Childrens Participation In Pree- school
Author(s):
Kristina Hellberg (presenting / submitting) Helene Elvstrand (presenting)
Conference:
ECER 2013
Network:
25. Research on Children's Rights in Education
Format:
Paper

Session Information

25 SES 12, Children's Participation in the Research Process

Paper Session

Time:
2013-09-13
09:00-10:30
Room:
A-205
Chair:
Ann Quennerstedt

Contribution

This paper is focussing on children´ participation in pre-school. We analyse the children´s participation during the daily life in pre-school. The study focuses upon participation in the context in pre-school in Sweden. From the UNconvention on the right of the Child (Utrikesdepartementet, 2009) clearly declares children’s right to have a say in all question that matter to them. The children also has right to ask question and demand from their point of view.

 

In Sweden, children are given the opportunity to influence and participation in their everyday in pre-school. This is formulated and regulated in pre-school management documents (Lpfö document made 2010). Furthermore, it is regulated in the UN Convention on the rights of the child (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2009) Sweden acceded to.

 

There is a debate, which has occasionally been vigorous in Sweden, about pupils’ democracy and participation in school. In this debate have predominantly been adults who participated. Pupil´s themselves have rarely had to make its voice heard in these contexts. This means that it rather adults who have had their opinion on children's participation in school rather than children or pupils themselves and their voices (Elvstrand, 2009).The focus of these discussions has concentrate on, if the pupils are involved or not and whether pupils were taken into account. This debate has not appeared in the preschool in the same way in Sweden. But there is at discussion about the competent child and to listen to their voices in pre-school. Many preschool in Sweden

 

The study departure in the framework of the sociology of childhood (James & Prout, 1990). The sociology of childhood rests upon some basic assumptions, that childhood is understood as a social construction. The aim with this paper is to present a research project on children’s participation in pre- school that has been initiated during the spring 2013.

Method

As the project is initiated as an ethnographic action research, the main research issues, as well as the action, are defined by the teachers during the first phase of the research, in co-production with the researchers, inventing visions, restraints, possibilities and a plan of action. We conduct ethnographic observations at the units. We also conduct qualitative interviews with teachers, and children at the preschool. The design is though necessarily quite flexible at this point of time as it depends on the action and the issues that then may be identified as important for closer study. The data are collected in to pre- school in Sweden. Ethical considerations have been an important point of reflection during the whole research process , in getting access to the field, in relations and interactions during our fieldwork (Roberts, 2000; Alderson, 2000).

Expected Outcomes

The presentation will focus upon the initial phase of the project and point out the research questions which are formulated in co-pro as important questions to investigate further in the area. Further on the presentation will focus on how the children as listen to, into the daily life in preschool.

References

Alderson, P. (2000). School student´s views on school councils and daily life at school. Children and society., 14, 121-134. Elvstrand, H. (2009). Delaktighet I skolans vardagsarbete. Diss. Linköpings univeristet Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2009 Skolverket. (2010). Läroplan för förskolan, Lpfö 98 (reviderad 2010). Stockholm. Roberts, H. (2008). Listening to children and hearing the. I P. Christensen. & A. James (eds). Research with Children : Perspective and practice. London: Palmer press.

Author Information

Kristina Hellberg (presenting / submitting)
Linköpings university, Sweden
Helene Elvstrand (presenting)
Linköping University
Institution for Social and wellfare studies
Noeeköping

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