Purpose: The purpose of thestudy is to analyzehowdifferenteducatorsworking attwo different preschools, perceiveand reflect onthe conceptofthe competent child. Questionat issue:Howis the concept of the competent child perceived bythe participating preschool teachers? What is the concept loaded with and what meaning is given to the concept by the teachers? Method:The method used for this study is a phenomenographicone where qualitative interviews were conducted with eight teachers from two different preschools. Main theories:The theoretical framework used in this text is phenomenography where focus is on the study of perceptions, and on analysis of how people perceive phenomenon as well as analysis of how people create content and meaning in the relationship between the self and the surrounding world. Summarized conclusion:The results from the eight interviews show that the concept of the competent child is a complex one. However, the analysis of the empirical data shows that the concept can be described through five different perspectives; the perspectives of the child, thepedagogical approach, knowledge, care and education. The study shows that these different perspectives are based on personal experience which forms the basis for how they perceive the child and how they relate to the child. Therefore, we believe it is important that all educators in preschools together reflect on the concept of the competent child to create an equal preschool for all.

Förskolan ingår i det svenska skolväsendet och är första steget i det livslånga lärandet. Detta lärande ska ske genom ett medvetet bruk av lek, enligt läroplanen för förskolan. Syftet med undersökningen var att ta reda på hur leken beskrivs på lokal nivå i förskolors dokument. Dessutom analyserades materialet utifrån barn- och kunskapssyn. En kommuns skolplan granskades. Förskolors hemsidor, arbetsplaner och kvalitetsredovisningar analyserades. Två intervjuer med ansvariga förskolechefer/rektorer genomfördes i samtalsform och några enkla frågor ställdes till pedagoger. Leken omnämndes på många olika sätt i dokument och intervjuer. Resultatet visade en tilltro till lekens värde, men den nämndes i stor utsträckning som ett medel för lärande, väldigt lite som viktig för sin egen skull. Den beskrevs som ett pedagogiskt redskap för att uppnå strävansmål inom språk, matematik, natur och teknik. Lekens innehåll, och hur man skapar förutsättningar för lek beskrevs väldigt lite i de undersökta förskolornas dokument. Den bild som framträdde vid granskningen visar att leken tenderar att tas för given på ett oreflekterat sätt. Även intervjuerna och enkäten gav samma bild. Arbetet pekar på behovet av att lyfta leken som ett eget målområde och samtidigt genomföra kompetensutveckling för att höja medvetenheten hos pedagogerna.

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<p> </p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose with this study is to investigate how preschool teachers understand the concept <em>the competent child and in what ways this understanding affects their role in children’s learning. </em></p><p><strong>Question at issue:<em> </em></strong>What perspective on children do the contributing educationalists have? How do they define a competent child? Do such children exist and if so, are they always competent in all situations? What is the educationalists perspective on learning and knowledge? What is the preschool teacher’s view of their role as educationalists? What do they consider as their most important tasks?</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>To execute this study I have made a qualitative research based on interviews with eight teachers from four different preschools.</p><p><strong>Main theories: </strong>I have built the theoretical part of this study based on four different perspectives on the concept the competent child according to the philosophies of Dion Summer, Jesper Juul and Reggio Emalia. I also describe different theories about learning, knowledge and educationalists as well as the preschools role in the development of child according to different well-known scientists and researchers.</p><p><strong>Summarized conclusion: </strong>The study shows that the interviewed preschool teachers chose to interpret the concept the competent child in three ways. The individual choice affects their expectations of the child and as such the way that they treat it. This shows that it´s important for all preschool teachers to constantly reflect on how they see and treat the children since this shapes them as they grow.</p><p> </p>

Syftet med vår studie är att få en inblick i om förskollärare är medvetna om hur de utformar innemiljön på förskolan och vilken barnsyn som speglar sig i deras pedagogiska miljö. Vi vill veta om förskollärarna utformar miljön så att den lockar till meningsskapande aktiviteter för varje barn. Frågeställningar: Vad har förskollärarna för tankar kring den pedagogiska miljön på förskolan? Vilken barnsyn speglas i de pedagogiska miljöerna? Hur utformar förskollärarna miljön så att den lockar till meningsfulla aktiviteter för varje barn? Uppsatsen tar sin huvudsakliga teoretiska utgångspunkt i det postmoderna perspektivet. Studien bygger på data bestående av sex intervjuer med förskollärare och observation av innemiljöerna på de förskolor som de är verksamma i. Vårt resultat visar att förskollärarnas tankar och barnsyn speglar sig i miljön. Miljön bör vara föränderlig och barnens intressen samt behov ska vara utgångspunkten vid utformningen. Detta för att varje barn ska hitta någon aktivitet som är meningsfull för dem. / The purpose of our study is to get an insight into if the pre-school teachers are aware of how they design the indoor environment at the pre-schools and which child perspective is reflected in their pedagogical environment. We want to know if pre-school teachers design their environment so that it invites to meaningful creativity and activity for each child. Questions: What thoughts do the pre-school teachers have regarding the pedagogical environment at the pre-school? Which child perspective is reflected in the pedagogical milieus/environments? How does the pre-school design the environment so that it invites to meaningful creativity and activity for each child? The paper takes its primary theoretical starting point in the postmodern perspective. The study is based on data from six interviews with pre-school teachers and observations of their pre-schools’ indoor environment. Our result shows, that the pre-school teachers’ thoughts and child perspective are reflected in the environment. It should be in constant change, and the child’s interests and needs should be the primary focus in the design of the environment. Each child needs to get the possibility to find some activities which can develop them.

Purpose: The purpose with this study is to investigate how preschool teachers understand the concept the competent child and in what ways this understanding affects their role in children’s learning. Question at issue: What perspective on children do the contributing educationalists have? How do they define a competent child? Do such children exist and if so, are they always competent in all situations? What is the educationalists perspective on learning and knowledge? What is the preschool teacher’s view of their role as educationalists? What do they consider as their most important tasks? Method: To execute this study I have made a qualitative research based on interviews with eight teachers from four different preschools. Main theories: I have built the theoretical part of this study based on four different perspectives on the concept the competent child according to the philosophies of Dion Summer, Jesper Juul and Reggio Emalia. I also describe different theories about learning, knowledge and educationalists as well as the preschools role in the development of child according to different well-known scientists and researchers. Summarized conclusion: The study shows that the interviewed preschool teachers chose to interpret the concept the competent child in three ways. The individual choice affects their expectations of the child and as such the way that they treat it. This shows that it´s important for all preschool teachers to constantly reflect on how they see and treat the children since this shapes them as they grow.

Denna studies syfte är att ta reda på hur pedagoger och tjänstemän på utbildningsförvaltningen tolkar begreppet pedagogisk dokumentation. Min frågeställning var: Hur tolkar pedagogerna och ansvariga på utbildningsförvaltningen pedagogisk dokumentation? Vad är meningsfullt att dokumentera? Vad är det som gör att man kan arbeta med pedagogisk dokumentation? För att få svar på mina frågor så byggde jag min studie på teori från olika pedagoger och forskare inom pedagogik och sedan intervjuer och enkäter med pedagoger och tjänstemän på utbildningsförvaltningen. Resultatet visar att begreppet pedagogisk dokumentation kan tolkas olika och det som ligger i grund hur man tolkar begreppet är vilken barnsyn du som pedagog har. Förskolans pedagoger använder sig av pedagogisk dokumentationen genom observationer med olika metoder det kan vara ex kamera, observationsmallar m.m. och det ska synliggöra barns lärande, men det är även pedagogernas lärande som synliggörs och det bidrar till ett utvecklingsarbete och förändringsarbete. Genom att reflektera över dokumentationerna så kan man se nya saker som man kanske annars inte skulle ha sett. Syftet att använda pedagogisk dokumentation kan vara av olika skäl. Det kan vara att man vill se hur ett barn tänker, barnets utveckling med även för att förändra miljön på förskolan. Läroplanen, Lpfö98 tar upp pedagogisk dokumentation i förorden. Det står att verksamheten synliggörs men även att det ger ett underlag för att se verksamhetens kvalitet. Begreppet pedagogisk dokumentation är hämtat från Reggio Emilia filosofin, där man arbetat med arbetsverktyget i mer än 30 år och syftet är att synliggöra barns lärande, men barnsynen är avgörande om du kan arbeta och förstå begreppet pedagogisk dokumentation. / The purpose of this study is to see how educators and municipalities interpret the term of pedagogical documentation. My question was; how do the educators and the responsible at municipalities interprets pedagogical documentation? What is meaningful to document? What do you think is the foundation if you can work with pedagogical documentation? To find out the answers to my questions, I based my study on theory from different teachers and researchers in education and then interviews and questionnaires. The results show that the concept of pedagogical documentation can be interpreted differently. The Pedagogue´s child perspective controls whether you can make use of pedagogical documentation. Preschool teachers use pedagogical documentation through observation of different methods that can be ex camera, observation templates, etc. and it will make children's learning visible but it is also making the educator's learning visible and it contributes to development and change. By reflecting on documentation it gives you opportunities to see things you would not see yourself. The purpose of the use of pedagogical documentation can be for various reasons it may be that you want to see how a child thinks, child development, even to change the environment at the preschool. The curriculum Lpfö98 raise educational documentation in the preface, it says that the activity is made visible but also that it provides a basis to ensure the quality. The concept of pedagogical documentation is taken from the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which worked with the working tool in more than 30 years and the aim is to make visible children's learning but children view is essential if you can work and understand the concept of pedagogical documentation.

<p>Syftet med vår studie är att få en inblick i om förskollärare är medvetna om hur de utformar innemiljön på förskolan och vilken barnsyn som speglar sig i deras pedagogiska miljö. Vi vill veta om förskollärarna utformar miljön så att den lockar till meningsskapande aktiviteter för varje barn.</p><p>Frågeställningar:</p><p>Vad har förskollärarna för tankar kring den pedagogiska miljön på förskolan?</p><p>Vilken barnsyn speglas i de pedagogiska miljöerna?</p><p>Hur utformar förskollärarna miljön så att den lockar till meningsfulla aktiviteter för varje barn?</p><p>Uppsatsen tar sin huvudsakliga teoretiska utgångspunkt i det postmoderna perspektivet. Studien bygger på data bestående av sex intervjuer med förskollärare och observation av innemiljöerna på de förskolor som de är verksamma i.</p><p>Vårt resultat visar att förskollärarnas tankar och barnsyn speglar sig i miljön. Miljön bör vara föränderlig och barnens intressen samt behov ska vara utgångspunkten vid utformningen. Detta för att varje barn ska hitta någon aktivitet som är meningsfull för dem.</p> / <p>The purpose of our study is to get an insight into if the pre-school teachers are aware of how they design the indoor environment at the pre-schools and which child perspective is reflected in their pedagogical environment. We want to know if pre-school teachers design their environment so that it invites to meaningful creativity and activity for each child.</p><p>Questions:</p><p>What thoughts do the pre-school teachers have regarding the pedagogical environment at the pre-school?</p><p>Which child perspective is reflected in the pedagogical milieus/environments?</p><p>How does the pre-school design the environment so that it invites to meaningful creativity and activity for each child?</p><p>The paper takes its primary theoretical starting point in the postmodern perspective. The study is based on data from six interviews with pre-school teachers and observations of their pre-schools’ indoor environment.</p><p>Our result shows, that the pre-school teachers’ thoughts and child perspective are reflected in the environment. It should be in constant change, and the child’s interests and needs should be the primary focus in the design of the environment. Each child needs to get the possibility to find some activities which can develop them.</p>

This study deals with pedagogical documentation. With a revised preschool curriculum,where this is a crucial aid for illustrating the learning process of children and educators, aswell as demonstrating the activities of the school, it is of the utmost relevance to further explorethis notion. The study focuses on a single municipality and explores the various ways inwhich its preschools do in reality deal with this issue in correlation with the actual visions andgoals set by that municipality. Through a series of qualitative interviews with educators aswell as with the municipality Head of Education, this study outlines how educational documentationis in fact applied in the schools in question. The gathered data has been interpretedwith a power perspective as well as with a sociocultural perspective in mind. The municipalityin question has gone to great lengths to educate all its preschool staff in pedagogical documentationin accordance with the methods of Reggio Emilia. As it turns out, the definition ofthe concept varies between schools. Furthermore, this study illustrates both flaws and benefits of this aid.

A number of studies have been published concerning preschool teachers’ child perspectives. Over the past 50 years the construction of the preschool child in Swedish preschool policy documents have deve­loped from mainly depicting a dependent, immature, becoming child to a more rational, competent, being child. But what about the guardians’ child perspectives? Have they changed in a similar way? The aim of this study is to add to the understanding of the preschool-home cooperation, through exami­ning guardians’ constructions of the preschool child and how the constructions may influence their needs and expectations of what preschools have to offer. The method used to obtain data for analysis was qualitative interviews. Five guardians were interviewed and the audiotapes transcribed verbatim. Both audio and text were studied multiple times to discern pat-terns, expressions that could be interpreted as representing specific constructions of the preschool child. The theoretical framework for the study is social constructionism. In short, social constructionism is part of the post modern movement that unites in its’ critique of universal truths. Instead, knowledge is looked upon as constructed in a specific context, such as time and culture. In this study this means a belief in that there is no one, universal child but a number of views of what children are. The data was analyzed through different accepted constructions of children. The results showed four different constructions of the preschool child that could be interpreted from the interviews; the unchangeable, the curious knowledger, the social and the playing. In terms of needs and expectations, the guardians are likely to have very different views of what preschools should offer de­pending on which construction they express. Many of the quotes depict the child as a primarily social being, which is coherent with previous research on guardians’ views of preschool. The results of the study implicates that guardians come to the preschool context with a wide range of different constructions of what a preschool child is and what it needs. There is, at least in theory, often a gap between the perceived child that preschool is made for by policy documents and teachers and the percieved child by the guardians. To ensure that the cooperation between preschool and families works as good as possible, professionals in preschool need to be humble to this fact and understand that the different expectations and demands we experience from guardians are rooted in more than plain opinions and whimsicality. Namely, a firm belief in what is best for the children.