Browsing by Author "Oslanus, Janette"

The aim of this Bachelor’s Thesis was to examine the pedagogical contents directed to children in early childhood and pre-primary education of three Finnish cultural-historical museums. The amount of pedagogical activities of museums has increased and I wanted to find out if there is any content to children under school age, and if so, what it includes. I also wanted to examine the learning methods and styles used and their relation to national curriculums of early childhood (2016) and pre-primary education (2014). The objects of the research were National museum of Finland (Helsinki), North-Carelian museum Hilma (Joensuu) and Helsinki City Museum (Helsinki). I collected data with two methods. I studied the information about pedagogical contents that were found in the museums web-pages and I also interviewed museum educators. There were three interviewees, one representing each museum. I organized the information found in the museums web-pages and transcribed the data I got from the interviews. After that I analysed the data using content analysis. I interpreted the data I got by using thematizing and classifying and formed the answers to my research questions. There were a lot of pedagogical contents directed to children in early childhood and pre-primary education to be found in the museums I examined. I divided the pedagogical contents to six categories and they are Exhibitions, Guidances, Workshops, Activity Environments for children, Web materials and Others. The way how children operate and learn was benefited in learning methods and styles used. It means that active functionality and using senses was in the core of learning. I divided the learning methods and styles to six categories and they are Child as active operator, Emphasizing positive athmosphere, Elaborating of contents, Utilizing technology, Drama and Traditional teacher-led teaching. My research shows that national curriculums for early childhood and pre-primary education are well known among museum educators and these documents were used to support the work in museum learning. It is not possible to generalise the results of this research, but the results can be used when forming a picture of museum pedagogy and it’s adequasy to children in early childhood and pre-primary education in the 2010’s.