Purpose: Production and utilization of buildings contributes immensely to global carbon dioxide emissions. The construction sector today accounts for over a third of global energy use will increase as the world population increases. According to the EU Directive from 2010, all new buildings in EU member countries as of December 31, 2020 are to be classified as near-zero energy buildings (NZEB). The goal is to investigate the various energy-affecting measures of the involved architects, structural engineers and planners that can improve the energy performance of a kindergarten to be closer to near-zero and identify obstacles that make it more difficult to achieve NZEB. Method: The investigation strategies for the project are qualitative methods in the form of semi-structured interviews with architects, planners and ventilation engineers for six different kindergartens. The interviews were conducted by telephone in which the questions were sent in advance to those interviewed. Mail interviews were conducted early on which resulted in either short answers or not answers at all. The energy performance documents of the different kindergartens were analyzed to get information about the different energy performances. Findings: The result does not contain a solution as to what the near-zero energy definition is or how to define it, but is more like guidance concerning what factors you can influence to get closer to near-zero energy for a kindergarten. Recurring problems surfacing in the interviews is that not all the involved roles have been able to influence predetermined choices of shape and space that, among other things, contribute to a limited space for services that planners are having difficulty influencing afterwards. Implications: The result helps contribute to making sure buildings are built in a more energy-efficient way and by such reducing the construction sector's share of the global energy consumption. The building's energy efficiency may not contribute to poor indoor climate in such a way that it affects children's health in a negative manner. This results in a need for careful planning where all parties can contribute with their best energy efficiency solutions without being too limited by the architectural constraints of shape and space. Alternatively, better communication between planners and architects in the earlier stages. Good planning contributes to a better result. Limitations: The result is based on Swedish kindergartens in a Nordic climate and should not be applied in countries without a Nordic climate. The result is not only applicable to kindergartens but is largely applicable to most similar buildings. Contact with more architects, constructional engineers, planners and more kindergartens would have given a better result.

This study investigated the conflict resolution abilities employed by 3-4 year old children within an Israeli kindergarten that was inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach in Italy. Conflict resolution is a significant phenomenon worldwide and the subject of considerable research, due to potential negative outcomes from involvement in conflict, and escalation of the conflict to a stage of violence. Nevertheless, a gap in knowledge was identified, regarding the Reggio Emilia educational approach, as an intervention to support the development of children‘s social-emotional competence to enable them to resolve interpersonal conflicts using pro-social strategies. An in-depth case study was conducted using grounded theory principles to develop a model to answer the question: To what extent might a Reggio Emilia inspired approach support resolution of interpersonal conflicts between 3-4 year old children in an Israeli kindergarten class? The rich qualitative data were gathered through video filmed observations, teacher's semi-structured interviews, children's interviews, documents, and field notes. A four-phase content analysis of the data enabled conceptualisation of the characteristics of the educational setting and the children's conflict resolution strategies. The findings allowed the emergence of a model evidencing that both direct and indirect intervention strategies were used to support the conflict resolution among the children. Teachers responded in a range of ways to children's request for direct intervention, and most especially used a clarification-mediation conversation. Indirectly, they promoted democratic pedagogy with children through participation, listening and dialogue. The findings reveal the children's development in their conflict resolution, which indicate a significant advancement in their pro-social negotiation abilities. Additionally, the findings show a significant increase in the children's spontaneous intervention as peer observers of the conflict and a decrease in their request of teacher intervention. The research suggests that over time, no extra-curricular intervention is needed within a supportive and democratic educational approach, such as the Reggio Emilia inspired approach provides. It illuminates strategies to support teachers, teacher trainers and policy makers for enabling children resolving conflicts independently using pro-social strategies. The research contributes to knowledge regarding selecting an intervention for improving kindergarten children's conflict resolution strategies.

This study is limited to the mathematics performance of two intact groups of culturally deprived kindergarten students, mostly blacks, with a few whites and Mexican-Americans, who were enrolled at Robert E. Lee Elementary School (Denton, Texas) for the entire school year of 1970-1971. The purposes of the study are to compare the effectiveness of two methods of teaching mathematics to culturally disadvantaged children and to check for interaction of treatments when these children are classified by sex.

The present study was designed to investigate the discrepancy in test performance between the upper-middle-class and lower-class kindergarten-age child as a function of differential familiarity with test content.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between the learning style of a kindergarten child and the level of achievement in language arts. The study was done at the request of the school district of a small community in north Texas, and it incorporated the total public school kindergarten population, 110 subjects. Instruments were the Learning Style Inventory: Primary by Perrin, the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, and an achievement test developed by the regional education service center. The LSI:P was administered to all students by one person while the two achievement tests were administered by individual teachers to their own classes. The children were divided into groups according to their rating on the LSI:P, using the Prescription Circle by Dunn and Dunn as modifier. ANOVA and chi square analysis were utilized to compute frequencies and percentages at the .05 level to determine relationships between learning styles' group membership and attainment in language. A definite relationship was found between a child's learning style and achievement on the language arts objectives. Indications were that the elements of motivation, persistence and responsibility, and perceptual mode preferred by the learner had strong relationship to success in achievement. It was concluded that a relationship exists between the ability to conduct successful word analysis and a child's learning style. It was also determined that children of kindergarten age can self-report learning style as measured by the Learning Style Inventory: Primary. It is recommended that longitudinal studies be conducted to discover if learning styles change with maturity. Other studies could be done on subgroups of the kindergarten population to find what impact preschool experiences, English as a second language, or sex of the child may have on the relationship between a child's learning style and achievement in language arts.

The aim of the work was to objectively examine the physical activity of children in two different types of preschools, in forest kindergarten and common kindergartens. The theoretical part deals with the characteristic of movement in the preschool children, with factors influencing physical activity, the benefits for this age and the means for measuring objectively physical activity. Research is focused on one particular forest kindergarten. Pedometer was elected for measuring the examined physical activity. According to the results children in the forest kindergarten make more steps during their stay in school as well as overall per day than children in regular kindergartens. Conversely in the afternoon after leaving the nursery they are less active than the children from regular kindergartens. The most prominent difference in the level of physical activity between the two groups of children showed during their stay in pre-school facilities. Forest nursery could be a good alternative to preschool education in terms of sufficient physical activity.

The thesisdeals with theuse ofurban andsuburbanparksand cycle routes by neighbouringkindergartens. The theoretical part ofthe thesissummarizesthe basic terminology, explains the concept offorest,park, forest park, bicycle path.Furthermore,it is trying todefinetermsrelatedto the topic(movement, motor skills, and sports). Separatechaptersare alsodevoted toforestpedagogy, its history andthe emergingtrendof forestnurseries. The practicalpart of thethesisintroducesmethodsof research.Theseare thequestionnaire survey, interview and observation.Research ispart ofthe weeklyproject for childrenfrom kindergartens, created specifically forthis topic. Subsequently, thethesisseeksto answer the stated hypotheses. It examines therange ofthe activities of childrenduring their stayoutside,motivationof childrento activities, the use of cyclingkindergartens. It examines whichoutdoorlocationchildrenin kindergartenprefer for their morningactivities. Thethesisconcludeswith an overview of significant Pragueparks. Keywords: park, forest, cycling, physical activity, nature, kindergarten

A dissertation "Integration of a boy with atypical autism into regular kindergarten" has the aim to present a particular process of integration in the regular kindergarten. It gives you a brief characteristic of preschool age, education in preschool age and a procedure of integration and related circumstances. A theoretical part brings you a view of child development in preschool period, specifics of preschool education and a process of integration in the Czech Republic. A research project has the aim to chart how is the integration perceived by three people who are involved in the integration. It is about the attitude of a mother, a headmistress and a class teacher who has been teaching the boy this year. Next there are given the tests that have the aim to determine the boy's current school maturity. These diagnostic tools were used - Orientational graphic test of the school maturity (Jirásek, 1970), Observational scheme for assessment of the school maturity (Kondáš, 1984). Key words individual integration in kindergarten, atypical autism, school maturity

Title: Regime arrangements for weight modification at the preschool children Objectives: The aim of this master thesis is the plan of optimal regime arrangement for weight modification of preschool children in the environment of kindergarten. Also then composition of week dietary plan for facilities of this type. Methods: For the appraisal of situation and conditions of preschool education in concrete kindergartens I have used the method of comparison, direct observation and in-depth interview with head officers and teachers of particular schools. In the empirical part of this thesis I have realized the two- kind inquiry. First was focused on head and educational operatives of schools, second then on parents of the children. I have also carried out the measuring of basic physical characteristics of the children in selected kindergarten. Results: Results present information about the situation of preschool education in the Czech republic through executed analysis of selected kindergarten. It has been proved, that material ensuring of kindergarten determines leisure activities of the children. The offer of school above-standard motion activities is influenced also by the village size, in which are particular preschool educational facilities situated. The level of education of the pedagogical...

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Special Education, Counseling, and Student Affairs / Judy Hughey / Successful transition practices are essential in moving students forward into new facets of learning and life. Noteworthy is the transition into kindergarten, as students experience a new environment, with new academic, social, and behavioral expectations. Research has reviewed teacher and student perceptions on this topic, but has traditionally overlooked the parent stakeholder. Specifically assessing kindergarten transition from parents’ vantage point provides a varied and necessary perspective that is often underutilized in effective school transitioning programs. Therefore, this study surveyed parents of children transitioning into kindergarten to identify their experiences and involvement in transition programming. Specifically to: (a) assess the concerns of parent stakeholders upon transitioning their children into formal schools (b) assess the perceptions of parent stakeholders in regards to their children’s transition into kindergarten, (c) assess the areas in which parent participants would like more information about the transition process, and (d) explore environmental variables and demographics that may impact student transitional success. The study utilized a retrospective pretest survey design to examine the experiences and perceptions of parents whose children were enrolled in full-day kindergarten in two school districts of comparable size in Northeast Kansas. A sample size of 91 participants was generated, as a parent or guardian of every student enrolled in kindergarten for the 2010-2011 school year in the surveyed schools was selected and solicited as participants for this retrospective pretest study. The final study population included 68 participants (n = 68) amongst the two respective schools, for an overall response rate of 74.7%. Survey mean results indicated that no particular item in academic, behavioral, or social domains were considered a great concern for parents transitioning their child into kindergarten. However, items that received the highest rating for concern prior to kindergarten were in the areas of academic success in comparison to peers, and adjusting to new routines and surroundings. Parents also rated adjusting to new routines and surroundings as the area with the least amount of transitional success. Seventy-three percent of participants agreed or strongly agreed to feeling engaged in the transitional process. Also, a significant difference in parents’ perceived need for both social and behavioral support emerged between first and second born children as they transition into formal schooling indicating parents of firstborn would like more information and support. Finally, results also showed that significance emerged between parents’ desire for counselor services and their concern as to the child’s level of behavioral success upon entering kindergarten.