This research continued a line of inquiry previously established at Project P.L.A.Y. School, a play-based, Reggio-Emilia-inspired preschool in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, the purpose of which was to explore what can happen when young children and adults co-construct music in a social, relationship- and play-based environment. Three questions initially guided this study: 1) How does musical content emerge? 2) How is music play developed in this setting? 3) How do children and their teachers story their music experiences? Using narrative and heuristic approaches to inquiry, I, along with my co-researchers, highlighted ways to make children's musical learning audible and visible. Having been a member of this community in the dual role of musical play partner and researcher since fall of 2012, I framed this dissertation study to encompass the weeks of September 16 through December 18, 2014. During that time frame, I increased my visits from once to twice weekly, with fourteen children aged 2.5 through 5 years old, five of whom I knew from the previous year, and five other adults. As both a play partner and researcher, I continued my role as music facilitator who views young children as competent and capable co-music researchers. Amidst other stories, I increased focus as I continued a pedagogy of close listening to children as music co-researchers. Living alongside each other at Project P.L.A.Y. School, children and adults generated and collected shared musical stories. Data sources for this study included audio and video recordings, photographs, artifacts such as artwork and musical notation, and my research notes and journal. I continued using narrative and heuristic approaches to inquiry, and restoried narrative vignettes highlighting children and adults as music co-researchers. From the resulting grand narrative, I found that shifting lenses and all adults mindfully viewing these young children as competent music researchers facilitated and supported children's creative, multimodal expressions of their research interests. Viewing children's and adults' interactions through the lens of co-music researchers lead to abundant, creative musical expression from children and adults alike. Musical content emerged when adults and children interacted as music co-researchers and protagonists in their shared stories. This inquiry generated the following additional questions: 1) How can adults best facilitate young children's musical research interests? 2) How can adults and young children make their collaborative research audible and visible? Implications from this study include encouraging all adults to adopt a pedagogy of listening, to notice and value children's creative musical expressions, and to value children's musical lines of inquiry as researchers. / Music Education / Accompanied by two .m4v files.

The purpose of this qualitative research was to understand the process of co-constructing music in a Reggio-inspired preschool. Although both adults and children facilitate musical processes in co-constructed settings, in this study I focused on processes that emerged from children. One question guided this study: In this preschool, what processes do children use to make their music learning visible and audible? From September 16 to December 16, 2014, I visited Project P.L.A.Y. School--a play- and relationship-based, Reggio-inspired preschool--once weekly for one and a half hours during the children's free play time. The participants were 13 children between the ages of two and a half and five years old, as well as six adults. During my visits, I acted as a musical play partner with the children, following the children's leads. Data emerged from child and adult musickers as musical interactions, which I documented using Reggio-inspired documentation techniques--audio recording, video recording, and photographing during musical interactions as long as the interaction lasted. In addition, I kept a researcher's journal consisting of same-day reflections after each visit. The documentation resulted in five hours and 42 minutes of video and audio recordings, 115 photographs, and an 80 page researcher's journal. Because my data collection were modeled on Reggio-inspired documentation techniques, I did not run continuous video but only recorded during musical interactions as long as the interaction lasted. Thus, the audio and video recordings were in 215 separate files, ranging from four seconds to 19 minutes in duration. I interpreted the data using qualitative strategies, coding data from documentation and my journal. Codes gave rise to categories which became salient themes. I labeled those themes processes, and employed narrative tenets to present the findings, restorying experiences into vignettes and using photographs and notation to support the themes. At Project P.L.A.Y. School, children made their music learning audible and visible by engaging in seven music processes: vocal exploration, singing, instrument exploration, expressive movement, notation exploration, staging shows, and musical conversations. These processes emerged as part of larger social processes, such as discussion and social play. Some processes emerged within others, as children sang during their musical conversations and danced while they staged shows. Thus, co-constructed musicking was part of the whole experiences of the children. Musickers at Project P.L.A.Y. School made their learning audible and visible through musical processes that were fundamentally social and creative. The co-constructed musicking was social and creative, as adults and children developed musical thinking and skills through listening and responding to one another. Through the emergent social and musical process, adults were able to scaffold and extend children's musicking. Through these processes, musickers developed skills that may help them become thoughtful, independent, and intentional musicians. Due to the rich musicking that emerged in this context, I recommend that music teachers and early childhood teachers embrace the role of musical play partner; dedicate time to music exploration and play; design children's musicking spaces in a way that emphasizes agency and accessibility; and provide opportunities for musical choice in all music education settings. I conclude by recommending that future researchers consider studying co-constructed musicking in other environments, as well as musical project work, as projects are important to the emergent curriculum of the Reggio approach. / Music Education

The purpose of this study was to focus on a teacher-led school reform initiative. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach for Early Childhood Education and committed to constructivist teaching and learning, a group of Middle School teachers embarked on a journey to plan a new way of thinking and being in a Middle School. This ethnographic study utilized observations, interviews, participant action research, and a variety of field texts to capture the story of these remarkable teachers. This case study chronicles the life and work of thirteen teachers, three administrators and two university faculty members as they struggled to make sense of the planning process that was necessary to launch a reform effort. Particular attention was focused on the power, politics, and personalities that both harmonized and conflicted with the work of these reformers. Analysis revealed a passionate desire on the part of the reformers to change the face of schooling and education for children and for themselves. Conflicting forces in opposition to their best efforts included the lack of adequate time to devote to such a cause, institutional and cultural rituals in the school, and a changing political climate in the town in which the reform was initiated. Despite the barriers, this group has been able to achieve a solid sense of community and has been able to stand together as an articulate, knowledgeable, savvy group of educators on behalf of improved education for children. Strengthening their power base through collaboration with the administrators at their school has escalated their effort to the implementation stage. Sharing vision and responsibility, their dream is coming true. Based on lessons learned in the journey with the teachers a model for exploration of process of innovation in context is proposed. / Ph. D.

In an age of adultism in which children have been perceived as mere drains on society, schooling often has been viewed as a means to an end. Due to the fact that a capitalistic society requires future workers, children have been socialized in the necessary skills and knowledge required to fulfill their future job requirements. Consequently, schooling often has taken place in the form of the banking model in which students are treated as empty vessels to be filled up by the knowledgeable teachers, and then to regurgitate said knowledge on assessments to prove their understanding. I challenge this antiquated vision of education, especially in relation to what it has meant for young children in preschool through first grade. Using critical pedagogy and the Reggio Emilia approach as theoretical frameworks, I conducted a critical narrative study of eight early educators who have had experience working with students in early grades in emancipatory ways. I found that educators’ own experiences and consciousness greatly affected their beliefs about young children as well as the liberatory practices they engaged. I present a proposal for a shift in thinking about the education of young children, a relational model of education that highlights the intersections of critical pedagogy and the Reggio Emilia approach in grounding the work of teaching in armed love, belief in the capabilities of children, and opportunities for students to work with educators as revolutionary partners and transformative change agents who have an active role in their education and their world.

This paper describes a curriculum designed to examine relationships between artistic fluency in middle school art classrooms, and a robust year-long paper curriculum. A sustained focus with one material, such as paper, combined with relevant artists and investigative skills activities was designed to increase artistic fluency during a time when students often experience a decline in identity and confidence. Concerns with the U-curve theory suggest that many factors affect the continuity of art during these crucial years of school. Educational standards of the Reggio Emilia Approach can be applied to secondary education, encouraging both students and educator to create dynamic compositions and innovative mark making.

The purpose of this study was to document and examine the use of technology to facilitate communication among the three protagonists of learning — parents, teachers, and children in an early childhood education classroom. Specifically, the process of the co-construction of a website, by parents and teachers and subsequent use of the website for information exchange and parent involvement was documented and examined by the researcher using ethnographic methodologies. The study provides a description of the process of co-constructing the website. Through this description, the researcher came to better understanding of developing a website, parent-teacher communication, children and their learning, and herself as a teacher-researcher. The study includes examples of the website pages as well as recommendations and implications for future use of a classroom website. / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of how children learn when they are engaged in child initiated, teacher guided activities. Specifically, children's learning processes were documented and interpreted based on how they use their multiple intelligences. Multiple Intelligences refers to Howard Gardner's model of multiple intelligences and his view of how children have many cognitive strengths. Ethnographic methodologies were used to observe, document, and interpret children's behaviors and interactions in the classroom. Seven children were chosen to be focused on for this study out of 15 participants in one preschool classroom at a university Child Development Laboratory setting. The researcher has been the head teacher for these 7 children for two years, which allowed the researcher to gain a better understanding of children's different intelligences and different ways of learning. After collecting and analyzing the data, the researcher found that the children's propensities for learning remained fairly consistent over the course of two years. It became evident that the role of the teacher is very important, as the teacher must be an intimate observer and listener of the children. Teachers and educators should be in constant communication with parents and each other about the child's growth and development and tendencies for learning. By providing children with learning opportunities for the child to use their cognitive strengths, teachers are motivating children and encouraging them to learn. If children see that they can succeed, they may continuously have the motivation to learn. / Master of Science

Syftet med studien är att undersöka förskollärares förståelse hur estetiska lärprocesser med fokus på drama främjar barns språkutveckling. Arbetet har utgått från en kvalitativ metod. Fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer från tre förskolor har genomförts för att besvara studiens syfte och forskningsfrågor. För att erhålla en fördjupad kunskap har tidigare forskning och litteratur om estetiska lärprocesser och barns språkutveckling bearbetats. Studien har utgått från det sociokulturella perspektivet med inslag av Reggio Emilia filosofin. Materialet och datainsamlingen har bearbetats genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Studiens resultat visade att estetiska lärprocesser upplevs som ett komplext begrepp i relation till barns språkutveckling. En slutsats är att dramatisering kan fungera som ett kommunikativt verktyg för barns språkutveckling, men hur används det i förskolan?

The purpose of the study is to contribute with knowledge of how an investigative approach can assist children of different ages in acquiring new knowledge and reinforcing existing knowledge about the falling motion of various artifacts based on an inclined plane. Eight children participated in the study, from three different age-divided departments. The starting point of the activity was inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy's thoughts on the unfinished material, where the children were asked to examine the fall movement of four different artefacts along an inclined plane. The observation is based on Predict, observe, explain scientific methodology. In the initial discussions, the children were asked to formulate hypotheses about the various artefacts’ motion along the incline, and then test and observe the phenomenon. The activity ended with reflections on their experiences about the practical elements. The study studied how the children in different ages acted and expressed themselves during the activity. The analysis is based on Piaget's stage theory and Vygotsky's view of learning about how children mediate knowledge. The results show that the children have a good ability to express themselves to try to explain and understand different physical phenomena such as friction, force and speed based on their own conditions. However, the ability to reflect differs between the different ages. The children aged 5–6 years show not only the ability to formulate hypotheses but also to explain their hypotheses, where they link their explanations to the shape of the object. At the same time, the younger children thought outside the box and explored the phenomenon of friction thoroughly. A crucial role is how the educator formulates his or her questions to develop the children's lifelong learning. / Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om hur det undersökande arbetssättet kan hjälpa barn i olika åldrar att erövra nya kunskaper och förstärka befintlig kunskap kring olika artefakters fallrörelse utifrån ett lutande plan. I studien deltog åtta barn i åldern 2–6 år som delades in utifrån tre olika grupper baserat på förskolans åldersindelade avdelningar. Aktivitetens utgångspunkt var inspirerad av Reggio Emilia filosofins tankar om det ofärdiga materialet där barnen, med hjälp av ett lutande plan och fyra olika artefakter, fick undersöka fallrörelsen. Observationerna bygger på Predict, observe, explain naturvetenskapliga metodik. Barnen fick i de inledande diskussionerna formulera hypoteser om de olika artefakternas rörelse utmed planet, för att sedan pröva och observera fenomenet. Aktiviteten avslutades med reflektioner om deras upplevelser. I studien undersöktes hur barnen i olika åldrar agerade och uttryckte sig under aktiviteten. Analysen baseras på Piaget stadieteori och Vygotskijs syn på lärande om hur barn medierar kunskap. Resultatet visar att barnen har en god förmåga att uttrycka sig för att försöka förklara och förstå olika fysikaliska fenomen som friktion, kraft och hastighet, utifrån sina egna förutsättningar. Däremot skiljer sig barnens reflektionsförmåga beroende på ålder. Barnen i åldrarna 5–6 år visar inte bara förmågan att formulera hypoteser utan också att ge en förklaring till sina hypoteser, där de kopplar sina förklaringar till föremålets form. Samtidigt som de yngre barnen tänker utanför boxen och utforskar fenomenet friktion grundligt. En avgörande roll är hur pedagogen formulerar sina frågor för att utveckla barnens livslånga lärande.

Denna uppsats har till syfte att redogöra för barns fysiska aktivitet i förskolan och undersöka hur pedagoger upplever att de kan utveckla barnens fysiska aktivitetsvanor och rörelsebehov. Det var ett intressant problemområde att studera eftersom stillasittande barn och fysiskt inaktiva barn idag är ett växande samhällsproblem och något som även är kopplat till barnfetma. Det finns ett behov av att barn tidigt får utöva varierad fysisk aktivitet och lära sig vikten av fysisk aktivitet, eftersom det främjar deras framtida livsstil. I arbetet försöker jag klargöra utmärkande egenskaper som är typiskt för de utvalda förskolorna och deras arbetssätt. Studien är en kvalitativ intervjustudie som utgörs av sex semistrukturerade forskningsintervjuer på fem förskolor. Den teoretiska bakgrunden bygger på tidigare forskning och redogör för relevanta begrepp inom området, däribland teorin Eichbergs kroppskulturmodell, Reggio Emilia och Merleau-Ponty. Inom detta område finns det viss tidigare forskning, men jag ser också ett behov av ytterligare forskning om fysisk aktivitet i förskolan för att uppmärksamma detta ytterligare och göra problemområdet varse för fler samhällsmedborgare. Resultatet visar att vid de flesta av förskolorna i studien förekommer större delen av barnens rörelseaktiviteter antingen på utegården, i närmiljön eller i skogen. Flertalet av pedagogerna anser skogen vara överlägsen när det handlar om att utmana barnen motoriskt och att frigöra kroppen. Ömsesidigt för alla pedagogernas tanke- och arbetssätt är även lekens centrala betydelse för rörelse. De menar att inkörsporten till fysisk aktivitet sker genom leken. / This essay aims at explaining children's physical activity in preschool and examine how preschool teachers can develop the children's physical activity habits and their movement needs. It was an interesting problem area to continue research in, because sedentary children and physically inactive children today are a growing social problem that is also associated with childhood obesity. There is a need for children to exercise early and learn about the value of various physical activities, as it promotes their future lifestyle. In my study I try to clarify distinctive characteristics that are typical of the selected preschools and their working methods. The study is based on a qualitative interview study that consists of six semi structured interviews at five preschools. The theoretical background is based on previous research and describes relevant concepts in the area, including the theory of Eichberg’s body culture model, Reggio Emilia and Merleau-Ponty. Within this area there is a certain amount of previous research, but I also see a need for further research on physical activity in preschool to pay attention to this subject and to make more citizens aware. The result of my study shows that most of the preschools have most of the children’s movement activities either in the yard, in the vicinity or in the forest. Most of the preschool teachers also consider the forest to be superior when it comes to challenging the children in their motor skills and releasing their bodies. Mutually for all of the preschool teacher’s thinking- and working methods, is that play is central for movement. The preschool teachers say that the gateway to physical activity takes place through children’s play.