Forskning om villkor för barns lärande i förskola, förskoleklass och fritidshem

Abstract

An account and an analysis are given in this research overview of the conditions for learning in the voluntary types of school for young children. “Learning” in this overview should be understood as a broad concept which includes various theoretical perspectives as to what is taught and to whom. The conditions for children’s learning at preschools, preschool classes and after-school centres cover studies of the learners themselves (the “who”), the act of learning (the “how”) and the subject matter (the “what”) in their institutional, historical and societal settings. The contents of the report embrace the following topics and issues: The report concludes with a critical discussion and proposals for future research. The discussion section advances three conditions for societal struc- turing as being of special importance to children’s learning at preschools, positioning in the education system of the voluntary types of school. Research has shown that the positions of the preschools and after-school centres and their suborder in the education system influence teaching practice and set their stamp on it. The second condition is the institutional historical tradition which discursively impacts on teaching practice. The third condition is the societal function and status of the voluntary types of school. Preschools, preschool classes and after-school centres are voluntary types of school and thus also states the importance to society of their relationship to the compulsory primary schools, but also to other societal institutions.