Browsing by Subject "varhaiskasvatus"

This study examines the learning of children aged 0-6 from the perspective of parents. The aim of the study was to explore parents' views on their child's learning and how they perceive their own role in supporting learning. In terms of learning, I focused on parents' views on the importance of different skills. Promoting the learning of preschool-age children typically falls under the responsibility of parents and early childhood education, so the study also surveyed parents' thoughts on the role of early childhood education in their child's learning. Parents' perspectives on learning have been limitedly studied in recent years. However, parents play a significant role as supporters of their child's learning, and early childhood is an important stage for learning. During early childhood, comprehensive development and learning occur rapidly, laying the foundation for future learning pathways. The study was conducted as quantitative research. The data for the study was collected through an online survey in February 2023 via the Norstat research company's consumer panel. The respondents were 410 parents of 0-6-year-old children. The data analysis is descriptive, and the methods used include percentage distributions as descriptive measures. The research is part of a broader customer understanding project by Sanoma Pro. A key finding is that parents consider their child's learning to be highly important and perceived their own role as strong supporters of learning. Supporting learning is seen as a clear part of parents' parenting responsibility. The results show that parents engaged with their children in learning various skills extensively. Socio-emotional skills are perceived as the most important skills regardless of the child's age. Although parents feel responsible for their child's learning, they also recognize the important role of early childhood education. However, the current resource challenges in early childhood education raise concerns among parents that may have impact on a child's learning and well-being, posing new challenges and pressures for parents.

The aim of this study was to research the prosocial behavior of children from three to four years old during their playtime at daycare. This subject has links with some current questions concerning the early education. The theoretical background is based on the theories of moral development and play. The earlier research has given different views on young childrens capability to behave prosocially. The latest studies have shown that some forms of prosocial behavior are possible for children during their first year of life. The purpose of this study is to research the forms of childrens prosocial behavior and to find out the most frequent form. The connections between the prosocial behavior and different plays are also considered. The qualitative methods were used in this study. The material was collected through ethnographic observation at a daycare center in Espoo. 13 children were participated in the observation. In the addition of ethnographic methods also conversation analysis was used. The data was litterated and analysed by conversation analysis. The ethnographic notebook based on the observation was utilised over the analysis. Four main classes of prosocial behaviour were found out. They are helping, comforting, pleasing and sharing. The new sub class of prosocial behaviour was composed and named as “predicting one’s desires”. Sharing turned out to be the most frequent form of prosocial behaviour among the observated children. Prosocial behaviour was more frequent during home play compared to other playing situations. All the children were capable to behave prosocially at least in some situations. Based on these results is possible to think that children from 3 to 4 years old already have some capacities to perspective taking and empathy. The connection between home play and prosocial behaviour can be explained partially by the nature of home play. At this age home play includes a lot of features of role play. The information concerning childrens prosocial behaviour can be utilised in the early education and specially in positive pedagogy.

Abstract Self-regulation means the ability to control own emotions, behavior and cognitive operations as required by the environment. This research focuses on examining how self-regulation skills of children from 3 to 5 years are supported in the kindergarten. The research question was (1) how is the development of self-regulation skills of children from 3 to 5 years supported in the kindergarten according to kindergarten teachers? The research question had three parts. (1.1) How kindergarten teachers define self-regulation? (1.2) In which ways development of self-regulation is supported in the kindergarten? (1.3) How kindergarten teachers explain these methods? Previous research has shown that child learns self-regulation by interacting with others. Feedback from environment and the way how adult responds to child’s actions have an impact on development of self-regulation. The method of this research was qualitative. The data was collected by using half-structured interview. The data consists of three interviews, which were conducted in three different kindergartens in Vantaa. All three interviewees had kindergarten teacher degree and they all had worked in the field at least five years. The data was analyzed by themes, which were based on research questions and interview questions. The results of this research brought out that the way adult guides and encourages child in the kindergarten activities in the early childhood education were essential. Creating positive atmosphere, presence of an adult, and adult’s own example were seen as important parts of teaching self-regulation skills. It also seemed to be important to use different kind of pictures while guiding child and vary the size of child groups. Kindergarten teachers defined that self-regulation skills include of the way child controls their actions, behaviors and how child concentrates on doing something without the distraction of environment.

My Bachelor's thesis is a qualitative study which aims to identify the early childhood education teacher’s ideas of the self-esteem of 3 – 5 years and the importance of a healthy self-esteem. In addition, the study examines the way in which early childhood education contributes to the healthy self-esteem of children, which may possibly be an obstacle to its development and the influence of the home culture on the development of children's self-esteem. A few previous studies have been found in support of self-esteem in early childhood education. In Finland, the most extensive research on this subject is the thesis of Päivi Koivisto from 2007, "Yksilöllistä huomiota arkisissa tilanteissa”: Developing a Kindergarten culture to strengthen the self-esteem of childrens. The data for my thesis was gathered from three Southern Finnish municipalities in late 2018. The Material was collected by interviewing five qualified early childhood teachers. Interviews were conducted through thematic interviews. The Material is analysed by using the phenomenographic analytical method. The Results show that each interviewee knew the basics of self-esteem, and they taught that supporting a healthy self-esteem is an important task in everyday life. They felt that the development of the healthy self-esteem of children was best supported by a bracing meeting, positive interaction and by highlighting the strengths of the children. The importance of cooperation with parents is important. With that we can support parent’s own self-esteem or parenthood, as well as making visible children's strengths. Although the interviewee felt the importance of supporting a healthy self-esteem, they felt that the demanding of educational work effects so that educators couldn’t daily face the children, because of hurry and exhaustion, so that it would support the development of a healthy self-esteem. Every interviewee experienced a major challenge in the work of incompetent or unprofessional educators who may not have the skill or interest to confront and interact with children in order to support children's self-esteem. Due to the parent’s personal problems, children face with more challenges in the foundations of self-esteem. In the case of these children, the interviewns highlighted routines and the need for safe, reliable, sensitive and supportive adults in the everyday life of early childhood education.

Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää varhaiskasvatuksen opettajien näkemyksiä lasten tunnetaidoista ja miten niitä voidaan edistää 3–5-vuotiailla lapsilla. Tavoitteena oli saada tietoa lasten tunnetaidoista ja siitä, miten varhaiskasvatuksen opettaja voi edistää lasten tunnetaitojen kehitystä. Työn teoreettinen viitekehys koostuu tunteisiin ja tunnetaitoi-hin liittyvistä erilaisista tutkimuksista kuten Köngäs (2018). Hyödynsin tunnetaito-oppaita li-säämään ymmärrystä tunnetaidoista ja keinoista niiden edistämiseksi. Lisäksi käytin Var-haiskasvatussuunnitelman perusteita 2018 tässä tutkimuksessa tuomaan näkökulmaa siitä, miten ne velvoittavat edistämään ja tukemaan lasten tunnetaitoja. Tunnetaitojen, kuten tunteiden nimeämisen, ilmaisun ja säätelyn ongelmat näkyvät yhä enemmän varhaiskasvatusikäisillä lapsilla. Varhaiskasvatuksen opettajan tehtävänä on tu-kea lapsen tunnetaitoja. Tunnetaitoihin tulisi perehtyä jotta voisi alkaa edistämään niiden kehitystä tavoitteellisesti. Tutkimusta toteutettiin laadullisena tutkimuksena. Aineistoa hankittiin haastattelemalla kol-mea varhaiskasvatuksen opettajaa helsinkiläisistä päiväkodeista. Aineisto analysoitiin sisäl-lönanalyysin avulla. Tämän aineiston valossa näyttää siltä, että tunnetaitoja voidaan tukea varhaiskasvatukses-sa. Varhaiskasvatuksen opettaja voi vaikuttaa siihen olemalla sensitiivinen ja pyrkimällä tunnistamaan lasten tunnetaidot ja etsimällä keinoja tukea niitä. Haastattelujen perusteella näyttäisi, että 3–5-vuotiaiden tunnetaitojen kehittyminen on eritasoista, mikä vaikuttaa opet-tajien valitsemiin keinoihin toteuttaa tunnetaitojen opettelua ryhmässä. Haastateltavat toi-voisivat että tunnetaitomateriaaleja olisi enemmän saatavilla ja täydennyskoulutuksia tu-kemaan heidän tunnetaitojen osaamista.

Tämän kandidaatin tutkielman tarkoituksena oli kartoittaa varhaiskasvatuksen opettajien näkemyksiä 4–6-vuotiailla lapsilla esiintyvistä matemaattisen ajattelun haasteista sekä niistä tilanteista, joissa näitä haasteita ilmenee. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa oltiin kiinnostuneita, millaisia erilaisia keinoja varhaiskasvatuksen opettajilla on auttaa lasta näissä haasteissa. Tutkimus on laadullinen tutkimus, joka toteutettiin seuraavan kolmen tutkimuskysymyksen pohjalta: Minkälaisia haasteita 4–6-vuotiaiden lasten matemaattisessa ajattelussa ilmenee? Millaisissa yhteyksissä tai tilanteissa varhaiskasvatuksen opettajat huomaavat nämä haasteet? Millä tavoin varhaiskasvatukset opettajat pyrkivät vastaamaan lasten matemaattisen ajattelun haasteisiin? Tutkimuksen aineisto koostui kolmen, Helsingissä ja Espoossa työskentelevän varhaiskasvatuksen opettajan puolistrukturoidusta teemahaastattelusta. Aineiston analysointimenetelmänä käytettiin teoriaohjaavaa sisällönanalyysiä ja osin aineistolähtöistä sisällönanalyysiä. Sisällönanalyysissä aineistosta saadut tulokset ryhmiteltiin tutkimuskysymyksittäin pienemmistä alaluokista suurempiin pääluokkiin, jotka pohjautuivat pääosin aiemmin esitettyyn teoriaan aiheesta. Tutkimuksen tulosten mukaan varhaiskasvatuksen opettajien havaitsemat lasten matemaattisen ajattelun haasteet olivat keskenään samankaltaisia. Haasteet ilmenivät heikkoutena lukumääräisyyden tajun, laskemisen taitojen ja aritmeettisten perustaitojen osa-alueilla. Lisäksi haasteita esiintyi lasten rakenteellisiin ominaisuuksiin liittyvissä ongelmissa. Opettajien havaitsemat haasteet olivat linjassa tutkimusta ohjaavan teorian kanssa. Haasteita havaittiin pääasiassa opetuksellisissa tilanteissa, eri tehtävätyyppejä tehdessä sekä arkisissa tilanteissa, joissa tarvitaan matemaattisia taitoja. Opettajat esittivät konkretian keinoja, lapsen oppimisen jatkuvaa havainnointia ja lapsen tasoon sopivia tehtäviä tärkeimmiksi keinoiksi tukea lasta matemaattisen ajattelun haasteissa.

The purpose of this thesis is to find out how five to six year old boys' need for support with their gross motor skills is associated with their other skills, such as cognitive and social skills. The scope of the material also allowed to study the associations between gross motor skills and daily functions of early childhood education. I study these other functions in my third research problem; how does the need for support with gross motor skills impact the daily activities of the child in his early childhood education. Based on earlier research, it is known that motor skills have an impact on the development of the child. My assumption was that my research data would support earlier research. The data used in this thesis was part of the University of Helsinki "Orientaation lähteillä" research project material. The data had been collected from 45 day cares, including both kindergartens and childminders in Central Uusimaa and Hämeenlinna. The material had been collected by interviewing and observing the children, and having the teachers evaluate the children's different skills. Background information and information about the learning environment was also collected. This thesis is based on the material's Needs plenty of support with gross motor skills claim, which had been evaluated on a five point scale. The data was delimited to boys aged five to six (N=243). The data was analysed using cross tabulation and correlations from child observations and skills assessments. This thesis is quantitative, and the SPSS software was used to study the associations between gross motor skills and other skills and functions. The results of this thesis show that children who needed support with their gross motor skills, often also needed support with their cognitive and social skills. The need for support with gross motor skills also impacted the child's everyday activities. A child who had a need for support with their gross motor skills played less imaginary games, spent less time in guided outdoor activities, and focused his attention more frequently on non-social targets than other children. The children who needed plenty of support where physically less active and less committed during the kindergarten day. In conclusion, motor development influences many other areas of a child's development, and therefore special attention needs to be paid to promoting motor development in early childhood education.

Tiivistelmä Tavoitteet. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää ja kuvailla, millaisilla keinoilla ADHD-oireista lasta voidaan tukea varhaiskasvatuksessa. Varhaiskasvatuksen tukitoimista ADHD-oireisten lasten osalta on olemassa vain vähän tutkittua tietoa, mutta voidaan olettaa, että tukitoimilla on positiivinen vaikutus lapsen oppimiseen ja kehitykseen. Tutkimuksessa esitellään keinoja ADHD-oireisten lasten hyvinvoinnin tukemiseksi päiväkodissa. Menetelmät. Tutkimus toteutettiin kuvailevana kirjallisuuskatsauksena. Aineisto koostui yhteensä neljästä teoksesta: Peitson ja Närhen Konsultaatiomalli päiväkoteihin - jäsentynyttä tukea levottomille lapsille (2015), Sinkkosen ja Korhosen Pulassa lapsen kanssa (2015), Berggrenin ja Hämäläisen ADHD-käsikirja (2018) sekä Sandbergin ADHD ja oppimisen tuki (2018). Aineiston analyysimenetelmänä käytettiin sisällönanalyysiä. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Aineistossa korostui toiminnan strukturoinnin, päiväkodin toimintaympäristön ja palautteen merkitys ADHD-oireisen lapsen tukemisessa. Toiminnan strukturoinnissa korostuivat selkeät ohjeet ja säännöt sekä rutiinit ja säännöllinen päivärytmi. Toimintaympäristön selkeyttämisen lisäksi erilaiset apuvälineet koettiin tärkeiksi. Myös positiivisen palautteen merkitys korostui kaikissa teoksissa.

Tiivistelmä - Referat - Abstract Objectives. The goal of this thesis was to examine, what are the prerequisites for building be-longing from the point of view of children who need significant support in early childhood education, and what concrete actions are used to build this belonging. This was clarified by interviews with early childhood education professionals. The aim of this research is to produce new information and bring out the "silent knowledge" in the field of early childhood education through the joint speech of the discussants. The frame of reference in this research, is in early childhood education and with children who need significant support, and in building their belonging. The research opens up the concept of inclusion as a central principle guiding ear-ly childhood education. The concept of inclusion is essentially related to the concept of be-longing. With the help of current legislation and studies, the research opens up how to organize the support a child needs in early childhood education. In the theoretical framework, the child's participation, the politics of belonging and the means by which belonging can be built, are discussed. Methods. This thesis was inspired by a project called VAKA-TUVET, that aimed to increase awareness of significant support in early childhood education. The research material was collected with two focus group interviews and one individual interview from nine special teachers of early childhood education. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the interview material. With the help of the analysis, the data was loosely connected to the theoretical framework. Results and conclusions. From the results, it could be concluded that formation of belonging is a changing process, that must be consciously built and constantly evaluated through joint discussions. From the point of view of children in need of significant support, the inclusive culture of the work community was seen as a key. Taking individuality into account and re-moving obstacles is seen as an everyday matter in such a community. In discussions in teams, the importance of belonging to the child must be opened up, and information about the support required must be shared. In these discussions, a plan must be made on how to build belonging in everyday situations. Belonging was seen to be built in everyday life from individual solutions where the needs of all children are taken into account, keeping in mind the overall picture in terms of belonging. The sensitive and multidimensional role of professionals as builders of belonging of the children in need of significant support, and of the entire group, was felt to be essential. In concrete everyday situations, belonging was built with material actions, the pedagogical practices of the group, and the functional actions of professionals, which guided children to connect with others. In the linguistic actions of the professionals, speech that builds community was emphasized, as well as the creation of barrier-free opportunities for communication. The results are largely consistent with previous results, the importance of sensitive professionals who build belonging was highlighted and belonging should be built consciously in everyday life. It was felt that more information is needed about significant support, this information can increase understanding. Based on the data, the joy and absorption of work emerges, which can be experienced at work among children who need significant support. This requires properly sized resources and an operating culture that builds belonging. Diversity and the individual needs of children can be a wealth for the whole group.

Tavoitteet. Nykyisin aikuisen osallistuminen leikkiin tunnustetaan tavoiteltavaksi toiminnaksi, mutta tämä ei valitettavasti näy varhaiskasvatuksen toimintakulttuureissa tai aikuisten leikkiroolien kehittämisessä. Vaikka aihe on ajankohtainen, siitä on niukasti tutkimusta verraten sen keskeisyyteen. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin varhaiskasvatuksen ammattilaisten toimintaa leikin aikana sekä etsittiin niitä tekijöitä, jotka ovat yhteydessä aikuisten leikkiin osallistumiseen tai siitä vetäytymiseen. Menetelmät. Tämä tutkimus toteutettiin kvantitatiivisin menetelmin. Tutkimuksen aineisto hankittiin kyselylomakkeella, joka jaettiin verkossa kolmeen Facebook-ryhmään, jolloin tutkimuksen kohderyhmäksi päätyivät aiheesta kiinnostuneet varhaiskasvatuksen ammattilaiset. Kyselyyn saatiin 156 vastausta, jotka toimivat tutkimuksen aineistona. Aineistoa analysoitiin kvantitatiivisin menetelmin tunnuslukujen, korrelaatiotestin ja varianssianalyysin keinoin. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Tutkimuksessa oli nähtävissä, että varhaiskasvatuksen aikuisilla on monia päällekkäisiä työtehtäviä leikin aikana, mutta useimmiten tutkittavat valvoivat lasten turvallisuutta ja olivat läsnä fyysisesti ja psyykkisesti. Lisäksi tutkittavat osallistuivat leikkiin huomattavasti enemmän kanssaleikkijöinä kuin keskushahmoina, mikä heijastelee leikin kaksinaisluonnetta, jossa pyritään säilyttämään tasapaino leikin vapauden ja lasten aktivoimisen välillä. Leikkiin suhtautuminen, leikkiin osallistumisen merkityksen ymmärtäminen sekä leikistä vetäytymistä aiheuttavat erinäiset tekijät kuten rajalliset resurssit tai työyhteisön puutteelliset käytännöt olivat yhteydessä tutkittavien leikkiin osallistumiseen. Taustatekijöitä tarkastellessa tutkimus osoitti, että koulutuksella oli vaikutusta tutkittavan leikkiin osallistumiseen, kun taasen työkokemuksen määrällä ei yhteyttä löytynyt. Tulos korostaa koulutuksen mahdollisuutta vaikuttaa varhaiskasvatuksen ammattilaisten leikkiin osallistumiseen. Toisaalta tutkimuksessa ilmeni käänteinen yhteys lapsiryhmän ikäjakauman ja tutkittavan leikkiin osallistumisen välille. Mitä vanhempia lapset tutkittavan ryhmässä olivat, sitä vähemmän tutkittavalla oli taipumusta osallistua leikkiin. Tulos heijastelee yleistä käsitystä vanhemmista lapsista kompetentteina leikkijöinä, mikä on huolestuttavaa yhdenvertaisten leikkimahdollisuuksien toteutumisen näkökulmasta, sillä kaikki lapset eivät pääse osallisiksi leikkeihin ilman aikuisen tukea.