas políticas é simultaneamente histórica ...(examina concepções de cuidado e educação ao longo do tempo) e comparativa (enfoca políticas estabelecidas nos Estados Unidos da América e no Brasil). Nossa análise indica que a atividade de cuidar tem sido desvalorizada no atendimento à primeira infância. Discutimos por que é necessário reconceitualizar o cuidado para que se transforme em fato o direito da criança ao cuidado e à educação e sugerimos ações em nível das políticas públicas, da pesquisa e das práticas.
PDF