In the research article, we focus on research and data collection from the perspective of the child, where the latter is an active researcher. During the research, we sought to break the scientific effect of data collection, which can only be done through play and by including all children in research, or so-called experimentation. We offered them resources that encouraged a high level of motivation, and we guided the children through the research with open-ended questions. Qualitative research is presented with an emphasis on interview techniques. In the theoretical part of the article, we focus primarily on photography, which is a very common visual method in research with preschool children. Namely, it is one of the methods that encourages children to discuss, think and discover the unknown. We present the advantages of photography as a widespread method and the challenges we face when researching with younger children. In the empirical part of the research, a small sample of children (N = 9) was interviewed with a photograph taken by the child, and the purpose was based on the analysis of the child’s perception and interpretation. The central theme refers to the child’s experience of positive feelings expressed through the photograph. A descriptive causal non-experimental method of empirical pedagogical research was used.
Author : Andreja Istenič
Coaching in the Leadership for Development-Oriented Work in Educational Organization in a Crisis Situation
The crisis situation, the pandemic, with the closure of the educational space, has stimulated the integration of the virtual environment and digital technology into the educational space and has brought new leadership challenges. We investigated the experience of employees in the educational space (schools with adapted programmes, primary schools and secondary schools) during the pandemic. We found that employees experienced the negative aspect of facing the pandemic requirements for a virtual work environment. They were faced with the challenge of seeking help during the work process. They also had problems with remote work effectiveness, motivation and satisfaction. We were interested in the school leaders’ response to work, the role of the leadership in the process of employee adaptation, and how to identify, understand and use the development tool of coaching when working in a virtual environment. A development tool is an aid to the work process, which enhances work performance. The study confirmed that a development-oriented work process depends on a higher utility value of coaching, from a positive employee response to the use of digital technologies in the work process and leaders’ support in this. To the extent that employees were more open to using the Internet in the work process, they also reacted more positively to the new working conditions which required shifting online during the pandemic. A more positive response was also present in those where the leader’s support was higher. We also detected a more positive response to the work process among employees who expressed an opinion about the higher useful value of coaching during the work process. We found that employees’ response to online technologies was quite positive. Employees’ response to the virtual work process was positive. Employees were open to the use of online technologies if the role of the employer was supportive. This leads to a better development-oriented work process.
Digital Devices in Early Childhood Play: Digital Technology in the First Two Years of Slovene Toddlers’ Lives
This article offers a first insight into the digital environment of Slovenian toddlers. We report on the use of digital technology and toys allowed by parents in their children’s home environment. The study is based on the results of an online questionnaire completed by parents of 26 Slovenian children up to 2 years of age (M = 17.8 months; SD = 5.6). On average, 9% of all children’s toys are digital toys and they spend 10% of their play time playing with digital toys. Among the most commonly, but still only occasionally, used digital toys or technology are smartphones and tablets. Compared to other types of digital technology, parents believed that screen-based digital toys in particular supported their child’s skills development. Ultimately, parents do not strongly associate digital technologies with positive developmental and educational effects, but rather they believe that digital technology provides entertainment, enables information-seeking and keeps children busy. Nevertheless they allow, or will allow, the child to use digital technology mainly because they believe it enables learning. Further research, if needed, will be carried out to look closely at the children’s use of digital technology and its effects on young children’s development.
How do Slovenian Educators feel about Gamification? Interested to Know More
Research examining teachers’ attitudes toward gamification is scarce, although attitudes play a critical
role in implementing a new pedagogical approach. The aim of this study was to understand whether
Slovenian educators are familiar with the concept of gamification, whether they have experience
using it, and what their attitudes are towards its use. A secondary goal was also to construct an
instrument that can capture the affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of teachers’
attitudes toward gamification. Based on survey results from 103 Slovenian educators, teachers did
not have a good understanding of gamification and had difficulty distinguishing it from game-based
learning, although more than 60% reported using the principles of gamification at least once in the
past year. However, teachers’ attitudes toward gamification are quite positive and they expressed an
interest in learning more about how to use it in their teaching. They would use it mainly to make
learning content more interesting and motivate their students but have concerns that it is difficult to
implement and that it would overwhelm them. The main findings of the study show that Slovenian
educators lack familiarity with gamification and competencies to effectively take advantage of its
benefits but are open and positive about adopting this innovative method to motivate their students.
Pre-Service Teachers’ Concerns about Social Robots in the Classroom: A Model for Development
Social robots are being tested in the educational arena with current thinking in two main directions. One is arguing for the benefits of robots in affective and efficient instruction and is more teacher- centered. Within the second, more student-centered oriented, proponents of human uniqueness are raising long-term concerns. Teacher-centeredness and student-centeredness form pedagogical beliefs underpinning teachers’ attitudes guiding technology integration. Limited research has explored teachers’ underlying beliefs and attitudes to social robots, with some presenting mixed feelings identifying some concerns with some identifying more positive attitudes. Preservice education is critical in forming beliefs, and this paper presents a qualitative study of Slovene pre- service pre-primary school and primary classroom pre-service teachers’ attitudes and underlying beliefs. Students were asked to reflect on their perception of social robotic educational technology in which they would highlight at their own discretion the positive, neutral and negative aspects. Students’ reflections predominantly expressed concerns. The research model was designed in part, drawing from participants reflections and on related studies. Previous studies indicated the concerns teachers hold about robotic technology, but lacked a more holistic model. We built a threefold model distinguishing instructional, social-emotional, and legal concerns. Our findings differ from related studies because they identified participants’ negative attitudes and a clear rejection of robot technology with a human-like appearance and social skills in the classroom. Previous student- centered studies reported on single groups of concerns within specific contexts without developing a holistic view relating diverse concerns in one picture. Related teacher-centered studies were arguing for refinements anticipating robot’s social intelligence affordance in the classroom. The participants in our study are not rejecting social robots as such, but in their view, the robot is not granted the status of a social entity capable of engaging in student-centered teaching and taking care of child wellbeing and development. The findings of our study call for action and informed robot development, taking into consideration teachers as co-designers.
Editorial: Learning and Development in a Post-Digital Age
Learning and development are the focus of The Journal of Education and Selfdevelopment.
In the computation era, the contexts and spaces for learning need to be
reconsidered. In early learning, the child acts in an approximate environment interacting
with parents and also mediated by artefacts. The child learns by sensing human touch
and non-verbal communication as well as from the material world surrounding her.
Interaction in this approximate environment affords a child in its learning and development
through the socialisation process. In post-digital era, the environment is constructed in
societal processes utilising physical and digital materiality. The proliferation of digital
technologies is affecting socialisation and perception of reality (materiality of physical
and digital and transmedia practices) and the child’s agency. How the interaction process
takes place utilising a set of media is affecting self-development and self-conception. The
environment is established by social practices which in post-digital era blur the boundary
between physical and digital. In defining literacy, the terms online and offline activity
are introduced (Sefton-Green, Marsh, Erstad, & Flewitt, 2016). The boundaries between
physical and virtual are blurred (Marsh, 2010; Plowman, 2016).
The social practices and digital technology are interconnected