Browsing by Author "Nyyssönen, Päivi"

Firstly, the aim of this study was to find out what kind of functions are produced and justified for early childhood education and how this justification comes out, on political documents of the field of the early childhood education. Secondly, the aim of this study was to find out, how professional structure of the early childhood education is argued and justified, as well as, how recommended changes of the professional structure of the early childhood education are argued and justified, on political documents of the field of the early childhood education. The data of this study consists of political documents of the field of the early childhood education. The first document is a report of a working group, and the goal of this document was to produce suggestions for developing the early childhood education. The second one is a national curriculum of the early childhood education. As a research method, I used discursive analysis. I began my analysis by thematising it, and after that I concentrated on it, what kind of meanings the data produced in relation to my research questions. The data produced competing, contradictional and differential meanings. According to this study, the principal function of the early childhood education is to invest for the future of children and for the future of society. The investment function of the early childhood education is related to social targets of the early childhood education, as well as to professional skills of the professionals of the early childhood education. Professional skills of the professionals of the early childhood education were differentiated according to professional job and according to training, and pedagogic know-how and it’s strengthening were emphasized.