Browsing by Author "Ojatalo, Juha"

This Bachelor’s thesis was aimed to find out, what kind of factors in working culture and in food education in Finnish daycare centres are affecting the realization of children’s educational potential in daily eating situation in daycare. Thesis was also aimed to research what factors in interaction makes daily eating situations smooth and pleasant for children. Research questions were: 1) what are the major factors that affect children’s food education in daily eating situations? and 2) in what way does interaction and working culture affect the realization of children’s educational potential in daily eating situations. There was not much prior research on subject in Finland. To apply international research to Finland is complicated, because many factors in eating depend on local culture and the differences in practises between countries are big. Method was literature review. Source material was searched in methods of systematic literature review. What was done in search was written so that this research could be repeated if necessary. Results were written in methods of narrative literature review, by giving out a picture of food education in Finnish daycare in general and of major factors that are affecting the quality of interaction and working culture. Results show that interaction is the major factor in food education. In the quality of interaction important is how the educator gives social and emotional support to the children. In daily eating situations there are many factors that can provoke challenging situations for educators. Challenging situations are connected to self-regulation skills that children are learning. Besides of giving social and emotional support to children it is important to give food education in age-appropriate ways. Children’s knowledge on food is different than adults in quality.