Kalliope Vrinioti & Giannis Thoidis University of Western Macedonia - Greece Pre-and primary school teachers’ views on children’s learning: A critical appraisal of the Greek case EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Introductory note This comparative study of preschool teacher’s and primary school teacher’s perspectives on children’s learning was carried out in the context of the multilateral Comenius project SIGNALS, in which Greece – the University of Western Macedonia – is one of seven partners. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

The main objective of SIGNALS (Strengthening Activity – Oriented Interaction and Growth iN the EArLy Years and TransitionS ) is the development of children’s abilities to participate actively and codecide in preschool and in the first grades of primary school, in close cooperation with teachers, other children and their parents. EECERA 25th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

The Greek SIGNALS project was developed in the first and second grades of primary school ( ). During the stage of initial needs analysis of the project we have investigated the views of the primary school teachers as well as those of the pre-primary school teachers. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

It was decided to ask also the preschool teachers because their views on children’s learning in preschool influence children’s learning before they arrive at the primary school. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Purpose of the study The aim of this study is to compare the views of the Greek primary school teachers with those of preschool teachers on children’s learning in pre- and primary school. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Main hypothesis Given that different pedagogical approaches are implemented in the curricula of preschool and primary education, it was expected that the views of the Greek primary school teachers and those of preschool teachers on children’s learning would be different. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Method The theoretical framework of the study emerged out of social-cultural learning theories whose main analytical concepts are: “actors”, “activity”, “participation” and “social interaction” (Vygotsky 1978; Rogoff 1990, 1993; Lave 1993; Lave & Wenger, 2005) EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Research Instrument This study expands on earlier research of Danish and Swedish colleagues who initially designed and utilized the survey questionnaire in Denmark and Sweden. (Broström, Johansson, Sandberg, & Frokijaer, (2012). To identify teachers’ views about how children learn in pre-and primary school the questionnaire comprised four main questions: EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

The main questions 1) What situations can be characterized as learning? 2) What activities are important for learning? 3) What are the best conditions for children’s learning 4) How do preschool teachers understand participation in relation to children’s learning in preschool and respectively in primary school? Teachers were asked to rate the importance of each of the response options using a 4-point Likert-type scale (1 = most important to 4 = least important) EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Participants (n = 222) EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

The sample is not representative Although the sample is not representative for the entire population of the Greek pre - and primary school teachers, its findings and especially those which confer information concerning the way the respondents understand the importance of children’s active participation in daily educatio- nal process, were helpful to us to respond to the concrete real needs of the teachers. This is the reason why we will focus, in this presentation, more on these findings. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Statistical analysis Descriptive statistics One-way Anova, Kruskal -Wallis chi squared tests, PrincipalComponent analysis Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS (version Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Cronbach’s Alpha:.87 EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning 8 items, M: 2.00, S.D.: 54, a:.70 Pre-school teachers, M: 1.96, S.D. 56, Primary school teachers M: 2.02, S.D.: 53 AaAa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 A1A3A2A4A5A6A8A7 14 (1 = most important to 4 = least important)

What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning Pre-school teachers, Primary school teachers AaAa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 A1 A3A2A4A5A6A8A7 15

What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning Pre-school teachers, Primary school teachers AaAa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 A1 A3A2A4A5A6A8A7 16

What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning Pre-school teachers, Primary school teachers AaAa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 A1 A3A2A4A5A6A8A7 17

What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 AbAb Pre-school teachers Primary school teachers A7 A2 A5 A8 18

What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 AbAb Pre-school teachers Primary school teachers A7 A2 A5 A8 19

Free play Conflicts in everyday life which children try to solve themselves Free play Situations which build on children’s own initiatives Conflicts in everyday life which children try to solve themselves Correlation between factors related to situations in school that can be characterized as learning A5 A7 A5 A8 A7 A8 r = 404** p =.000 r = 405** p =.000 r = 480** p =.000 AcAc EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

How do children learn? Activities that are important for children’s learning 10 items, M: 2.04, S.D.: 43, a:.64 Pre-school teachers, M: 2.02, S.D.: 45 Primary school teachers M: 2.06, S.D.: 41 BaBa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 B1 B2B4 B3B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 21 (1 = most important to 4 = least important)

How do children learn? Activities that are important for children’s learning 10 items, M: 2.04, S.D.: 43, a:.64 Pre-school teachers, M: 2.02, S.D.: 45 Primary school teachers M: 2.06, S.D.: 41 BaBa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 B1 B2B4 B3B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 22

How do children learn? Activities that are important for children’s learning BbBb EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 Pre-school teachers Primary school teachers U = 3750, z= -2.02, p =.043, n 1 = 80, n 2 = 112 t = 3.69, p =.000, df = 175 t = 2.62, p =.010, df = 203 B2B4 B9 23

How do children learn? Activities that are important for children’s learning BbBb EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 Pre-school teachers Primary school teachers U = 3750, z= -2.02, p =.043, n 1 = 80, n 2 = 112 t = 3.69, p =.000, df = 175 t = 2.62, p =.010, df = 203 B2B4 B9 24

See what other children do and say See what adults do and say Self-initiated activities Play with other children The children are allowed to be in peace and quiet The child becomes absorbed in something Correlation between factors related to activities that are important for children’s learning B1 B9 B4 B5 B2 B8 r = 476** p =.000 r = 413** p =.000 r = 496** p =.000 BcBc EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Best conditions for children’s learning 6 items, M: 1.75, S.D.: 52, a:.69 Pre-school teachers, M: 1.77, S.D.: 56 Primary school teachers M: 1.74, S.D.: 48 CaCa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 t = -2.25, p =.026, df= 204 C1C2C6C4C5C3 26 (1 = most important to 4 = least important )

Best conditions for children’s learning 6 items, M: 1.75, S.D.: 52, a:.69 Pre-school teachers, M: 1.77, S.D.: 56 Primary school teachers M: 1.74, S.D.: 48 CaCa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 t = -2.25, p =.026, df= 204 C1C2C6C4C5C3 27

7 items, M: 1.69, S.D.: 51, a:.71 Pre-school teachers, M: 1.70, S.D. 56, Primary school teachers M: 1.68, S.D.: 47 Teachers’ understanding of participation DaDa EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 D2D1D4D3D5D6D7 28 (1 = most important to 4 = least important)

To be a part of a group and enter into activities together To be involved in current activities To be a part of a group and enter into activities together Teachers listen to children and understand their way of thinking Teachers encourage children to make their own decisions Correlation between factors related to the teachers’ understanding of participation D1 D6 D1 D5 D4 D5 r = 415** p =.000 r = 458** p =.000 r = 607** p =.000 DbDb Teachers encourage children to make their own decisions Teachers make up best conditions for children’s independent choices r = 506** p =.000 D7 D6 EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Differences in relation to participation between pre-school and primary school teachers (Items A8, B4, C6, D1) EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Differences in relation to the years of service EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015 < > 20 Kruskal-Wallis, p =.018, x 2 = (2, N = 193) = 8.02 Anova, p =.05 F(2, 185) = 3.04 p=.039 x 2 = (2,N= 199)= 6.51 p=.006 x 2 =(2,N=199)=10.27 p=.042 x 2 =(2,N=208)=6.36 p=.023 x 2 =(2,N=211)=7.51 D6A6D5B7 B4 C1 31

Discussion 1/3  From the comparison of the views of the two groups we found common perceptions of the importance of the role of school and children in the learning process.  In contrast, we found differences between the two groups regarding specific aspects of learning. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Discussion 2/3  For example in contrast with pre-school teaches primary school teachers concentrate on knowledge acquisition.  According to the primary school teachers, children’s own initiatives are rated, in comparison with other factors, as having relatively little influence on learning. These differences can be mainly attributed to the different levels of education and to the differences in the curriculum at these levels. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Discussion 3/3 The critical appraisal of the differences but also of the similarities of the views of both groups was the starting point of the construction of the design and the development of the Greek SIGNALS project, because these views have an impact upon the teaching and learning process in the first and second grade of the primary school and are, hence, factors which facilitate or, on the contrary, impede the development of participation and codecision. EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September

Thank you for your attention EECERA 25 th Conference Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September