Junior Researcher, Child Development Laboratory, Research Institute of Urban Studies and Global Education, Moscow City University, Moscow, Russian Federation
Background. The foundation of any preschool educational practice is built upon implicitly embedded assumptions about a child’s psychological characteristics and developmental pathways. This may constitute not a systematic but rather an eclectic set of beliefs with poorly understood foundations; however, for effective practice, education must be grounded in a holistic system of psychological views based on a sound psychological conception. Furthermore, the conception itself, as it evolves, requires continuous reflection on its key tenets, including through the process of their interpretation in various practical implementations. The transfer of a scientific theory into a different cultural and linguistic space is of particular interest for its development. Yet, understanding the specifics of such a transfer necessitates dedicated research methodologies.
Objectives. This paper presents the authors’ original model for analyzing the representation of ideas from Lev Vygotsky’s Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) in scientific discourse and educational practice. The aim of developing this model is to enrich the understanding of CHAT ideas within national preschool education systems by examining how they exist within the context of both the target and the original scientific traditions and educational systems.
Sample. Hong Kong, representing a unique blend of cultural traditions, was selected as the testing ground for the model. Based on developed criteria, a sample of 50 open-access scientific, regulatory, and methodological texts in English by Hong Kong authors was selected.
Methods. The study was conducted through a textual analysis of these documents according to the authors’ model, which implies analyzing the presence of references to the founder of CHAT and his followers, the use of the theory’s key concepts, and the context of their application — whether for scientific discussion or practical development.
Results. The testing of the model demonstrated its applicability for analyzing the representation of CHAT ideas in the scientific discourse and educational practice of Hong Kong. The model allows for tracing the trajectory of Vygotsky’s influence on scientific discourse and educational practice, as well as the connection between scientific discourse and practical application.
Conclusions. The model can be applied to advance preschool education in various countries.
Background. Digital technologies are playing an increasingly important role in various fields, including education. However, despite their widespread use, the specific characteristics of the digital environment and its impact on preschoolers remain insufficiently studied at the theoretical level. It is important to understand the place and role of gadgets in kindergarten settings, how they can enrich a child’s social development situation, and what the adult’s role should be.
Objective. To examine 6-7 year-old children’s perceptions of their ideal personal phone (appearance, functions), and to analyze the relationship between these perceptions and actual phone use in groups with fundamentally different pedagogical approaches to gadgets.
Sample. The study involved 47 children aged 6-7 (25 girls and 22 boys) fr om 9 preschool groups across 3 educational institutions. Educators in these groups had different approaches to using digital devices.
Methods. The research was conducted using the mosaic approach, where children participated as co-researchers. Primary methods included drawing with commentary and interviews. For quantitative analysis, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test was applied.
Results. Qualitative analysis of children’s responses and interpreted drawings revealed that smartphones are significant objects for preschoolers, children are aware of its possible and real applications. Children demonstrated awareness of real-world applications, primarily planning to use phones for entertainment/games and communication, less for information-seeking. In groups where teachers didn’t use phones, children focused more on appearance (cases, phone-as-pet designs with ears/tails), while in gadget-positive groups, they emphasized more diverse functions, including child-task-oriented imaginary features. Gender differences were minimal, though girls more frequently mentioned calling and service/purchasing apps, while boys emphasized gaming.
Conclusions. Gadgets are relevant to preschoolers, with children’s phone-use conceptions ranging from predominantly reproductive (e.g., pretend phone play) to rare productive uses (e.g., creating self/friend videos) and institutional integration. The adult’s role is crucial: in groups wh ere educators actively used gadgets as cultural tools, children’s drawings showed greater app diversity and productive applications for situational problem-solving (e.g., information searches).
Introduction. The paper examines the necessity of public urban playgrounds for children. Psychological and pedagogical studies reveal that the quantity and quality of outdoor play areas do not cover the needs of children. The authors monitored playgrounds in different areas of Moscow, Russia in order to explore the actual situation in the urban space from the perspective of well balanced development and spontaneous outdoor learning of children of different ages. They looked into how existing public playgrounds covered the needs of children, and if the outdoor learning was possible.
Methods. The study had two stages. The data was collected by structured non-participant observation with interview elements in which 24 public playgrounds in Moscow were involved, 417 adults were interviewed. The authors carried out an analysis of the equipment of playgrounds, and children activities to determine whether and how far playgrounds were used for communication in mixed age groups.
Analysis and Results. The authors analyzed characteristics of playgrounds, including: location, observation time, age and number of visitors, equipment and its arrangement, presented play areas and infrastructure, surface materials, individual and group activities of children and adults. The observation discovered that children of three different ages (early, preschool and school age) were using public playgrounds at the same time. The vast majority of the playgrounds near apartment blocks (76.9%) and almost a half of the playgrounds in parks (45.5%) had separated play areas for children of different ages, which largely meets the needs of parents. The qualitative analysis revealed that the equipment of the park playgrounds was more diverse, while almost a half of the playgrounds near apartment blocks (53.8%) showed one and the same type of equipment. The authors emphasize that, both playgrounds near apartment blocks and playgrounds in parks, were more focused on active exercises; most components of the equipment were of the same type and had closed character. The authors discovered lack of equipment for experimenting. The infrastructure of the playgrounds of both types showed that the playgrounds were considered as a space for children only, the interests and needs of adults coming with children were not taken into account.
Conclusion. The study indicates the need to create additional conditions for supporting and developing of children’s game, and increasing educational capacity of playgrounds. Among the measures proposed by the authors is increasing the educational capacity of playgrounds, and creating a citywide digital resource with a map and description of psychological and pedagogical characteristics of outdoor areas for children. An important role is given to educational work with families, that will increase the parental competence and responsibility in the field of educational structuring and outdoor learning.
Introduction. The article presents the results of empirical research of teacher’s interaction with children at preschool age within the resolution of ethically controversial situations. To identify typical problems in the resolving of such conflicts we made the investigation with specially elaborated questionnaire and observation in six educational organisations of Moscow (in the survey 30 respondents participated: educators and managers).
Methods of the survey. To conduct the survey we developed the questionnaire based on the Code of Ethics of Singapore and the Handbook for Early Childhood Professionals, translated and adapted by the authors. In the process of questioning participants were requested to analyze 14 problem situations, and were asked to give examples of ethical dilemmas from their own working practice in kindergartens. In total we obtained the description of 25 situations.
Methods of observation. The observation was conducted in 8 preschool groups of different educational organisations using Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R) taking into account the parameters for the interaction.
Key results and conclusion. General characteristics of problem ethical situations were identified and described. Namely: analyzing the proposed ethical dilemmas respondents rather defend the correctness of one of the conflicting parties than offer a solution that takes into account boath conflicting interests; offering solutions to problem situations, respondents do not appeal to professional values; the surveyed teachers are dominated by the desire to settle the conflict here and now in authoritarian way, but not to arrange dialogue of different points of view; negative attitude to conflicts dominates. The conflict is not perceived as a natural component of the educational process, but as an evidence of the error of a teacher, a parent or a child. Consequently, the predominant setting “to avoid conflict anyway” or to suppress existing ones rather increases conflict interaction than the productivity of communication.
The article discusses the results of the study of the emotional well-being of 6-7 years old children of kindergartens in Moscow. The data were obtained through a questionnaire survey of children and their parents using the supplemented Children’s Barometer methodology, consisting of 22 questions for a child and 8 questions for a parent. The study was attended by 151 parent-child couples; children from 15 groups of 5 different preschools. Emotional well-being is based on satisfying the needs of the child, both basic and essential for the age at hand, and essential for personal development including personal relevance, recognition in the group, autonomy and initiative. It was important for us to hear the “voice of the child”, attitude towards kindergarten, what makes child happy and discomforting. It was found that children of 6-7 years old can express their opinion and attitude to what is happening in kindergarten. Organized forms of activity are less interesting for children than free activity; there are discrepancies between children’s and adults’ assessment of issues important for the child; children remember conflicts in kindergarten and it is important for them how the teacher resolves the children’s conflict. The educational environment and style of interaction between adults and children in groups implementing different pedagogical systems influences children’s attitude towards kindergarten, which was shown in significant statistical differences.