Learning Outcomes
The students will study the contemporary trends of preschool education and will gain knowledge, form opinions and exchange ideas about the basic issues that concern the education of preschool- aged children in the 21st century.
In addition, they will study the preschool education programs (historical retrospection, goals, environment, role of children and teacher, materials and activities, exemplary daily program, critical evaluation) and will gain knowledge, form opinions and exchange ideas about the planning, implementation and evaluation of the appropriate programs for preschoolers.
Course Content (Syllabus)
Presentation and critical analysis of the contemporary trends of preschool education, as the project approach, the Reggio Emilia approach, Vygotsky’s theory and its application in preschool education, developmentally appropriate practices, Gardner’s theory for multiple intelligences and the application for preschool education that derives from it, children’s museums: an innovative way for educating children and educators, new technologies in preschool classrooms.
Programs of 18th, 19th, 20th century: Brief presentation. Preschool education programs in Greece. The Montessori program. Behaviorist programs with special reference to Bereiter- Engelmann- Becker and Distar. The Bank- Street program. The High- Scope program. The Kamii-DeVries program. An approach for the development of creativity. An approach for the promotion of peace. An approach for the cultivation of emotions. A multicultural approach. A bilingual approach. An approach for the inclusion of special needs children in a regular classroom. In all the programs/approaches above, special attention is given to the space/ environment, the planning and application of the program, the relations between children and educators, among children and teachers and parents and the evaluation of the development and learning of the children. Comparison of the programs and approaches and evaluation of them. Comparison of the programs and approaches to the Greek curriculum for the kindergarten.
Additional bibliography for study
Edwards, C. Gandini, L. & Forman, G. (2001). Reggio Emilia: Οι χίλιες γλώσσες των παιδιών προσχολικής ηλικίας. Αθήνα: Εκδ. Πατάκη.
Helm, J. & Katz, L. (2002). Μέθοδος project και προσχολική εκπαίδευση. Αθήνα: Μεταίχμιο.
Κακανά, Δ. κ.ά (2006). (επιμ). Η αξιολόγηση στην εκπαίδευση: Παιδαγωγική και διδακτική διάσταση. Θεσ/νίκη: Αφοί Κυριακίδη.
Katz, L. & Chard, S. (2004). H μέθοδος project. Αθήνα: Ατραπός.
McAfee, O. Leong, D. & Bodrova, E. (2010). Βασικές αρχές της αξιολόγησης στην προσχολική αγωγή και εκπαίδευση. Αθήνα: Εκδ. Παπαζήση.