European early childhood education research journal
Paginering:
Jaargang 10 (2002) nr. 1 pagina's 39-53
Jaar:
2002
Inhoud:
The article is based on my study, Playing researchers, which was published in two parts, as a video and as a text (Riihela, 2000). This research and development project focused its attention on children's thoughts and collaborative behaviour by using the new Storycrafting method. The play and interaction of small, 1 to 6 year old children in educational situations organised by day-care personnel was recorded on video-tape (in total, 14 hours, 20 children, 5 adults). The research showed that children's thoughts and viewpoints are brought out when they are allowed to play an active role and when educational work is directed by children's ways of producing knowledge through telling stories, playing and doing research. The joint activity of children and their ways of producing knowledge were analysed and compared with adult practices and learning environments. Among other things the research showed that, due to their innate collaborative playing skills, their zest for life and their rich imaginations, children find the patterns of human interaction very early on. Sociality, in fact, originates in children's play. Important features in the formation of collaborative activity are expressions, gestures, looks, initiatives and responses, and the rhythms of joint activity are regulated by rules which may be externally directed or emerging from within the group.
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