Browsing by Author "Dumell-Forsskåhl, Johanna"

HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO – HELSINGFORS UNIVERSITET – UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI Tiedekunta – Fakultet – Faculty Laitos – Institution – Department Department of child-centered pedagogy Tekijä – Författare – Author Johanna Dumell-Forsskåhl Työn nimi – Arbetets titel – Title Creativity and creative activities in the day care environment - A study of how creativity and creative activities are experienced by kindergarten teachers in the day care environment Oppiaine – Läroämne – Subject Educational program of kindergarten teacher Työn ohjaaja(t) – Arbetets handledare – Supervisor Jan-Erik Mansikka Vuosi – År – Year 2017 Tiivistelmä – Abstrakt – Abstract The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how the kindergarten teachers experience creativity and creative activities in a day care environment. The focus is on how they define creativity and creative activities and if they think that the children learn by being creative. The theory of the study aims to give an understanding of what creativity and creative activities can be in the day care environment and what the conditions are for the day care activities. The qualitative study was done by interview technique on two groups. One, a group of three kindergarten teachers from a private kindergarten and the other, an interview with two kindergarten teachers from a municipal kindergarten. Both kindergartens located in Swedish-Finland. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. Meaning concentration was used as analyzing method. The results suggest that creativity and creative activities are perceived similarly in both the private and the municipal kindergarten and are supported by literature where creativity is considered inventive and imaginative. The day care environment was perceived as a creative environment that supports creative activities. The day cares’ outdoor environment was also considered to be of great value in terms of greater space for the children to be creative more freely. The kindergarten teachers used various methods to stimulate the children to creativity. The answers from the interviews also showed that the attitude of the kindergarten teachers towards the creative activities has a significant impact on how the activity is expressed in the day care environment