New Methods For Motivating and Activating the Child in Preschool Education

Title of Educational Programme:

New Methods For Motivating and Activating the Child in Preschool Education

Description:

Dear kindergarten teachers, preschool education providers and representatives of educational institutions,
You have just opened the pages of an educational programme created in collaboration with kindergarten teachers and university educators, who are preparing future teachers at pedagogical faculties in the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Slovenia.
The goal of the educational programme is to further elucidate the principles of two innovative strategies – project-based education and task-based learning in the context of current approaches towards preschool education. These educational strategies fully reflect the personality-oriented model of education, which should form the basis of our current preschool education. The goal of both strategies is to allow the child to be as active as possible in the learning process, to ask questions and – together with others – to search for the answers.
Both approaches however make use of different processes. The teacher learns to take on the new role of the children’s guide. The course clarifies the principles of both strategies and provides practical examples of their use in kindergartens. Each part of the educational programme is prepared to help the teacher individually apply the given strategy in their work. The initial, theoretical section is followed by a set of examples from practice. The examples are taken from the activities of kindergartens participating in the Erasmus+ project Learning by Doing and are supplemented with commentaries from the teachers who implemented the projects in their kindergartens.
The educational programme focuses on the didactic aspect of applying the method of project-based learning (PBL) and task-based learning (TBL) in a kindergarten environment.
The educational programme is primarily intended for all teachers who want to expand their professional competences. It can also be used by providers of education for preschool teachers, such as further teacher education centres, pedagogical secondary schools, higher vocational schools and faculties of education as part of undergraduate preparation and further education courses. The innovative educational programme offers lessons on applying project-based and task-based learning at the kindergarten level, including verifying the acquired abilities and competences of the participants.
The educational programme is free and open to all.

Information about the project:
This educational course was developed as part of the “Learning by Doing – Attainment of Basic Competences in ECEC (ABC for kindergartens)” project (2020-1-CZ01-KA201-078464). This project was undertaken with the financial support of the European Union.
Responsibility for the contents of this course (communication) lies entirely with the authorial team. The content of this course (communication) does not reflect the opinions of the European Commission and the European Commission may not be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Authorial Team:
Primary editors: PhDr. Barbora Loudová Stralczynská, Ph.D., PhDr. Eva Koželuhová, Ph.D.
Authors:
Faculty of Education at the Charles University in Prague:
PhDr. Barbora Loudová Stralczynská, Ph.D., PhDr. Eva Koželuhová, Ph.D.
Catholic University in Ružomberok:
PaedDr. Mária Vargová, Ph.D., PaedDr. Miriam Uhrinová, Ph.D., doc. PaedDr. Zlatica Huľová, Ph.D.
Faculty of Education at the University in Maribor:
Dr. Marta Licardo, dr. Nika Golob, dr. Darja Antolin Drešar, red. prof. Sabina Šinko, před. Anna Tina Jurgec
Kopřivnice Kindergartens:
Mgr. Alena Pokorná, Bc. Barbora Jašková, Jana Kvitová, Zuzana Kvitová, Pavla Macháčová, Bc. Iva Pustková
University Special Care Kindergarten Arabská, Prague 6:
BcA. Vendula Turnerová, Mgr. et Mgr. Irena Hanyš Holemá, Ph.D.
Kindergarten Riadok, Ružomberok:
Mgr. Tatiana Slotová, Bc. Eva Kostíková, Bc. Zuzana Šimová
Kindergarten Studenci, Maribor:
Sidonija Bratuša, Vesna Cepelnik, Zvezdana Murko, Nataša Savec, Dragica Sernc

Project Coordinator:
Nakladatelství Dr. Josef Raabe, s.r.o.: Mgr. Stanislava Andršová

Scope of the educational programme:
50 hours

Contents of the educational programme:
Lesson 1: The Child in the Educational Process – theory and practical examples from kindergartens
Lesson 2: Project-Based Learning in Preschool Education – theory
Lesson 3: Project-Based Learning in Preschool Education – examples of best practices
Lesson 4: Task-Based Learning in Preschool Education – theory
Lesson 5: Task-Based Learning in Preschool Education – examples of best practices
Lesson 6: Project-Based and Task-Based Learning – a comparison of approaches
Lesson: Final Test

Who is the educational programme intended for:

• Kindergarten teachers who wish to increase their professional development with an emphasis on student-centred methods.
• Providers of pedagogical education for preschool teachers (universities, further teacher education providers, associations and societies).
• Students of study courses in the field of preschool education at the secondary and tertiary level of study and for employees of preschool facilities.

Completion conditions for the educational programme:

1. Participation in pedagogical lessons.
2. Successfully passing the final test.

After successfully completing the course, participants will be awarded a certificate.