kalliope vrinioti & giannis thoidis university of western macedonia - greece pre-and primary...
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Kalliope Vrinioti & Giannis Thoidis
University of Western Macedonia - Greece
Pre-and primary school teachers’ views on children’s learning: A critical
appraisal of the Greek case
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
1
Introductory note
This comparative study of preschool teacher’s and primary school teacher’s perspectives on children’s learning was carried out in the context of the multilateral Comenius project SIGNALS, in which Greece – the University of Western Macedonia – is one of seven partners.
EECERA 25th Conference
Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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The main objective of SIGNALS (Strengthening Activity – Oriented Interaction and
Growth iN the EArLy Years and TransitionS )
is the development of children’s
abilities to participate actively and codecide
in preschool and in the first grades of
primary school, in close cooperation with
teachers, other children and their parents.
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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The Greek SIGNALS project
was developed in the first and second
grades of primary school (2014-2015).
During the stage of initial needs analysis
of the project we have investigated the
views of the primary school teachers as
well as those of the pre-primary school
teachers.
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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It was decided to ask also the
preschool teachers because their views
on children’s learning in preschool
influence children’s learning before
they arrive at the primary school.
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Purpose of the study
The aim of this study is to compare the
views of the Greek primary school
teachers with those of preschool
teachers on children’s learning in pre-
and primary school.
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Main hypothesis
Given that different pedagogical approaches are implemented in the curricula of preschool and primary education, it was expected that the views of the Greek primary school teachers and those of preschool teachers on children’s learning would be different.
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Method
The theoretical framework of the study
emerged out of social-cultural learning
theories whose main analytical concepts
are: “actors”, “activity”, “participation” and
“social interaction” (Vygotsky 1978; Rogoff
1990, 1993; Lave 1993; Lave & Wenger, 2005)
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Research Instrument This study expands on earlier research of
Danish and Swedish colleagues who
initially designed and utilized the survey
questionnaire in Denmark and Sweden. (Broström, Johansson, Sandberg, & Frokijaer,
(2012). To identify teachers’ views about
how children learn in pre-and primary
school the questionnaire comprised four
main questions: EECERA 25th Conference
Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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The main questions
1) What situations can be characterized as learning?
2) What activities are important for learning?
3) What are the best conditions for children’s learning
4) How do preschool teachers understand participation in relation
to children’s learning in preschool and respectively in primary
school? • Teachers were asked to rate the importance of each
of the response options using a 4-point Likert-type scale
(1 = most important to 4 = least important)
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Participants (n = 222)
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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The sample is not representativeAlthough the sample is not representative for the
entire population of the Greek pre - and primary
school teachers, its findings and especially those
which confer information concerning the way the
respondents understand the importance of
children’s active participation in daily educatio-
nal process, were helpful to us to respond to the
concrete real needs of the teachers. This is the
reason why we will focus, in this presentation,
more on these findings. EECERA 25th Conference
Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Statistical analysis
• Descriptive statistics
• One-way Anova, Kruskal -Wallis chi squared tests, PrincipalComponent analysis
• Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS (version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Cronbach’s Alpha: .87
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning
8 items, M: 2.00, S.D.: 54, a: .70
Pre-school teachers, M: 1.96, S.D. 56, Primary school teachers M: 2.02, S.D.: 53
Aa
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
A1 A3A2 A4 A5 A6 A8A7
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(1 = most important to 4 = least important)
What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning
Pre-school teachers, Primary school teachers
Aa
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
A1 A3A2 A4 A5 A6 A8A7
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What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning
Pre-school teachers, Primary school teachers
Aa
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
A1 A3A2 A4 A5 A6 A8A7
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What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning
Pre-school teachers, Primary school teachers
Aa
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
A1 A3A2 A4 A5 A6 A8A7
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What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
Ab
Pre-school teachers
Primary school teachers
A7A2 A5 A8
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What is learning? Situations in school that can be characterized as learning
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
Ab
Pre-school teachers
Primary school teachers
A7A2 A5 A8
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Correlation between factors related to
situations in school that can be characterized as learning
A5
A7
A5 A8
A7
A8
r = 404** p = .000
r = 405** p = .000
r = 480** p = .000
Ac
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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How do children learn? Activities that are important for children’s learning
10 items, M: 2.04, S.D.: 43, a: .64
Pre-school teachers, M: 2.02, S.D.: 45 Primary school teachers M: 2.06, S.D.: 41
Ba
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
B1 B2 B4B3 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10
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(1 = most important to 4 = least important)
How do children learn? Activities that are important for children’s learning
10 items, M: 2.04, S.D.: 43, a: .64
Pre-school teachers, M: 2.02, S.D.: 45 Primary school teachers M: 2.06, S.D.: 41
Ba
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
B1 B2 B4B3 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10
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How do children learn? Activities that are important for children’s learningBb
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
Pre-school teachers
Primary school teachers
U = 3750, z= -2.02,p = .043, n1 = 80, n2 = 112
t = 3.69, p = .000, df = 175
t = 2.62, p = .010, df = 203
B2 B4 B9
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How do children learn? Activities that are important for children’s learningBb
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
Pre-school teachers
Primary school teachers
U = 3750, z= -2.02,p = .043, n1 = 80, n2 = 112
t = 3.69, p = .000, df = 175
t = 2.62, p = .010, df = 203
B2 B4 B9
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Correlation between factors related to
activities that are important for children’s learning
B1
B9
B4 B5
B2
B8
r = 476** p = .000
r = 413** p = .000
r = 496** p = .000
Bc
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Best conditions for children’s learning
6 items, M: 1.75, S.D.: 52, a: .69
Pre-school teachers, M: 1.77, S.D.: 56 Primary school teachers M: 1.74, S.D.: 48
Ca
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
t = -2.25, p = .026, df= 204
C1 C2 C6C4 C5C3
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(1 = most important to 4 = least important)
Best conditions for children’s learning
6 items, M: 1.75, S.D.: 52, a: .69
Pre-school teachers, M: 1.77, S.D.: 56 Primary school teachers M: 1.74, S.D.: 48
Ca
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
t = -2.25, p = .026, df= 204
C1 C2 C6C4 C5C3
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7 items, M: 1.69, S.D.: 51, a: .71
Pre-school teachers, M: 1.70, S.D. 56, Primary school teachers M: 1.68, S.D.: 47
Teachers’ understanding of participationDa
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
D2D1 D4D3 D5 D6 D7
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(1 = most important to 4 = least important)
Correlation between factors related to
the teachers’ understanding of participation
D1
D6
D1 D5
D4
D5
r = 415** p = .000
r = 458** p = .000
r = 607** p = .000
Db
r = 506** p = .000 D7D6
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Differences in relation to participationbetween pre-school and primary school teachers (Items A8, B4, C6, D1)
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Differences in relation to the years of service
EECERA 25th ConferenceBarcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
< 1010-20> 20
Kruskal-Wallis, p = .018,x2 = (2, N = 193) = 8.02
Anova, p = .05F(2, 185) = 3.04
p= .039 x2 = (2,N= 199)= 6.51
p=.006 x2=(2,N=199)=10.27
p=.042 x2=(2,N=208)=6.36 p=.023
x2=(2,N=211)=7.51
D6A6 D5B7B4 C1
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Discussion 1/3
From the comparison of the views of the
two groups we found common perceptions
of the importance of the role of school and
children in the learning process.
In contrast, we found differences
between the two groups regarding
specific aspects of learning. EECERA 25th Conference
Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Discussion 2/3 For example in contrast with pre-school
teaches primary school teachers concentrate on knowledge acquisition.
According to the primary school teachers, children’s own initiatives are rated, in comparison with other factors, as having relatively little influence on learning.
These differences can be mainly attributed to
the different levels of education and to the
differences in the curriculum at these levels.EECERA 25th Conference
Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Discussion 3/3The critical appraisal of the differences but also
of the similarities of the views of both groups
was the starting point of the construction of the
design and the development of the Greek
SIGNALS project, because these views have
an impact upon the teaching and learning
process in the first and second grade of the
primary school and are, hence, factors which
facilitate or, on the contrary, impede the
development of participation and codecision. EECERA 25th Conference
Barcelona, Spain 7-10 September 2015
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Thank you for your attention
vrinioti@uowm.gr
ithoidis@uowm.gr
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