Preschool Education Research Articles

The obscured structure of the number in Preschool Education (pre-symbolic stage). Second Part

The obscured structure of the number in Preschool Education (pre-symbolic stage). Second Part

Assessment of the Quality of Education and Care in Selected Polish Preschools During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using the ECERS-E Scale

Objectives of the research: The aim of this project was to investigate the quality of education in Polish preschools during the COVID-19 pandemic in different social environments.
 Research methods: The study uses a pedagogical approach and the ECERS-E scale, used to both define and assess the quality of preschool institutions. The research also involved interviews with teachers.
 A short description of the context of the issue: An important goal of the research is to identify problem areas and areas that constitute resources or strengths of preschool institutions.
 Research findings: A detailed data analysis indicated differences in the quality of education and care offered to children. The preschools under study obtained the highest results for the mathematics subscale and the lowest for the diversity subscale. Importantly, in nearly 25% of them, the quality of science and environment classes was lower than the minimum. A comparative analysis of the locations of preschools revealed that rural institutions achieved lower results than urban institutions, both in the overall quality of everyday life and for all subscales. Despite the social changes taking place in Poland, research shows that the diversification of the educational environment may significantly determine school competences and achievements.
 Conclusions and recommendations: The added value of the project is showing the potential of the ECERS scale and proving that it can be used in the Polish context. This creates an opportunity to conduct comparative research on an international scale.

Перспективные направления дидактических исследований в России

The article presents the findings of the study undertaken as part of the project for the Russian Foundation for Basic Research — Promising Areas of Didactic Research in Russia. The authors discuss social and cultural issues in didactics, such as instability and non-standard living and professional conditions, the dynamism of the professional arena, unexpected intricacy of job responsibilities, and others. The study reveals how the research area has expanded beyond the discovery of common patterns in schooling and higher education to include preschool, postgraduate, corporate, domestic, and senior citizen education, as well as tutoring. It raises new didactic challenges related to the digital transformation of education and describes changes in the methodological regulation of didactic research using V.S. Styopin’s typology of scientific rationality, which encompasses classical, non-classical, and post-nonclassical kinds.
 The authors present a review of didactic research in higher education based on the integration of competency and value-semantic methods that focus on the search and application of perso­nal meanings in both education and subsequent activities. They also discuss the specific features of adult education practices as well as the challenges they pose to didactics, including changes in subjects of education, multi-agency in the educational process, multiple ‘integration points,’ ‘non-cognitive’ types of experience, a shift in the teacher’s position, and the coherence and complexity of didactic theory.

The well-being of teachers favored by emotions, integral human development and the organizational climate

This research seeks to integrate and structure in order of relevance the main elements of emotional development, integral human development, and the organizational climate that favor the well-being of preschool, primary, and secondary education teachers in the state of Zacatecas. The population was made up of all the basic education teaching staff, a total of 17,695 -sector heads, supervisors, Pedagogical Technical Advisors, managers, deputy principals and group teachers -, the instrument was applied from a Google form and 5,593 were received. answers. Factorial analysis was carried out with the principal component extraction method, obtaining a total of 20 components that explain 60.68% of the phenomenon, taking into account the first 8 factors that yield a level of explanation of 50.31% of teacher well-being. The main results highlight and confirm that teacher well-being is related to: 1. Emotional development in the aspects of: self-efficacy 0.74, emotional knowledge 0.72, emotional awareness 0.69 and positive emotions 0.68; 2. Integral human development in the aspects of: building social wellbeing 0.77, social responsibility 0.76, suitable habitat 0.76, common decisions 0.75 and physical exercise 0.74; 3. The organizational climate in the aspects of: camaraderie 0.72, school organization 0.68, trust in the director 0.67 and cooperation 0.65.

Study on the Relationship between the Satisfaction of Cultivation Program and Professional Identity of Preschool Education Normal Students

Study on the Relationship between the Satisfaction of Cultivation Program and Professional Identity of Preschool Education Normal Students

The Pedagogy Pill - An Alternative Approach to Preschool Education

From the very early years of life, a child develops a strong bond with their parents, and crying is the strategy through which a child signals discomfort by non-satisfaction with his grievances. Gradually, the child learns that when they scream, their mother tends to respond promptly to their signal. At such a tender age, the child does not understand the role of rules or the prohibition of acting in accordance with the ideals desired by the parents, making it a period with many challenges for parents and other educational agents (teachers, grandparents, relatives). The discrepancy between the child's desires and those of the parents can lead to tensions between parent and child. Positive parenting comes to the aid of parents who want to understand the mechanisms behind the child's actions and provide optimal solutions to the specific problems of this age.

Wczesne objawy zakłóceń procesu nabywania systemu językowego

The article discusses the prodromal signs of language system acquisition disorders, allowing to start early stimulation of infants. The results of the diagnosis of developmental disorders of a group of infants (n=7) from 2 to 6 months of age are presented to which effective auditory and visual stimulation was applied, are presented. The speech development of two neurotypical children stimulated prenatally by the auditory program applied to the infants is presented. These children received the same stimulation in infancy as the children in the experimental group, in order to test its effectiveness. The dynamic speech development of these children made it possible for them to learn to read early using the simultaneous‑sequential method before starting preschool education. The ability to read had a positive impact on intellectual development.

The transformation of the training of preschool educators in the digital age

Nowadays, the informatization of education, the purpose of which is the use of new information technologies in the global rationalization of intellectual activity, is considered as a mandatory and absolute condition for the creation of a new information society. Therefore, we have singled out the main ways of high-quality professional training of future teachers of preschool education institutions in the modern information society. The professional training of future teachers of preschool education institutions is considered as a multifactorial structure in the modern information society and its tasks and educational components are distinguished. Four stages are distinguished and two methods of integration of professional training of future educators are characterized (horizontal and vertical). The application of the personally oriented, competence-based, integrative, activity approaches discussed in the article will provide, by the requirements of employers, a high level of training of a creative, competitive personality of the future specialist. The main technologies and factors that are effective in the modern information society are highlighted for high-quality professional training of future specialists. The importance of distance education, cloud technologies, and educational blogs is proven and the advantages of using them for the professional training of specialists are shown.

The Application of Developmental Psychology in Preschool Education

Preschool education is the fundamental link of education in China, and implementing good preschool education can lay the foundation for young children's future learning and life. An important law of educational development is to adapt to the laws of students' physical and mental development. In recent years, although China's preschool education has made certain progress, the area of preschool education has gradually expanded, and the number of people receiving preschool education has also increased. However, there are still some drawbacks in the field of preschool education, and the quality and level of preschool education need to be further improved. Therefore, how can we develop preschool education well, Laying the foundation for the comprehensive education has become the focus of this article's research.

EXPERIENCE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE UK

The article examines the experience of organizing a preschool educational environment in the UK. Features of functioning and educational approaches of preschool educational institutions in the country, particularly kindergartens and preschool centers, are considered. It provides an overview of current early childhood education in the UK and emphasizes its importance for developing children under five. The "Fundamental Program of Preschool Education" – a national document that defines the standards, goals, and content of preschool education – was considered, and its fundamental principles were analyzed, such as the child's overall development, learning through play, partnership with parents, and individualization. The article highlights the role of qualified pedagogical workers and teaching methods that contribute to the development of children in preschool educational institutions. Special attention is paid to play and play activities as an essential means of supporting and stimulating children's development. The article examines the interaction between teachers and parents in the process of preschool education and also notes the importance of involving parents in the educational process. It is substantiated that the introduction of the experience of organizing a preschool educational environment in the UK into the educational space in Ukraine can positively affect the development of children, preparation for school, the development of their creative and analytical abilities, as well as increase the status and quality of preschool education in our country.
 The overall informativeness and relevance of the article make it a valuable resource for those interested in preschool education, teachers, parents, and education professionals.

CIVIL COMPETENCE OF A TEACHER IN THE LIGHT OF THE REFORM OF THE PRESCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM

The article is devoted to determining the role and place of civic competence of a preschool teacher in the general system of teacher formation in the light of reforming the preschool education system. It was established that the basis of the new educational policy of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is the prioritization of preschool education as the foundation of an integral system of continuous education. Attention is focused on the fact that, aware of Ukraine's desire to establish itself on the world stage as a European democratic state, educators should understand the direction of internal transformations, in particular in the national education system: the New Ukrainian School is designed to educate a new generation of citizens who have civic values who make responsible decisions and have a sense of responsibility for the fate of Ukraine. The article analyzes the current legislative and regulatory framework for preschool education in the context of civic education, formulates a number of requirements and sets of tasks for the formation of civic competence of the teacher of the New Ukrainian School. It was established that the key industry document in the reform of preschool education, which brings it to a qualitatively new level, in the position of international standards of the quality of education, was the update of the state standard of preschool education (Basic component of preschool education); in particular, the basic principles of its implementation are identical to the principles of a democratic society, including: democracy, the direction of the educational process towards sustainable development and European integration processes in Ukraine, public administration, social partnership, etc. In the course of the study, it was proved that the challenges associated with the formation of a conscious citizen who professes democratic values, with a high sense of self-worth, an active civic position and responsibility, can be solved exclusively by a pedagogical community with a high level of citizenship, and formed civic competences of a teacher is a tool for expanding the opportunities for the development of his personality in the educational field, his promotion in social activities, the possibility of influencing social and state-level processes.

Child: “I don’t Understand – We didn’t Learn that in Kindergarten!”

By the end of 2022, Serbia transformed its preschool education system, transitioning from a traditional approach to a project-based learning approach. However, if this transformation remains limited to preschool education without coordinated changes in learning at lower (and even higher) grades of elementary school in the next 4–8 year cycle, teachers, children, and their parents will be most affected. We believe that the new project-based approach to learning for children will not provide adequate fundamental and systematic knowledge in many scientific fields, including mathematics methodology (e.g., spatial and temporal relationships, arithmetic, number concept, ratios, fractions, geometry…). The consequences will not only be visible in their further education but also in their inadequate preparation to navigate their environment and understand space, time, relationships, and other mathematical concepts. This is what the educators' survey results are talking. The aim of this paper is to highlight possible problems since the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Education have not suggested a linear reform of these education levels.

Possibilities and methods of using distance learning applications in school practice

The article presents the possibilities and methods of using applications supporting distance learning. The issues focus on the main others in addition to ICT in the field of didactics of early childhood and preschool education. Part one is a market overview of the children’s ICT development market. Based on parts of the study, solutions were developed which, in the opinion of experts (taking into account age and developmental possibilities), can mostly be used in the first educational age. The last of the main parts of the article, conclusions and recommendations for teachers in the field of comprehensive use of ICT in the educational process.

Male Educators in Pre-School Education: Recognition or Anxiety?

Introduction. Some parts of the education system, especially the pre-school and primary phases, remain almost exclusively “female” professional niches, and for years this dramatic gender imbalance in the educational workforce worldwide has been considered “natural” and not worthy of research. The situation has begun to change in the last two decades, as more and more researchers internationally have begun to study various aspects of male participation in early childhood education and care. The Russian academic community has been slow to join the debate, and Russian publications on males in Early Childhood Education and Care are next to naught. Materials and Methods. The authors used a diverse pool of primary and secondary information sources, such as official statistics, open source publications (content analysis of the texts of the “Kindergarten Dads” project) and newly collected empirical data (survey of 142 students of the Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology of Education of the Moscow City Pedagogical University (2022 year) and the vision of the Institute’s director, Professor A. I. Savenkov), to explore the following questions: 1) How many male educators work in the pre-school sector and in what capacity? 2) How are male educators represented in public and professional discourses? 3) What strategies have been used to attract more men into the sector and how successful have they been? Results. Despite the limitations of the available statistical data, some general conclusions can be drawn: the proportion of male pre-school educators in Russia has always remained extremely low. A peculiar combination of references to classical masculinity and gender equality in the construction of the image of a male educator. Summarizing the main results of the study, perhaps the most important point to highlight is the complexity and heterogeneity of teacher traineesʼ perceptions of the profession, their future, and male teachers. Discussion and Conclusion. Overall, our statistical analysis suggests that while barriers to more men entering the pre-school teaching profession are still prevalent and continue to create obstacles, they may not be as insurmountable as hypothesised and can be reduced, if not overcome, through targeted educational policies. Our case studies show that to be successful, recruitment and retention strategies need to address a range of common and male-specific barriers. These include changing the social image of pre-school sector as a female domain, improving pay and career prospects for some, if not all, types of jobs in the sector.

Preschool Teacher Development in China: Insights from Japan and South Korea’s Responses to Population Aging

With the declining birth rate and the exacerbation of aging in China, the construction of preschool education teacher programs faces unprecedented challenges. To address these challenges, it is imperative to draw insights from the successful experiences and lessons of Japan and South Korea. Both countries have adopted different strategies in response to their population crises, particularly in the realm of preschool education teacher development. By conducting a comparative analysis of these strategies, the commonalities and differences can be identified. An urgent task is to improve the provision of nursery services for children under three years old, enhance incentives for childbirth, and establish an early warning mechanism for population trends to optimize the allocation of educational resources. Additionally, efforts should focus on enhancing the quality of teachers and expanding employment opportunities to mitigate the impact of the population crisis on the high-quality and balanced development of preschool education teachers.

Анималистические гротески в фольклоре и литературе славянских народов как художественный антидепрессант и релевантный элемент культурной грамотности

Songs with animalistic motifs are widely represented in the traditional culture of Slavic peoples. Songs with bird motifs clearly predominate, as most of them were originally connected with the archaic ritual of the bird wedding. In the course of their centuries of use, their erotic context has been reduced, and their social and didactic motifs have been strengthened. Embodied primarily in the form of grotesques (Czesław Hernas), these songs became an essential element of the cultural literacy (Eric Donald Hirsch) of the people and formed the basis of ethnopedagogy. The playful character and life-like plot collisions played a role of a peculiar psychotherapeutic means, which is confirmed by the reviews of ethnographers, as well as writers, who processed the folklore plots. In the culture of the Slavic peoples of the new time, the songs with bird motifs were most widespread, although the ritual of a bird wedding survived only among the Sorbs from Lusatia. Animalistic grotesques contributed to the socialization of a person, their awareness of themselves within various models of collective identity. This is why such poems and songs are especially relevant in the sphere of modern recreational culture, including in the field of preschool pedagogy.

Research on Spatial Planning Layout of Inclusive Pre-school Education Resources in Chengdu City

With the population gathering in urban centers, the spatial distribution of preschool education resources is becoming increasingly important. Families want their children to receive education at the kindergartens located near their homes. Public kindergartens and inclusive private kindergartens recognized by districts (cities) and counties are important components of the public preschool education system. In 2012, the State Council published the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan for the National Basic Public Service System", which first clarified the concept definition of basic public services, that is, services provided by the government based on social consensus, in line with the level of social and economic development, and aimed at meeting the survival and development needs of all citizens. Therefore, it can be judged that preschool education is an important basic public service. To solve the current problem of unreasonable spatial distribution of preschool education resources, Chengdu has proposed the goal of building a "15-minute preschool education service circle", by rational planning and layout, to increase the coverage and utilization rate of preschool education resources, and meet the needs of families for preschool education. This study, through analyzing the new trends of population mobility in various districts (cities) and counties in Chengdu and the allocation of preschool education resources, found that the coverage rate of inclusive kindergartens in Chengdu has reached more than 85%, and the proportion of children in public kindergartens has basically reached 50%.

Preschool Teachers' Technology Use: Attitudes and Perceptions of Self-Efficacy

This study seeks to determine the perceptions of technology self-efficacy and attitudes toward using technological equipment among preschool teachers. In this investigation, a sequential explanatory mixed method was employed. Participants included 118 teachers from nationwide preschool education organizations affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MoNE). The Use of Technology in Early Childhood Education Questionnaire (Blackwell et al., 2013), the Self-efficacy Scale of Technology Usage in Education [SECTUE] (Doğru, 2017), and the Attitude Scale for the Use of Technological Equipment in Preschool Education [ASUTEP] (Kol, 2012) were utilized as quantitative data collection instruments. The researchers created a semi-structured interview form to collect qualitative data. Most teachers have a favorable view of the use of technology in preschool education and a high level of self-confidence in using technology. The study's quantitative findings indicate that variables such as gender, professional experience, type of organization, school district, education level, and the school's technology policy do not affect preschool teachers' attitudes toward technology and their perceptions of self-efficacy. In contrast, age and education level significantly affect attitudes and self-efficacy, respectively. Additionally, there is no correlation between attitude and self-efficacy. The qualitative data, including the concepts and teachers' thoughts derived from semi-structured interviews, were discussed with the quantitative data. Teachers' willingness to use technology in their classrooms, positive attitudes, and self-efficacy perceptions are indicators that teacher support can be provided in the process of technology integration in preschool education.

FORMATION OF FAMILY VALUES IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

In the article, based on the analysis of scientific literature and the results of pedagogical studies, the problem of the formation of family values in preschool children is updated. It is noted that the main goal of national preschool education is to create favorable conditions for the personal development and creative self-realization of each child, the formation of his life competence, the development of a valuable attitude towards himself, family, people, nature, culture, and the world. It is emphasized that the family, in cooperation with preschool education institutions, has significant opportunities in forming the concept of a meaningful “family image” in preschoolers, the ways of parents’ implementation of the tasks of raising family values in children are presented. It is proven that the formation of family values in preschool children can be effective only if certain pedagogical conditions are observed, which are considered as a system of existing forms, methods, situations or material circumstances that have developed or subjectively created to achieve a specific pedagogical goal.For a more detailed explanation of the problem, the authors present the results of an experimental study conducted on the basis of preschool education institution № 46 «Bzhilka» (Bee) in Poltava. Factors were determined that made it possible to objectively assess the level of formation of family values among preschoolers, to compare the results before and after educational activities, and to draw conclusions as to how successful the formation of family values was in children of the age group. The course and results of the pedagogical experiment are revealed. The effectiveness of the use of the program for the formation of family values in preschool children has been proven.

Effects of college students’ perceptions of Orff Schulwerk on their music learning performances: The mediating effect of music learning interest

Many scholars have focused on the advantages and characteristics of Orff Schulwerk in improving students’ music learning performance; however, the effects of students’ perceptions of Orff Schulwerk on their learning performance remain unexplored. Based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study explored the differences among college students of different grades in terms of Orff Schulwerk perception, music learning interests, and learning performance; the effects of students’ perceptions of Orff Schulwerk on their music learning performances and the mediating effect of music learning interest, with 433 Chinese college students majoring in preschool education as the samples. The results showed that college students of different grades show no significant differences in Orff Schulwerk perception, music learning interests, and learning performance; college students’ perceptions of Orff Schulwerk had a significant positive effect on their music learning performances, and their music learning interest had a partial mediating effect. Supplementing the theoretical literature on Orff Schulwerk, this study fills the gap in literature, extends the application of the TAM to the field of education, and provides a practical reference for colleges and universities to use Orff Schulwerk for provoking college students’ learning interest and improving their performances.