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The meaning of experiential learning in early childhood education: kindergarten teacher’s conceptions

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Abstract(s)

The study presented in this article is part of a broader investigation, which took place from 2007 to 2011, and whose research focus was the praxiological transformation of a kindergarten institution, involving six educators and their groups of 25 children. The transformation carried out over the course of four years has led to the development of an experiential approach that values the action and agency of the child. It used a qualitative methodological approach, focusing on the conceptions of the educators about the type of activities and projects that were developed at the final moment of the investigation. The interviews were semi-structured, based on a script, and were used to assess the conceptions and practices developed at the institution. The data was collected from the interviews and from the field notes and subject to a heuristic analysis to discover the reality underlying the productions collected. From this study emerges that experiential based learning helps kindergarten teacher to reconstruct the image they had about the children. They started to see a competent child, with his choices, self-initiative, action-planning, and how they communicate them, develop them and reflect on their options, gathering the contribution of peers and adults.

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Experiential learning Early childhood education Competent child

Citation

Mesquita,Cristina (2016). The meaning of experiential learning in early childhood education: kindergarten teacher’s conceptions. In Ikimokyklinio ir Priešmokyklinio Ugdymo Pedagogų Rengimo Problematika. Kaunas: Kauno Kolegija. p. 140-149. ISBN 978-9955-27-497-1

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