Browsing by Subject "leikki"

Early studies have shown that parents in modern society are living their everyday life in the middle of the cultural expectations. Studies also show that children enjoy being in day care, if they have friends there, as well as the opportunity to play and to do something meaningful. Purpose of this study was to bring children's voices heard and to describe the child's everyday experiences. The study was to find out pre-school children's everyday life experiences at home, in family and in day care center. Children live their everyday life at home and in day care centers. This study describes the child's well-being and everyday in the basis of Bronfenbrenner eco-logical theory of education. The data were collected by questionnaire in Hämeenlinna day care centre personnel and its customers in the spring of 2011. For the individual interviews participated 478 children. The data were analyzed by using content analysis and content analysis methods. The study was a qualitative and approach by phenomenographic. The results showed that children want to play both at home and in day care centers. 39 % of the children wanted to spend time with their parents at home and in day care center only 13 % of children wanted to be with adults. Importance of friends in day-care center was emphasized, because 37% of the children mentioned in their responses friends. The study also asked if children are listened by the adults and 63% of the children felt that adults listen them carefully.

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on tutkia erään päiväkodin lasten käsityksiä koskien sukupuolistereotypioita. Aiemmat tutkimukset ovat osoittaneet, että sukupuolistereotyyppinen ajattelu ohjaa lasten mielipiteitä ja käyttäytymistä. Tutkimuskysymyksinä ovat: 1) Millaisia käsityksiä lapsilla on tytöistä ja pojista? 2) Vaikuttaako sukupuoli lasten leikki- ja leluvalintoihin, ja jos vaikuttaa, niin miten? 3) Onko lasten käsityksissä ja käyttäytymisessä huomattavissa sukupuolistereotypioiden mukaista ajattelua? Tutkimus on laadullinen tutkimus ja sen aineisto koostuu lasten haastatteluista ja havainnoinnista. Tutkimukseen osallistui helsinkiläisestä päiväkodista 10 lasta, joista 4 olivat tyttöjä ja loput 6 poikia. Lapset olivat 4–5-vuotiaita. Aineisto kerättiin ensin havainnoimalla lapsia vapaan leikin aikana ja sitten haastattelemalla heitä. Aineisto kerättiin päiväkodissa kuuden päivän aikana vuonna 2019. Aineisto analysoitiin teoriaohjaavalla sisällönanalyysilla. Tutkimuksessa verrataan lasten mielipiteitä ja leikkikäyttäytymistä perinteisiin sukupuolistereotypioihin ja aiempiin tutkimuksiin. Aineistossa hyödynnettiin vahvasti teemoittelua. Teemoittelun avulla aineisto jaettiin kolmeen teemaan, jotka ovat: tyttöjen ja poikien leikit ja lelut, tyttöjen ja poikien ulkonäkö sekä tyttöjen ja poikien värit. Tutkimuksen tuloksiksi saatiin, että tutkittavat lapset osoittivat olevansa tietoisia sukupuolistereotyyppisestä ajattelusta ja useimmat lapset myös vastustivat tällaista ajattelutapaa. Joidenkin lasten mielipiteissä oli kuitenkin huomattavissa sukupuolistereotyyppistä ajattelua. Tällaista olivat esimerkiksi hameiden ja mekkojen luokittelu tyttöjen vaatteeksi ja Legojen luokittelu poikien leluksi. Lasten leikkikäyttäytymisen havainnoinnissa ilmeni sukupuolistereotypioiden mukaisia teemoja. Poikien leikkien kiinnostusten kohteena olivat esimerkiksi pyssyt, Pokémon, Star Wars ja Legot. Tyttöjen leikeissä esiintyi enemmän kotileikin ja hoivan teemoja. Tytöt myös värittivät kuvia tai piirsivät usein. Ryhmän lapset leikkivät selkeästi enemmän samaa sukupuolta olevien lasten kanssa. Lisäksi media vaikutti osaltaan lasten leikkeihin ja niiden sukupuolieroihin. Tutkimuksen johtopäätöksinä todetaan, että tutkimus antaa käsitystä sukupuolisensitiivisen varhaiskasvatuksen merkittävyydestä ja siihen panostamisen tarpeesta. Tutkimus osoittaa sukupuolistereotyyppisen ajattelun yhä osin vaikuttavan lasten mielipiteisiin ja leikkeihin. Tästä johtuen sukupuolistereotyyppien ilmenemistä päiväkodissa pitäisi tarkastella enemmän ja pohtia siihen puuttumisen keinoja.

The subject of this bachelor’s thesis was guiding and supporting play in pre-primary education. The purpose of this study was to find out how the knowledge of the meaning of play from kindergarten teacher education and field work experience is reflected in the actions and conceptions of pre-primary teachers working currently on the field. My research focus on three research questions: 1. What kind of definitions do kindergarten teachers give to the play of pre-primary-aged child? 2. What are the various ways in which a kindergarten teacher can guide and support the child's play in pre-primary education? 3. What kind of perceptions do kindergarten teachers have about the importance of guiding and supporting child's play in pre-primary education? The research was conducted as a qualitative questionnaire study. Altogether eight pre-primary teachers participated in the study, three of them from Espoo and five from Vantaa. The material of this study was collected by electronic e-form and was analysed by thematic analysis. Pre-primary teachers´ conceptions of play emphasized the close relationship with learning. The study proves that defining play is not simple. Responses were short and many teacher used commonly known definitions of play when asked about their own definition. The study shows that pre-primary teachers have a wide range of tools to guide and support children's play. According to responses guiding play mostly happened by affecting indirectly the external conditions of play in pre-primary education. The study points out that guiding and supporting play is considered important also in preprimary education. Surprising is that many teachers thought that guiding play belongs more to small children’s groups than pre-primary students’ groups. The general view is that the preprimary children have relatively good play skills and that they are able to play independently. Participation of adults in the play of children is seen important mainly in problem situations.

Tiivistelmä - Referat – Abstract Tavoitteenani oli saada selville, miten lapsen osallisuus näyttäytyy päiväkodin vapaassa leikissä sisätiloissa. Halusin selvittää asiaa, sillä osallisuus on jäänyt minulle hieman epäselväksi, vaikka on kovin tärkeä asia varhaiskasvatuksessa. Teoriaosuudessa avasin osallisuuteen liittyviä termejä ja asetin ne varhaiskasvatuksen kontekstiin. Tutkimuskysymykseni syntyivät, miettiessäni kuinka tulevassa työssäni voin varmistaa, että lapsi kokee osallisuutta leikissä. Leikin kontekstin valitsin siksi, koska leikki on hyvin tärkeää varhaiskasvatuksessa ja laadukas leikki tukee myös lapsen oppimista. Aiempia tutkimuksia oli vähän, mutta löysin kaksi samaan aikaan tehtyä tutkimusta ja tutkimuksissa oli käsitelty osin samoja asioita. Haluan tuoda tietoa muillekin varhaiskasvatuksessa työskenteleville sekä opiskelijoille osallisuudesta ja varsinkin vapaassa leikissä. Toteutin tutkimukseni teoreettisen pohdinnan avulla. Lähteinä käytin kirjoja ja aiempia tutkimuksia. Teoreettista tietoa löytyi hyvin osallisuudesta ja leikistä, mutta tutkimuksia vähän juuri vapaan leikin kontekstista. Tutkimusmenetelmäni on lähellä integroitua kirjallisuuskatsausta ja lopussa yhdistän teoriasta ja tutkimuksista saadut tiedot yhteen. Tutkimusten ja teoriatiedon pohjalta lapsen osallisuuden havaitsemiseen aikuiselta vaaditaan tarkkaavaisuutta ja tietoa osallisuudesta. Osallisuuden tunnistamisen keskeisimpiä tunnusmerkkejä vapaassa leikissä on lapsen sitoutuneisuuden taso, leikin mielekkyys lapselle, motivaatio leikkiin, keskittyminen leikkiin sekä energioiden nouseminen ruumiillisesti ja henkisesti leikissä. Myös lapsen vaikuttaminen leikkiin sekä neuvottelu leikissä on osallisuudelle ominaisia piirteitä. Kasvattajalla on paljon vaihtoehtoja leikin tukemiseksi. Hän voi ihan alussa ottaa lapset leikkipaikkojen suunnitteluihin mukaan ikätasoa vastaavalla tasolla, jolloin leikkipaikoista tulee juuri sen ryhmän lasten näköiset ja heille sopivat. Aikuinen voi toimia leikissä sivusta tarkkailijana, leikin rikastuttajana, auttaa lapsia pääsemään mukaan leikkiin tai mennä tarvittaessa leikkiin mukaan lasten ehdoilla. Leikin havainnointi ja arviointi on tärkeää.

Aims The aim of the study is to find out what research about play-related exercises supporting learning in litteracy has been made. In addition to the play-related exercises which can be found from the material, I classify them according to the pedagogical division of Helenius (1993), and I look at three play-related exercises in the light of national core curriculum (2014). Methods This Bachelor’s thesis is a descriptive literature review. The research material consisted of ten studies conducted in the 21st century. I used HELKA, ARTO and ERIC databases and Google Scholar search. Mainly I focused on Finnish research, but I also use English-language research. After selecting the material, I focused on play-related exercises which emerged from the material. Conclusions There was surprisingly little recent research on this topic. Furthermore, there seems to be quite a bit of research that evaluates how the play-related exercises support learning in literacy. There were considerably more exercises that were classed as rule play exercises than those classified as creative play exercises. In addition, rule play exercises were mentioned in almost every study, while creative games were mentioned in only about half of the entire material. The play-related exercises supported well the goals which are set in Finnish language and literature learning goals in grades 1-2. However, it is not possible to draw a direct conclusion that all the play-related exercises would support the goals as well.

The aim of this study is power strategies that children use in play situations. In my work as a kindergarten teacher, I noticed that children use power over each other during their interaction with peers. Previous studies have focused on interaction between children, marginalization, bullying and power between adults and chil-dren. These studies have showed that negative use of power in interaction between children can lead to bully-ing, marginalization and can promote inequality. Theoretical frame of reference is based on Michel Foucault’s theory of power. According to him, power is uni-versal and can be represented through social interaction. This study is focused on power strategies. These strategies are totalities of means through which one can influence others attitudes, emotions and action. Crit-ical discourse analysis was used as a method of analysis and the research data consist of video and audio material. The data was collected outside and inside play situations in day care centre. The study involved 10 children from one day care centre in metropolitan area in Finland. Children were two to three year olds and six of them were girls and four were boys. Children used leading, play negotiations and forbidden as power strategies in play. Through leading children shared and stayed in the same play idea, they were committed to play and the play was rich. In play negotia-tions children created common understanding on play and developed the play further. Through play nega-tions the play enriched and got new features. Forbidding as a power strategy diminished children possibilities to influence on play and in the end the play was suffocated. Curriculum of Early Childhood education (2016, 29) says that early childhood educators have the means to indentify factors that limit play and develop factors that promoted play in early childhood education settings. My study offers information on children power strategies. With this information the staff can promote play in day care centers and supports children as they investigate and learn to practice power through play.

Tavoitteet. Leikkipedagogisessa lähestymistavassa aikuiset ja lapset leikkivät yhdessä. Leikkimaailma alkaa tarinasta, jonka jälkeen toteutusta aletaan rakentaa rooleilla, rooliasuilla ja lavasteilla kohti yhteistä seikkailua. Tutkielman tavoitteena oli selvittää millaisia tutkimuksia ja toteutuksia leikkimaailmojen parissa on tehty. Menetelmät. Tutkielman menetelmä oli kuvaileva kirjallisuuskatsaus. Pääteoriana kuvataan Lindqvistin (1995) kehittämää teoriaa leikkimaailma-pedagogiikasta. Tämä perustuu Vygotskyn (1966) kulttuurishistoriallisille käsityksille leikistä. Tutkimuksen aineistona on 16 artikkelia, joissa käsitellään 12 erilaista leikki-interventiota eri näkökulmista. Aineisto analysoitiin teemoittelemalla ja järjestettiin suhteessa tutkimuskysymyksiin ja Lindqvistin (1995) teoriaan. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Leikki ja koulunkäynti ovat perinteisesti melko erillä toisistaan, vaikka lapselle leikki on tärkeä osa kehitystä. Kulttuurishistoriallinen näkökulma näkee kehityksen ja oppimisen muuttuvina merkityksenantoina, ei mitattavissa olevana oppimisena. Leikkimaailmasta saatu tutkimustieto osoittaa, että lapsen osallisuus ja toimijuus korostuvat siinä mitä leikkimaailma edustaa. Leikkimaailmat ovat vaikuttaneet lasten sosioemotionaaliseen kehitykseen, lasten kerronta- ja lukutaidon kehittymiseen sekä luokan parantuneeseen ryhmähenkeen. Erityinen arvo toteutukselle näyttäytyy kuitenkin lasten ja aikuisten sitoutuessa yhteistyössä luotuun leikkimaailmaan tunnetasolla. Leikkimaailman käytännön haasteet tulevat esiin koulun ja opettajan institutionaalisissa velvoitteissa. Opettajan roolin muuttaminen opettajasta leikkikumppaniksi on tärkeä leikkimaailman pedagogisuuden toteutumiselle. Leikkimaailman toteuttaminen voi olla haastavaa myös leikin ja koulun toiminnan välisen ristiriidan takia.

The study examines teacher-child interaction in the early childhood classroom using improvisation as an analytic tool to locate pedagogical moments of spontaneous play and sustained shared thinking. The goal was to contribute to the understanding of the interactional mechanisms that occur when creativity is distributed throughout the group. Research of play interaction is fundamental in the context of early childhood education. More precise theoretical formulations of what happens during the play-based interaction between an adult and children are yet rare. One of the reasons is that play as a research phenomenon is complex and hard to operationalize in a systematic way. This study explains, by the means of in-depth case study findings, how the theoretical concept of improvisation can produce more careful descriptions about the early childhood teaching and the intricacies of teacher-child interaction in play based activity. Data for the narrative case study was collected through observations and video recordings of naturally occurring activities and encounters in a toddler play-based classroom. Data was enriched through video-elicited interviews (stimulated recall) of a single teacher. Research material was transcribed and analysed by the means of critical narrative analysis (CNA). Video recordings were also analysed through observing the involvement of the children (LIS-YC) and the engagement of the adult (AES). Focusing on early childhood education and play from the perspective of adult-child relational interaction, this research puts forward and presents evidence for two claims. First, in the context of early childhood education play should be understood as a professional skill of an adult and as a life-long qualitative dimension of interaction. Second, study findings suggests that improvisation, pedagogical sensitivity and introspective self reflection together could provide a new, more holistic interpretation to educational activities such as play in the viewpoint of adult's pedagogical practise. The results indicate that there is similarities between the logic of improvisation and the characteristics of pedagogical sensitivity. Study findings are consistent with theoretical perspectives that emphasize the active role of the adult in the development of the children's play competence.

Objectives. The objective of this thesis was to examine the perceptions of first and second year teacher students studying early childhood education at the University of Helsinki on the meaning of the role of the adult in play within the context of early childhood education. The expectation of the thesis was to acquire insight into the gradually forming perception and understanding of the students on the role of the playing adult and how this process is influenced by their own personal play experiences, their approach towards the importance of play and their experiences in education and working life. Methods. The methodological approach was based on a phenomenographic method. Essentially a mixed method study in which quantitative and qualitative phases followed one another, these approaches were applied simultaneously during both the acquisition of the research material and the analysis. The research material was collected via an internet survey in which the participants were voluntary students interested in the topic. During the process of answering the research questions, two different sets of data acquired from questionnaires was utilized. The methods of analysis were both qualitative (content analysis based on the research material) and quantitative (cluster and factor analysis). Results and conclusions. Overall the thesis reveals that the students had a positive attitude towards play and the role of the adult within the context of play. While the participants provided little direct criticism towards play or the role of the adult, they acknowledged the challenges when attempting to find a balance between active and passive participation in play. The results concerning the possibilities and challenges in the role of the adult during play also reflect phenomena common in the field. The study shows that when reflecting on their own play experiences that often stemmed from childhood, the participants found meaningful connections to the meaning of play and the role of the playing adult. Teacher education within the context of early childhood education has an integral role in reinforcing the perception of future teachers as regard the significance of play in the development and well-being of children and in supporting the development of the role of the playing adult.

The purpose of this research is to study preschool childrens play as a field of creativity. The emphasis is on creativity, which is outlined from an individual-centered, systemic and developmental perspective. The importance of free play is seen for the purpose of serving its development task. Although the importance of play is generally recognized, the field of education requires a deeper theoretical understanding of how it can be supported more effectively. The study's interpretative framework is social constructivism, which is directed to the linguistic construction of meanings. The point of interest is what meanings are shared in the play, how the play is being constructed, and what kind of field childrens play is for creativity. The material of the study was videoed play of children aged 3-5 years and it was collected in a kindergarten in Vantaa, Finland, in the spring of 2017. The plays were videotaped in the childrens normal play environment, and a few objects were introduced for the purpose of research, and the application of which was part of the research. The analysis was carried out as an analysis of the content of the playspeech. The content and functions of the spoken language were studied, as well as the episodic structure of the play. According to the results, childrens play appeared as a two-level functional and interactive entity, in which the outer "concrete worlds level" was at the service of the inner "imagination worlds level". Smoothness of play was the central aim in action. Creativity appeared as experimenting together in the play, and previously learned and new experiences intertwined in a constructed and ever-reconstructing world of play. The play was mainly based on describing, naming, and expressing new ideas and its structure was episodic. These "building materials" of play were based on personal experiences, and on new ideas available in the play.