Category Archives: Research

Funding for Orientation project

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The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture has decided to grant Orientation project. The sum is 180 000 euro and the funding is for 2014-2016. The funding is for enhancing the positive feedback loop of early childhood physical activity. The evaluation of the funded projects was carried on in cooperation with the Academy of Finland, which allowed an international comparison of scientific competence. The funding is a significant recognition of the work done in the  Orientation project and it enables a more flexible work in the future.  Thank you for the participants in the project, who have made this grant possible.

Nordic Orientation in ECEC?

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The third Nordic ECEC conference “Approaches in Nordic ECEC research: Current research and new perspectives”
was held in Oslo 11-12 November 2013.  Orientation project style of combining research and practical development was described in an invited presentation Day care based on developmental feedback for the staff. The article based on the presentation has just been published at the conference webcite. Futhermore, please check out the proposal for Nordic ECEC comparison in 2015!

 

Education for Sustainable Development in ECEC

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In the Orientation Project Quality Evaluation almost a thousand teams in day care centres and also childminders evaluated the learning environment qualities of their groups. One result was that of the five main categories children’s participation had the lowest mean. However, to be able to have positive effects on their environment children need practice in participating in the development of their everyday environment and relations. Young children should not be burdened with the global environmental problems but the earlier children get experiences of their actions having consequences and getting feedback of the actions the better prepared the children are for producing an shared and sustainable future. An article based on the research results has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability. The reference information is:

Reunamo, J. & Suomela, L. (In print). Education for sustainable development in early childhood education in Finland. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability. 

Children with ADHD

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There were 15 children with AHDHD among the children participating in the Orientation Project observation. It is possible to compare children with ADHD with other children. For example, children with ADHD have problematic relations both with other children and educators. However, the relationships with one other child with good self-regulatory skills facilitated for a balanced and positive interaction. Children with ADHD were as involved in their activities as other children. Their problem is that their involvement tends to be similar in different contexts. Children with ADHD cannot differentiate their involvement as needed. Their “motor” is running all the time at the same speed, making it impossible for them to concentrate or relax. Children with ADHD have difficulties in differentiating between important and less important matters. An article about the research results have been accepted for publication in ADHD Report. The reference information is:

Reunamo, J. & Alijoki, A. (in print). Children with ADHD in Day Care. ADHD Report.

Nordic comparison in 2015?

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At the 3rd ECEC Conference in Oslo 11 and 12 November we had a workshop on implementing Orientation project research tools on the Nordic level. We concentrated on questions:

  • How to get more resources for professional development?•
  • How to empower educators to develop their work?
  • What are the possibilities for a shared comparative research across Nordic
    countries?

The need for a research to find out what really happens in ECEC in Nordic countries was clear to all participants. We are seeking for funding possibilities from the Nordic Council. The Orientation project tools were introduced in a presentation. The slides can be retrieved here (children’s pictures omitted). Thank you for the interest and lets hope we can get good aspirations into concrete actions.

Children’s agentive perception article published

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A new article on children’s agentive perception has just been published. The examples show why it is important to consider not only the equilibrium between accommodation and assimilation, but also the equilibrium between adaptation and agency! The reference information is:

Reunamo, J. & ja Hällström, H. 2013. You do not like the activity arranged by the teacher; What do you do? The European Journal of Social & Behavioral Sciences (EJSBS), 1050-1056.

Orientation project tools applied in Turku

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ToLiVa- project (Physical activity culture in Early Childhood Education) has been granted 50000 euros for applying the tools of Orientation project to the mentoring of physical activity development. The project is directed by Turku University of Applied sciences and the partners include Turku Art Academy, the city of Turku, LiikU ry, Valo ry and others. The project will be applied in the eastern Turku day care centers, with childminders and municipal playgrounds.

Children’s creativity in day care

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In child evaluation one evaluated item was children’s creativity in pretend play. Now our article Children’s Creativity in Day Care has been accepted for publication in Early Child Development and Care. Creativity is not restricted to art or educational processes, rather, it manifests itself most clearly in children peer relations where children create their learning environment in a shared processes.

Reunamo, J., Lee, H-C., Wang, L-C., Ruokonen, I., Nikkola, T. & Malmstrom, S. (In print). Creativity in day care. Early Child Development and Care.