This thesis examines the extent to which ‘Talk or Dialogue’ contributes to children’s cognitive and psychological development when it is experienced through technological devices. The work analyzes some of the sociocultural theories of children’s speech, cognitive learning, psychological functions, sociocultural learning context, dialogic teaching and learning approaches in the classroom, social interaction and the use of social tools. The theory of speech is built on the Vygotskian notion of language as the prime cultural and psychological tool for children’s learning development in a sociocultural environment. Lev S. Vygotsky emphasised that the development of cognitive processes in children includes thinking, reasoning and understanding of a conceptualised social interaction. These processes are core to children’s intellectual learning. Vygotsky and the neo-Vygotskians emphasised the use of Speech, Talk or Dialogue and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) concept in children’s learning development. In the UK, it was evident that the Talk teaching and learning approach (Mercer & Littleton, 2007) contributed effectively to children’s learning achievements. This approach reinforces Talk or Dialogue collaboratively in the classroom with the ZPD concept. The significance of the Talk teaching approach has encouraged this study to examine further children’s speech and the use of technological devices. Hence, a theoretical discourse methodology on children’s Talk or Dialogue was examined for the research outcomes. The aim is to devise a new teaching and learning approach that contributes to the Malaysian children’s intellectual development inside and outside the classroom through the use of Talk or Dialogue. As a result, a Dialogic framework is articulated based on four existing educational theories of children’s speech and learning. This framework is vital to contribute directly to the Malaysia Education Department Blueprint 2013-2025 in promoting children’s intellectual development. For that reason, two approaches are proposed which emphasise children’s psychological functions of perception, attention, sensory motor-operations and memory through the use of Talk and technological devices. These approaches accentuate the ZPD concept between the teachers and children for learning and activity games. This is the study’s contribution to new knowledge.

<p>Syftet med denna studie är att försöka reda ut hur utomhuspedagogiken används bland pedagoger på grundskolan. Vi vill ta reda på vilka uppfattningar pedagoger uttrycker kring utomhuspedagogik samt vilka syften och mål pedagogerna har med att undervisa ute.</p><p>Undersökningens resultat grundar sig på en kvalitativ studie där vi har tillämpat halvstrukturerade intervjuer på åtta pedagoger. </p><p>Undersökningen är även gjord på tre olika skolor i Sverige med olika socioekonomiska förutsättningar och olika fysiska miljöer.</p><p>Arbetet resulterade i att vi kom fram till att utomhuspedagogiken används bland pedagoger men dock väldigt sällan. </p><p>Syftet med utomhuspedagogiken bland pedagogerna har teoretiska utgångspunkter, de är alltså väl medvetna om hur metoden kan stimulera barns utveckling.</p><p>Något som framkom var att pedagogerna upplever mycket problematik kring utomhuspedagogiken vilket skapar ett stort glapp mellan teori och praktik.</p> / <p>The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and explain how outdoor pedagogy as a way of education is used by teachers in the elementary school. We want to find out what educationalists’ opinions are about outdoor pedagogy and what purposes and goals they think are associated with outdoor education.</p><p>The results of the investigation are based on a qualitative study where we have used semi-structured interview forms on eight elementary teachers. The studies were conducted at three different schools in Sweden with varying socio-economical and physical conditions.</p><p>In the thesis we concluded that outdoor pedagogy is being put into practice by many educationalists, but very rarely. The purpose of outdoor education among the teachers has a theoretic ground, which means that they are indeed aware of how the specific method can stimulate children’s development. Additionally the study showed us that teachers associate outdoor pedagogy with many inconveniences and problems, thus there is a big discrepancy between theory and practice.</p>

Syftet med denna studie är att försöka reda ut hur utomhuspedagogiken används bland pedagoger på grundskolan. Vi vill ta reda på vilka uppfattningar pedagoger uttrycker kring utomhuspedagogik samt vilka syften och mål pedagogerna har med att undervisa ute. Undersökningens resultat grundar sig på en kvalitativ studie där vi har tillämpat halvstrukturerade intervjuer på åtta pedagoger. Undersökningen är även gjord på tre olika skolor i Sverige med olika socioekonomiska förutsättningar och olika fysiska miljöer. Arbetet resulterade i att vi kom fram till att utomhuspedagogiken används bland pedagoger men dock väldigt sällan. Syftet med utomhuspedagogiken bland pedagogerna har teoretiska utgångspunkter, de är alltså väl medvetna om hur metoden kan stimulera barns utveckling. Något som framkom var att pedagogerna upplever mycket problematik kring utomhuspedagogiken vilket skapar ett stort glapp mellan teori och praktik. / The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and explain how outdoor pedagogy as a way of education is used by teachers in the elementary school. We want to find out what educationalists’ opinions are about outdoor pedagogy and what purposes and goals they think are associated with outdoor education. The results of the investigation are based on a qualitative study where we have used semi-structured interview forms on eight elementary teachers. The studies were conducted at three different schools in Sweden with varying socio-economical and physical conditions. In the thesis we concluded that outdoor pedagogy is being put into practice by many educationalists, but very rarely. The purpose of outdoor education among the teachers has a theoretic ground, which means that they are indeed aware of how the specific method can stimulate children’s development. Additionally the study showed us that teachers associate outdoor pedagogy with many inconveniences and problems, thus there is a big discrepancy between theory and practice.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om det finns några mönster och samband i hur förskolepedagoger upplever förutsättningar för barns lärande beroende på ålderssammansättningen i gruppen. Studien är kvantitativ med webbenkät som metod för insamling av data från pedagoger. Undersökningen omfattar alla förskolor inom en kommun i Värmland, totalt 55 kommunala avdelningar och 144 pedagoger. Följande ålderssammansättningar ingår i studien: åldersindelade grupper, småbarnsavdelningar (1-3), avdelningar för äldre barn (3-5) och syskonavdelningar (1-5). Studien har sin utgångspunkt i interaktionistiska teorier, vilket innebär att förskolans verksamhet studeras utifrån olika samspelade aspekter, faktorer och nivåer. I studien ses förutsättningar för barns lärande i förhållande till förskolans kvalitet, vilken i sin tur tolkas som ett komplext fenomen som skapas i samspel mellan olika faktorer på struktur-, process- och resultatnivåer. Studien fokuserar på samband mellan ålderssammansättning som en faktor för förskolans strukturkvalitet och flera aspekter av processkvalitet, nämligen utformning av pedagogiska miljön, pedagogernas sätt att organisera och genomföra verksamheten och pedagogernas samspel med barnen. Undersökningen visade att det finns betydelsefulla skillnader mellan grupperna med olika ålderssammansättningar i utformning av den pedagogiska miljön och även i pedagogernas samspel med barnen. Däremot är denna påverkan inte entydig och kan även förklaras med andra orsaker och faktorer, så som gruppens storlek, barnens ålder och pedagogiskt arbetssätt. Gruppens ålderssammansättning i sig är således inte avgörande för verksamhetens kvalitet, utan behöver ses i relation till andra påverkande faktorer. / The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there are some patterns and connections between the teachers’ experiences of the conditions for children’s learning and age settings at preschool groups. The study is quantitative, and a web survey is used to collect the data from the teachers. The study includes all preschools in a municipality in Värmland, Sweden. 144 preschool teachers from 55 municipal preschool groups participated in the study. Following age settings are represented in the study: same-age preschool groups, groups with children between 1-3 years old, groups with children between 3-5 years old and groups with children between 1-5 years old. The study is based on interactionistic theories, which means that the preschool is examined from various interacting aspects and dimensions. Conditions for children’s learning are seen in the study in relation to preschool quality, which is a complex phenomenon constituted in the interaction between dimensions of structure, process, and outcome. The study focuses on age setting as a structural aspect of preschool quality and following aspects of process quality: organizing of the pedagogical environment, teachers’ approach to organizing of daily activities and teachers’ interplay with children.  The results of the study show that there are important differences between groups with different age settings regarding organizing of the pedagogical environment and interplay between teachers and children. However, these differences are rather ambiguous and can be explained by other aspects and factors such as group’size, children’s age, and pedagogical approach. Therefore, age setting as such is not the key to preschool quality but must be seen in relation to other aspects and dimensions.

The present study aims to investigate early childhood educators' experiences with digital technology and its integration in their teaching practices in kindergartens in Finland and their beliefs on the impact on children's learning. Digital technology has already influenced various aspects of life, and it would be inevitable not to impact Early Childhood Education settings. Therefore, it is essential to scrutinize early childhood educators' experience regarding the implementation of digital technology in everyday life in kindergarten, how they involve children with it, and their perspective on the impact on children's learning. The abovementioned rationale motivated the present qualitative research study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six early childhood educators who work actively in kindergartens in Finland. The interview consisted of open-ended questions, which attempted to delve into early childhood educators' beliefs on the role of digital technology in Early Childhood Education, the ways of implementation in kindergarten, and the effects on children's learning. The collected data from the semi-structured interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the participants of the study use partially digital technology equipment in the kindergarten with children. However, they strongly believe they need more training to implement digital technology in Early Childhood Education adequately. Despite their feelings, they attempt to support children with utilizing digital technology. Moreover, the analysis of the collected data showed that children have the opportunity to practice emotional and social skills while using digital technology equipment but learn the conventional use of the digital devices too.

Kollegialt lärande är en metod där arbetslaget definierar problem och utmaningar i den egna praktiken i ett professionsutvecklande syfte. Föreliggande studie fokuserar på kollegialt lärande i arbetslaget i förskolan där samarbetet mellan förskollärare och barnskötare är av stor betydelse. Av den anledningen utgår studien från både ett förskollärarperspektiv och ett barnskötarperspektiv av det kollegiala lärandet i förskolan. För att synliggöra en varierad bild av kollegialt lärande i förskolan syftar denna studie till att söka kunskap om förskollärares och barnskötares resonemang om den egna professionsutvecklingen. Studiens teoretiska utgångspunkt är systemteorin där sociala system likt förskolans organisation, betraktas som öppna och i ständig utveckling. Studien är baserad på intervjuer med förskollärare och barnskötare där deras resonemang av kollegialt lärande lyfts fram. Analysen av dessa resonemang resulterade i tre teman; Resonemang om kollegialt lärande, Förskollärarens och barnskötares roll i det kollegiala lärandet samt Upplevelser av det kollegiala lärandets bidrag till förskolebarnets lärande och utveckling. Resultatet visar betydelsen av kollegialt lärande för att uppnå variation och således ändra konstansen för att tillföra ny kunskap till arbetslaget. Nivåer i organisationen där hierarkier har betydelse för att uppnå struktur i lärandeorganisationen samt upplevelser av att ett helhetstänkande där hela arbetslagets kompetenser är betydelsefulla, dominerar i alla tre teman. Studien har bidragit till att öka kunskapen om att kollegialt lärande är en effektiv metod att använda i förskolans kontext i ett professionsutvecklande syfte. Emellertid visar studien att kollegialt lärande är avhängigt av ett tillvaratagande av hela arbetslagets kompetens samt betydelsen av att förskolläraren leder och strukturerar samarbetet mellan kollegorna. / Collegial learning is a method where the work team defines problems and challenges in their own practice for the purpose of professional development. The present study focuses on collegial learning in the work team in preschool where the cooperation between preschool teachers and nannies is of great importance. For that reason, the study is based on both a preschool teacher’s perspective and a nannie’s perspective on collegial learning in preschool. To create a visible and varied picture of collegial learning in preschool, this study aims to seek knowledge about preschool teachers and nannies reasoning about their own professional development. The study’s theoretical point of departure is system theory, where social systems, like preschools organization, are considered open and in constant development. The study is based on interviews with preschool teachers and nannies where their reasoning for collegial learning is highlighted. The analysis of these reasoning resulted in three themes: Reasoning about collegial learning, the role of the preschool teachers and nannies in the collegial learning and experience of the contribution of the collegial learning to the preschool child learning and development. The result shows the importance of collegial learning to achieve variation and thus change the constancy to add new knowledge to the work team. Levels in the organization where hierarchies are important for achieving structure in the learning organization, as well as experiences of holistic thinking where the competencies of the entire work team are important, dominate in all three themes. The study has contributed to increasing the knowledge that collegial learning is an effective method to use in the preschool context for a professional development purpose. However, the study shows that collegial learning is dependent on utilizing the competence of the entire work team as well as the importance of the preschool teachers leading and structuring the collaboration between colleagues.