2nd call Conference Opatija - Researching Paradigms of Childhood and Education - Croatia (original) (raw)
Related papers
Croatian Journal of Education - Hrvatski časopis za odgoj i obrazovanje, 2018
In ontogenetic development, the child is a unique and specific being. In addition to his/her personal biography, s/he is also defined by general social visions and values. Significant in this regard are Vygotsky's (1996) attempts to confirm the thesis on the close relationship between the cultural and historical context in which children live with someone, between the child and childhood, his/her activities, or the pace and the quality of progress. New social studies of childhood (be they from a historical or social perspective) and the prevailing concept of childhood show that children's lives are shaped by the social and cultural expectations of adults. The image of childhood should not be dismissed as a critical period which represents narrow "windows" of time in which a specific part of the body is most sensitive to the absence of stimuli (deprivation) or the impact of the environment (enriched environment). The paper will examine some of the contradictions and unacceptable tendencies that occur in the interpretation and implementation of a modern paradigm of early and preschool education, and education in the area of educational practice. In particular, the analysis will relate to the position of teachers in the process of children's activities from the perspective of their teaching and development. The evaluation of teachers' specific positioning within dynamic practical areas is a reflection of their current personal and professional competencies, as well as their overall professional habitus.
TEACHING IN THE FIRST THREE GRADES OF PRIMARY SCHOOL IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Summary
2015
Topic of the paper is music teaching in the first three grades of primary school in the Republic of Croatia. In 2006/7 a new syllabus for primary schools entered into force and the previous integrative model of music teaching was abandoned. An open pattern of music teaching became the obligatory pattern according to which the music teaching in primary schools is to be realised. Central activity of the open pattern is listening to music. Within the framework of music teaching in the first three grades of primary school teaching areas of singing, playing an instrument, listening to music as well as elements of musical creativity have been performed while in the fourth grade the teaching areas include singing, listening and introduction to music, performing music, musical literacy, musical games. In Croatian primary schools in the first four grades the annual number of teaching classes in music amounts to 35 i.e. music is taught one teaching class a week. Teaching is performed by a cla...
2017
The presented publication is part of the work on a scientific research project, related to a comparative theoretical analysis of the curricula and course syllabi of the professional and pedagogical training of students – future children teachers at the Vratsa branch and Pleven College of Education, part of the St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Turnovo, and the Aleksinac College for Kindergarten Teachers, Republic of Serbia. The conception of this project, and the publications related to the project activities, concern aspects of comparative pedagogy. The comparison of the professional pedagogical qualifications of the pedagogical specialists allows for a good practice transfer and the enrichment of the curricula of the pedagogical disciplines in terms of content. The subjects of research and comparison in this publication are the curricula and course syllabi of the Pleven College of Education, which is a structural unit of St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Vel...
UNIVERSITY OF WEST HUNGARY BENEDEK ELEK FACULTY OF PEDAGOGY SOPRON, HUNGARY
Interpretation and understanding the first years of human life, early childhood and childhood have undergone paradigmatic changes in the last few years. The latest national and international researches emphasize childhood as a key factor in the course of life of the individual. Developing and educating children is crucial for the progress of a nation and the development of the economy, since only happy, well-balanced, talented children are able to build a prospering and sustainable society. In case the investment in children and families happens in a bright way, the next generation will surely pay it back. Looking at our children from a wide perspective we can say that they are the citizens, workers, parents of tomorrow, the founders of the society of the future and the basis of the development of the economy. Intelligent investment is a kind of key in establishing a happy life, so there is an unlimited chance and extreme responsibility on our shoulders, since early years last forever. It is therefore vitally important that student teachers have very high quality initial teacher education, supported by well-educated and knowledgeable lecturers and pedagogues. It is also important that qualified teachers and other adults working with our youngest children have access to, and opportunities for continual professional development throughout their career. Having highly qualified teachers for young children is vital as the early years are such an important stage of children’s development and pave the way for all future learning. Children’s culture is always dual, that is the cultural environment in which the children live intertwines with the culture that they create around themselves. To understand this dual culture it is fundamental to understand and accept the world created by children and then to comprehend the content communicated by the world of the adults. The research is based upon this approach. 8 On the one hand, we intend to explore and analyse the channels communicating culture for children and the world vision that is depicted through these. On the other hand, we are to investigate how children view the world through this culture and these channels. The major question is whether the children’s culture offered by the society intercept or is in harmony with the children’s world vision. The major problems addressed by the research of the dual nature of children’s culture focus on the cultural environment in which children live and the culture created by children. This international research is an outstandingly rare and a cutting edge international examination facilitating the understanding and acceptance of the world created by children for teachers, parents and for the training professionals. Besides this, the results may also cast light on the adult world communicated by the channels studied. By means of investigating and presenting the world vision constructed by children and the values communicated to children through different channels, this international research will provide educational sciences with loads of new information and data whereas it will also modify and/or complement the content of nursery school teacher and early childhood educator trainings as well as the innovation of early childhood educational facilities. I would like to express my very special thanks to my colleagues, Réka Zsámboki and László Katona for their excellent work and professional assistance during the project. My sincere and heartfelt thanks also go to the participants of this international research.
Journal of Education and Human Development, 2016
Many kindergartens find it difficult to abandon the traditional understanding of children and childhood and that of traditional organisation of educational process. The quality of educational practice in kindergartens usually does not change in spite of the modern orientation of the official curriculum, because it is largely dominated by 'personal concepts' of the teachers employed in the kindergarten. Over the past fifteen years two main approaches to the change in the kindergarten educational practice and curriculum have been observed in the Republic of Croatia. One was initiated by the official educational policy and based on the idea of the creation of an official document which was expected to modernise the kindergarten pedagogical practice and curriculum (the so called 'top-down approach'). This approach has proven to be inefficient since it does not take into consideration the complexities and dynamics of educational practice. The second approach was the 'top-down' approach and its goal was to take into consideration the systematic and other characteristics of educational practice. Qualitative changes in a certain number of kindergartens in various Croatian towns have been implemented through the participatory-action research. This paper presents the basic characteristics of the process of change in the kindergarten educational practice and curriculum with an emphasis on the discussions, i.e. critical reflexions, lead by kindergarten teachers which enable them to better understand the children and the entire educational practice and curriculum. The practice of discussing various viewpoints on educational practice is considered to be the cornerstone of the professional development of kindergarten teachers and an efficient tool for the development of kindergarten educational practice and curriculum.
A prevailing question in the education of future preschool teachers in the Republic of Serbia is the structuring of competencies which they should possess. In that sense, under the auspices of the European Union, currently in progress is the program TEACH, one of Tempus programs which, among other things, deals with the issue of harmonizing the competencies of future preschool teachers in Serbia and Europe. An international consortium of a number of countries is involved in the project and the coordinator of the project is the Preschool Teacher Training College " Mihailo Palov " in Vršac. When it comes to creating and organizing music activities in kindergarten, activities based on music games can be used as one of the possible models in the function of reaching defined competencies. Furthermore, music activities based on their content can have an interdisciplinary function, such as foreign language learning. This paper describes possible content based on the aforementioned model.
Online Submission, 2010
Contemporary scientific cognizance on the development of children and the possibilities of their education has altered the image of the child to such an extent that the majority of scholars speak of a New Paradigm. This paradigm defines the child as a unique, singular, complete and complex being who realizes his personality through self-construction as a developmental action, and who is a key factor in this process. These cognitions are significantly reflected upon the issues of the cultivation, socialization and education of children in early childhood and of preschool age. With due consideration to the fact that we are dealing with complex multivariable factors, much attention is paid to the role and relevance of the adult as a creator of an encouraging environment in which early childhood is realized. Attention is also paid to institutional childhood and to the educator as a professional, a representative and a key predictor of the quality of educational influences. We consider that each educational action in early childhood and preschool education requires a competent approach based on a high level of professional responsibility. Therefore we are affirmatively determined to the idea of new professionalism as a qualitative breakthrough in the contemporary perception of the profession of an educator in early childhood and preschool education. We strive towards achieving an educational profession as defined as a complex profession that implies reflective thinking, a continuous professional development, autonomy, responsibility, creativity of research and personal judgment. This idea is realized with the creation of a new concept of initial education, a concept that applies a competency approach as a new paradigm in which theoretical and practical dimensions are balanced in the function of achieving a quality educational action. This aim is achieved in the manner of educating educators as critically-minded intellectuals and contemplative, reflective practitioners.