| 1. |
- Alvestad, Torgeir, 1960, et al.
(författare)
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Preschool teachers´ perspectives on planning and documentation in preschool
- 2015
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Ingår i: Early Child Development and Care. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0300-4430 .- 1476-8275. ; 185:3, s. 377-392
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article is based on a research project focusing on Norwegian teachers’ planning and documentation of children’s learning in preschool. Norwegian preschools follow a national curriculum and teachers are obliged to document both professional practice and learning outcomes. The aim of the article is to investigate teachers’ experiences of challenges, problems and dilemmas related to their planning and documentation. Questions asked are: ‘How do teachers plan their work with the children?’, ‘What is the focus in documentation?’, and ‘How do teachers express relationships between planning and documentation?’ Findings reveal that there are specific problems and dilemmas connected to relationships between teachers’ planning, documentation, and reflection on children’s learning in preschool. The results are described in relation to each of the research questions.
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| 2. |
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Barns lärande i ett livslångt perspektiv
- 2011
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Samlingsverk (redaktörskap) (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Barns lärande i ett livslångt perspektiv ger en mångfasetterad bild av forskningen om barns lärande och tillför viktig kunskap för utvecklingen av det förskolepedagogiska fältet. Boken är skriven av ledande nationella och internationella forskare från skilda forskningstraditioner och tar upp hur barn lär sig att förstå innebörder och se saker på nya sätt; relationen mellan lek, lärande och omsorg utifrån barns perspektiv och ett barnperspektiv; estetikens möjligheter i barns lärande samt vikten av att lärande för hållbar utveckling genomsyrar verksamheten i förskolan.
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| 3. |
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Barns tidiga lärande : en tvärsnittsstudie om förskolan som miljö för barns lärande
- 2009
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Samlingsverk (redaktörskap) (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The main aim of preschool is to promote children’s learning, implying that its quality is an important aspect to study. However, despite a long preschool tradition and a preschool system that is nearing completion, we have limited knowledge of the effect of preschool on children’s learning and knowledge formation. The overall aim of the study, Children’s early learning, is to gain knowledge of the characteristics of preschool as a learning environment by studying various preschool environments and the impact they have on children’s knowledge formation/experiences of different aspects of communication, mathematics and interplay. Questions at issue are: How does children’s knowledge formation emerge in relation to specific content areas in different preschool contexts? What quality aspects emerge as important for children’s learning in different preschool contexts according to the teachers and parents? How are these different quality aspects constituted and related to one another? A case study of bilingual children has also been conducted within the project. It is based on the question: What communicative patterns emerge in interplay among young children who have Swedish as their second language? The complexity of preschool, as a learning context, can only be grasped by adopting several research approaches, and examining it from diverse perspectives and dimensions. Therefore, the study is based on two theoretical perspectives: interactionistic theory (Ball, 2006; Bronfenbrenner, 1979, 1986; Bruner, 1996) and variation theory (Marton & Booth, 2000). The study is also based on a pedagogical perspective of quality (Sheridan, 2001, 2009). The study was conducted in Gothenburg. A stratified sample of eight districts was chosen in order to represent diverse geographical areas and living conditions as well as ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Within these districts a random sample of 38 preschools was selected. All the children aged 1 and 2 years (230) in these preschools, plus their parents and teachers (120) participated. The study has a cross-sectional design and is divided into eight different parts and content areas. The data production is both quantitative and qualitative. Given the theoretical framework of the study, there are few methods available to observe young children’s learning and development. Therefore, the development of methods to observe children’s knowledge related to mathematics, communication and interplay may be seen as important results of this study. The results highlight a variation in preschool quality and in the ways the teachers communicate with and approach the children. Three different learning environments of low, good and high quality emerged, showing that children do not have equal opportunities for learning in preschool. The learning environments are: Separating and limiting environments, Child-centred negotiating environments and Challenging learning environments. Teachers and parents see preschool mainly as a democratic and social arena, even though learning of mathematics and literacy are becoming important contents in preschool education. The individual child’s learning and development are primary concerns. Play is emphasised and learning is accepted as long as it is based on the initiative of the child and/or is a by-product of play. According to the teacher’s observations, the children seem to be involved in creative and reciprocal interactions, characterised by joy and interest. The preschool context seems to offer children various positions, which may be described as interactive observational, adaptive and driving. The results indicate that a significant change in knowing/learning occurs between the age of 1 and 3 years with regard to children’s ability to approach and handle different tasks related to mathematics and communication. The results show that this is an important time in children’s learning, and that much depends on the quality of the preschool. These findings should benefit research on early childhood education on both a national and international level.
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| 4. |
- Carioca, V., et al.
(författare)
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ICT in the Early Years: Handbook for Trainers.
- 2005
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The research carried out over the last years, in the areas of different kinds of technology, has shown that they modify and influence the ways we thing, work and, inevitably, the way we learn. The acquisition of a knowledge, skill and understanding of technology is one of the most important aspects of children’s education, since they are getting ready to live in an age of information and multimedia. It this knowledge, skill and understanding is to be successfully acquired in the pre-school this will at first depend on the successful preparation of their pre-school teachers.
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| 5. |
- Garvis, Susanne, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Cultural considerations of ECERS-3 in Sweden: a reflection on adaption
- 2018
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Ingår i: Early Child Development and Care. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0300-4430 .- 1476-8275. ; 188:5, s. 584-593
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Quality in early childhood education is an important topic in many countries. Research suggests that high-quality preschool provides many long-term benefits for young children and society. How to measure early childhood quality however can be problematic. One approach has been the use of the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS), an observational scale of the learning environment created in the United States of America. The scale has been used in over 30 countries and translated into different languages. This article discusses cultural issues in relation to the use of ECERS-3 in Swedish preschools. While many of the indicators are easily transferable, some need cultural consideration. These include understanding the Swedish child perspective as expressed in the preschool curriculum, Swedish preschool design and Swedish pedagogy around interaction and safety issues. The article suggests that an adaptation of the scale is needed to be implemented effectively in the Swedish preschool context.
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| 6. |
- Garvis, Susanne, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Early Childhood Education Pedagogy
- 2018
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Ingår i: Oxford University Press: Oxford Bibliographies in Education.
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many children worldwide spend a significant amount of their first years in life in early childhood education and care. They have the right to an early childhood education pedagogy that gives them a good start in life, acquiring knowledge to master everyday life as well as an unknown future. Contemporary learning means new trajectories of knowledge formation, not at least the digitalization of society. In preschool, preschool leaders and teachers need a pedagogy that enables them to meet children in their widespread ways of learning and from the view of the child and childhood that emerge in a changing world. This article highlights how research in early childhood education pedagogy can lead to new thinking that has consequences for the children and their families, the profession, the preschool, and policy. The research contributes to an understanding of pedagogy as constituted in the relationships and mutual influence of policy, curriculum goals, preschool teachers’ competence, and how conditions are created for children’s play and learning in various early childhood settings. An extensive search of articles and books were conducted to provide this summary on early childhood education pedagogy. The articles/books are organized as four themes highlighting early childhood education pedagogy from different perspectives: Pedagogical Leadership in the field of early childhood education; Preschool Profession and Teaching Based on Pedagogy; Children’s Learning and Development as a Practice of Pedagogy; Pedagogy as a Mirror of Preschool Quality. Overall, the four themes highlight important research within the field of early childhood education pedagogy and provide glimpses of new research ideas and ways of working with children, preschool teachers, families, and policy issues.
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| 7. |
- Garvis, Susanne, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Preschool Teacher Education in Sweden and Australia: The Importance of Reflection for Understanding Context
- 2017
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Ingår i: Service Learning as Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education. - United Kingdom : Springer. - 9783319424309
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increasingly, researchers believe that reflection is a vital process for all professionals to develop competence and understanding of their field (Miller et al., Developing early years practice. David Fulton, London, 2005). It is, therefore, important that early childhood educators are equipped with the capabilities to engage in reflective practice, allowing them to extend their professional knowledge, skills, and competences. The skills for reflective practice are often developed during engagement with practice itself in preschool teacher education. During this time, pre-service teachers have the opportunity to learn the processes to reflect between theory and practice setting them up well for their professional lives. This chapter shares snapshots, from a Swedish and Australian context, about the importance of sustainable service learning in high quality preschools to encourage reflective practice. The chapter specifically focuses on the youngest of children in care (infants and toddlers) and shares key findings related to agency and professional knowledge.
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| 8. |
- Garvis, Susanne, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Quality Improvement and Preschool Teacher Competence in Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: In: S. Garvis & H. Lenz Taguchi (eds). Quality Improvement in Early Childhood Education.. - Cham, Switzerland : Palgrave Macmillan. - 9783030731816 ; , s. 127-143
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this chapter is to investigate some aspects that influence the quality of Swedish preschools via reviewing studies on preschool quality in Sweden. According to the Swedish school law, which entered into force on 1 July 2011, preschool is a separate school form and is part of the educational school system. In recent years, there has been concern that quality in Swedish preschools is declining. Studies have reported on increasing group sizes within preschools, stress among preschool teachers, child stress and a low quality of activities that require adult involvement, interaction and communication with the children in terms of teaching, which affects preschool quality (Sheridan et al., Educational Research, 56, 79–397, 2014; Williams et al., Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 6, 696–711. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2018.1434823, 2018). Furthermore, inequality has increased and children’s rights to a good and equal start in life have deteriorated (Persson & Tallberg Broman, Hög sjukfrånvaro och ökad psykisk ohälsa. Om dilemman i förskollärares uppdrag [High sickness absence and increased mental illness. About the dilemma in preschool teachers’ assignments]. Rapport. Malmö: Avdelningen för kvalitet och myndighet, förskoleförvaltningen, Malmö Stad, 2019). In Sweden, education equality is viewed through the lens of ‘equivalence’. This means that all children should be offered a place in high-quality preschools, and that children from any background can reach their full potential. The chapter will conclude with suggestions for moving forward to enhance preschool quality in Sweden through a deeper understanding of how early childhood education and care can support children’s development and learning outcomes (Siraj et al., Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 13, 49–68, 2019).
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| 9. |
- Gjems, Liv, et al.
(författare)
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Early childhood teacher education: Students’ knowledge and understanding of early literacy at the end of their bachelor education
- 2012
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Ingår i: EARLI, Belgrad.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The term ‘early literacy’ refers to the development of literacy in the years from birth to the age of eight, and focuses on the social context of literacy development. There is ample evidence of the importance of early years to later development. The project we will present in this paper took its start-point in a study of children’s language learning and language mediated learning in kindergarten. The results from this study revealed that the teachers asked a majority of closed questions, and that most children only used language in small degree when they were with teachers. The Framework Plan for the Content and Tasks of Kindergartens (Ministry of Education & Research, 2006) underscores the importance of giving children rich and varied experiences to lay foundations for developing and understanding concepts, talking about experiences and developing a rich language. As a research field early literacy education has had little attention in Norway. International research points to that through language interactions with ECE teachers and adults, children both learn language and acquire knowledge (Wells, 2007). To support children’s early literacy the ECE teachers must have a substantial knowledge base, reflecting an understanding of child language learning and the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to shape learning experiences that are engaging to children and support their use of language (Dickinson & Caswell, 2007; Gjems, 2009; Neuman & Cunningham, 2008; Siraj-Blatchford & Manni, 2008). The research question in this study is: 1.What knowledge and conceptions do ECE teacher students have about early literacy at the end of their education? This study will investigate the understandings and knowledge about early literacy that students develop during the bachelor’s level. At the end of their bachelor’s course a survey including all Norwegian ECE teacher students will be carried out. The aim is to map students’ knowledge and conceptions related to early literacy. The survey will comprise of the three knowledge types; “knowing that”, “knowing how” and “knowing why” (Blömeke, Felbrich, Müller, Kaiser, & Lehmann, 2008). According to Blömke et al. (2008) there has to be a minimum of knowledge of all three areas for there to be a high level of performance. The questions about conceptions and knowledge related to early literacy will be mixed with ones about more general pedagogical subjects. This will enable us to compare conceptions about educational practice in different areas such as play and social competence with conceptions about early literacy. Preliminary results from the survey will be presented at EARLI.
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| 10. |
- Gjems, Liv, et al.
(författare)
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Early literacy in Norwegian and Swedish preschool teacher education
- 2015
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Ingår i: Psychology in Russia: State of the Art. - : Russian Psychological Society. - 2074-6857 .- 2307-2202. ; 8:2, s. 4-17
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since the turn of the century, politicians in the Scandinavian countries have placed great emphasis on early childhood education and care. They have been especially concerned with lifelong learning in the field of language learning, early literacy, and numeracy. Almost all children between the ages of 1 and 6 years attend a preschool, and the quality of the learning environment is of great importance. This article presents a comparative study of student preschool teachers’ conceptions of the knowledge that they claim to have acquired about children’s early literacy throughout their bachelor education in Norway and in Sweden. The aim is to compare responses to a questionnaire administered to the student teachers and to examine the similarities and differences in the content of and goals indicated in the two countries’ national plans for early literacy. This study is based on sociocultural theories and has a multimethod design. First, through a discourse analysis we examined the national plans for preschool teacher education in Norway and Sweden and studied similarities and differences. Second, we sent a questionnaire to all student preschool teachers at all universities and university colleges in Norway and at the University of Gothenburg. The differences between the Norwegian and Swedish education students were most obviously seen in their responses to the questions about how they work with early literacy. The discourse analyses showed that the national education plans for preschool teacher education in the two countries differ in certain instances but share common ground in others.
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