Human rights education and the atmosphere of early and pre-school education institutions

Kako bi se poštovala prava djeteta i u potpunosti odgovorilo na potrebe djece, rad odgojno-obrazovne ustanove mora se temeljiti na humanističkim vrijednostima, a ustanova se razvijati sukladno suvremenim spoznajama o odgoju i obrazovanju. Želimo li odgojiti djecu da budu punopravni članovi demokratskog društva, s odgojem o ljudskim pravima moramo početi već od prvog susreta djeteta s odgojno-obrazovnom ustanovom, odnosno od ranog i predškolskog odgoja i obrazovanja. Unatoč deklarativnoj razini poštovanja ljudskih prava i promicanju ideje o nužnosti njihova uvažavanja, pedagoška praksa pokazuje da se prava djeteta kao i odgoj za ljudska prava različito ostvaruju u odgojno-obrazovnim ustanovama. U ovom radu posebni interes je usmjeren na istraživanje ozračja kao indikatora kvalitete u provođenju odgoja za ljudska prava. Kakvo će ozračje vladati u odgojno-obrazovnoj ustanovi ovisi o poštovanju temeljnih ljudskih i djetetovih prava što je prvenstveno odgovornost odraslih. Stoga, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi razlikuju li se procjene ozračja za ostvarenje odgoja za ljudska prava između odgojitelja i roditelja. Istraživanje je provedeno u ustanovama ranog i predškolskog odgoja i obrazovanja u Splitu. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 68 odgojitelja i 99 roditelja iz gradskih i privatnih vrtića grada Splita. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da između procjena ispitanika nema značajne razlike te jedni i drugi visoko vrednuju kvalitetu ozračja. Može se zaključiti da ispitanici smatraju ozračje prikladnim za ostvarenje odgoja za ljudska prava.In order to respect the rights of the child and fully respond to the needs of children, the work of an educational institution must be based on humanistic values, and institutions must be developed according to contemporary pedagogical knowledge. If we want to raise children as full members of a democratic society, education in human rights must be initiated from the child’s first contact with the educational institution, that is starting at early and pre-school education. In spite of the declarative level of respect for human rights and with promoting the idea of the necessity of their appreciation, teaching practice shows that children’s rights as well as human rights education are differently realized in educational institutions. This paper focuses on the research of the teaching atmosphere as a quality indicator in the implementation of human rights education. What kind of atmosphere will occur in a particular educational institution depends on the respect for fundamental human rights as well as the child’s rights, which is primarily the responsibility of adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if there is a difference between teachers and parents in the assessment of educational atmospheres that seek to foster human rights education. The survey was conducted in early and pre-school educational institutions in Split. The survey included 68 teachers and 99 parents from public and private kindergartens in Split. Results show that there in no significant difference in respondents assessments, in which both state a positive opinion concerning the existent educational atmosphere. We conclude that informants consider climate suitable for the realization of the human rights education

Readiness of preschool educators for professional development and training

Aim: To investigate early childhood teachers’ readiness for professional development. Methods: We surveyed 150 early childhood educators from Croatia through an online two-part questionnaire. The first part collected general information about the respondents, while the second focused on the self-assessment of readiness for professional development. We analyzed the data with descriptive statistics. Results: Overall, respondents had a high level of readiness for professional development (mean = 4.21 [range = 1–5], standard deviation = 0.54). There were no statistically significant age or work experience-based differences in educators’ readiness for professional development. Educators who were in permanent employment and had completed a graduate degree appeared readier for professional development. Conclusion: Early childhood teachers showed readiness for professional development and training regardless of age, employment status, work experience, or educational attainment

Parental competence and (non)pedagogical professions

Rad se bavi usporedbom samoprocjene roditeljske kompetencije u aspektu zadovoljstva roditeljstvom i roditeljskom učinkovitosti, roditeljskih uvjerenja o odgojnim postupcima, slike o djetetu te općeg doživljaja kompetentnosti za roditeljsku ulogu roditelja pedagoških i nepedagoških zanimanja. Poticaj za ovo istraživanje bili su rezultati više provedenih istraživanja koji su potvrdili da razina obrazovanja i vrsta zanimanja roditelja mogu utjecati na obnašanje roditeljske uloge. Na tragu tih rezultata ovaj je rad krenuo od pretpostavke da pedagoške kompetencije koje su temelj pedagoških zanimanja mogu pripadnike takvih zanimanja učiniti kompetentnijim roditeljima. Istraživanje se sastoji od teorijskog i empirijskog dijela. U teorijskom dijelu rada problematizira se pitanje suvremene obitelji i njezinih funkcija, razmatraju se promjene do kojih je došlo u obiteljskom odgoju pod utjecajem suvremenih društvenih promjena te se u tom kontekstu sagledava nova uloga roditelja. Roditeljstvu se pristupa kao ulozi, procesu i/ili odnosu, a naglasak se u razmatranju stavlja na odnos roditeljske i radne uloge te roditeljske kompetencije. Polazište je cjelokupnog pristupa da se od suvremenog roditelja očekuje da odgoji samostalnog, produktivnog i odgovornog pojedinca, a takvoj zadaći mogu odgovoriti samo pedagoški kompetentni roditelji koji su u stanju prepoznati, razumjeti i na odgovarajući način odgovoriti na djetetove potrebe. Cilj empirijskog dijela istraživanja je utvrditi postoji li razlika u različitim područjima roditeljske kompetencije između roditelja pedagoških i nepedagoških zanimanja. Ispitivanjem je obuhvaćeno 437 visokoobrazovanih roditelja pri čemu je 208 roditelja bilo pedagoških zanimanja (odgojitelji, učitelji razredne nastave, nastavnici predmetne i stručne nastave), a 229 roditelja nepedagoških zanimanja (ekonomija, medicina, pravo, građevina, informatika, elektrotehnika). Za sve roditelje u uzorku uvjet je bio da imaju jedno dijete u dobi od tri do sedam godina (bez obzira na broj i dob ostale djece u obitelji). U istraživanju se krenulo od generalne hipoteze da ne postoji razlika u samoprocjeni roditeljske kompetencije, i to zadovoljstva roditeljstvom i roditeljske učinkovitosti, roditeljskim uvjerenjima o odgojnim postupcima, slici o djetetu te općeg doživljaja kompetentnosti za roditeljsku ulogu s obzirom na pedagoška i nepedagoška zanimanja roditelja, a koja je djelomično potvrđena. Razlika između ova dva uzorka pokazala se na subskalama: roditeljska učinkovitost, uvjerenja o uključenosti roditelja u odgoj djece, korištenje indukcije, odgovaranje na plač djeteta i nepotrebnost tjelesnog kažnjavanja, a nije se pokazala na subskalama: zadovoljstva roditeljstvom, uvjerenja o važnosti poslušnosti i podređenosti djeteta, slici djeteta te u samoprocjeni sposobnosti u, i znanjima o roditeljskom djelovanju. Rezultati su pokazali da se roditelji pedagoških zanimanja osjećaju učinkovitijima u svom roditeljstvu, te da imaju suvremenija uvjerenja o važnosti uključenosti roditelja u odgoj djece, primjeni indukcije, poželjnom pravodobnom odgovaranju na djetetov plač i nepotrebnosti tjelesnog kažnjavanja djece od roditelja nepedagoških zanimanja. Ovakav rezultat pokazao je da su pedagoška zanimanja roditelja u odnosu sa roditeljskom kompetencijom, stoga je moguće zaključiti da pedagoške kompetencije koje su temelj pedagoških zanimanja mogu pridonijeti roditeljskoj kompetenciji, iako ne na svim njenim aspektima. Na temelju svih rezultata izneseni su zaključci rada kao i ograničenja istraživanja te prijedlozi moguće primjene dobivenih rezultata.Background. This thesis comprises a theoretical and an empirical part. The theoretical part of the thesis first problematizes the question of contemporary families and their functions, considers the changes that occurred in family education under the influence of contemporary social change and considers the new role of parents in this context. Parenting is seen as a role, process and/or relathionship, and an emphasis is placed on examining the association between parental and work roles and parental competence. The underlying postulate of this approach is that modern parent is expected to raise independent, productive and responsible individuals, and that only pedagogically competent parents who are able to recognize, understand and appropriately respond to the child's needs may successfully respond to this task. Within this doctoral thesis a comparison is made with respect to parental self-competence, specifically the aspects of parental satisfaction and self-efficacy, parental beliefs regarding child-rearing practices, image of the child, and general sense for competence in parental role, among parents with pedagogical and non-pedagogical professions. This research was motivated by previous studies wich confirmed that the level of parents' education and type of occupation may impact parental behavior. Therefore it was hypothesized that pedagogical competences that form the basis of pedagogical professions could make pedagogical workers become more competent parents. Aim. The aim of empirical part of the conducted research study was to determine whether there exist any differences in parental self-competence, specifically the aspects of parental satisfaction and self-efficacy, parental beliefs regarding child-rearing practices, image of the child, and general sense for competence in parental role, among parents with pedagogical and non-pedagogical professions Methods. The research sample included 437 parents with higher educational degrees among which 208 parents had pedagogical professions (kindengarden teachers, elementary school teachers, class teachers, subject teachers of specialized teaching), and 229 parents had non-pedagogical professions (economics, medicine, law, engineering, computer science, electrical engineering). Furthermore, all parents in the sample were required to have a child between the ages of three to seven years (regardless of the number and ages of the other children in the family). Results. The general hypothesis of this study stated that there is no difference in parenting self-competence with respect to the investigated aspects of parental satisfaction and self-efficacy, parental beliefs about child-rearing practices, image of the child, and general sense for competence in parental role among parents with pedagogical and non-pedagogical professions, which was partially confirmed. The differences between the two samples were revealed on the following subscales: parental self-efficacy, beliefs about parental involvement in raising the child, the use of induction, responding to a baby's cry and the unnecessity of physical punishment. In contrast, no differences were revealed with respect to the subscales: parental satisfaction, beliefs about the importance of obedience and subordination of the child, the image of the child and the self-evaluation of knowledge and skills related to their parental role. Conclusion. The results confirmed that parents with pedagogical professions feel more effective in their parenting, and have more contemporary beliefs about the importance of parental involvement in raising the child, the application of induction, desirable beliefs of response time to baby's cries and unnecessity of corporal punishment of children than parents with non-pedagogical professions. This result showed that the pedagogical professions of parents are related to parental competence, suggesting that pedagogical competencies which represent the foundation of pedagogical profession can contribute to parental competence, although not in all its aspects. Application. Based on all obtained results, the final parts of the thesis discuss the study’s main conclusions, its limitations and advantages, as well as a summary of recommendations for future research on this topics. Results of this study will serve as scientific basis for development of programs for parents with non-pedagogical, as well as pedagogical professions, with the aim of acquiring and improving parental competencies

Profesionalni razvoj odgajatelja i učitelja za rad s roditeljima

With initial education, practice and lifelong learning, educational staff develop knowledge, skills, abilities, as well as values and attitudes necessary for holistic approach to child development. Beliefs and attitudes can significantly determine how an individual will act. Therefore, in order to determine the differences in child-rearing beliefs and the image of the child between parents in teaching and non-teaching professions, a survey was conducted on a sample of 544 respondents with completed tertiary education. The sample consisted of 247 parents in teaching professions (kindergarten teachers, teachers, pedagogues) and 297 parents in non-teaching professions (economics, law, healthcare, engineering). The general hypothesis of this research was that there is no difference in child-rearing beliefs and the image of the child between parents in teaching and non-teaching professions. However, the results have revealed some differences. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers, more so than respondents in other professions, think that it is not necessary at all to use corporal punishment, but to be more actively involved instead and use induction in the upbringing of children. They also have a more contemporary view of the image of the child. Based on all the obtained results, it is possible to conclude that educational staff should be more engaged in the development of parental competence.Pedagoški djelatnici inicijalnim obrazovanjem, praksom i trajnim usavršavanjem osim znanja, vještina i sposobnosti, razvijaju vrijednosti i stavove potrebne za poticanje cjelovitog razvoja djeteta. Uvjerenja i stavovi mogu znatno odrediti djelovanje pojedinaca. Stoga je s ciljem utvrđivanja razlike u uvjerenjima o odgoju djece i slici djeteta između roditelja pedagoških i nepedagoških zanimanja provedeno istraživanje na uzorku od 544 visokoobrazovana ispitanika. Uzorak je činilo 247 roditelja pedagoških zanimanja (odgojitelji, učitelji, nastavnici, pedagozi) i 297 roditelja nepedagoških zanimanja (ekonomisti, pravnici, zdravstveni djelatnici, inženjeri). Iako se u istraživanju krenulo od generalne hipoteze da ne postoji razlika u uvjerenjima o odgoju djece i slici djeteta između roditelja pedagoških i nepedagoških zanimanja, rezultati su pokazali postojanje razlike. Ispitanici koji su po zanimanju odgojitelji i učitelji više nego ispitanici drugih zanimanja smatraju da u odgoju djece nije potrebno tjelesno kažnjavanje, već da treba biti više aktivno uključen i koristiti se indukcijom. Također, imaju suvremeniji pogled na sliku djeteta. Na temelju svih rezultata moguće je zaključiti da postoji potreba većeg angažmana pedagoških djelatnika u poticanju razvoja pedagoške kompetencije roditelja

Contents of the Intercultural Competence in the National Curriculum Framework

Pod utjecajem globalizacije mijenja se razumijevanje i prihvaćanje različitih kultura pa vrijednosti neophodne za aktivno sudjelovanje u suvremenom životu postaju ostvareni kvalitetni dijalog, razumijevanje, prihvaćanje i življenje s drugima i drukčijima. Upravo razvojem interkulturalnih kompetencija u učenika razvijamo sposobnosti potrebne za aktivno sudjelovanje u globalnom društvu. Kako bismo osigurali optimalni razvoj interkulturalnih kompetencija, promjene je potrebno uvoditi na svim razinama odgojno-obrazovnog sustava, od ustanova za rani i predškolski odgoj do visokoškolskih ustanova, a posebice u izobrazbi budućih učitelja. „Nacionalnim okvirnim kurikulumom“ predlažu se osnovne smjernice poučavanja interkulturalnih kompetencija.Under the influence of globalization, the understanding and acceptance of different cultures change. Therefore, values necessary for active participation in modern life are quality dialogue, understanding, accepting and living with others and the different. With development of intercultural competence, students develop the skills necessary for active participation in the global society. To ensure optimal development of intercultural competences, changes need to be introduced at all levels of the educational system (from the institution of early and pre-school education to higher education institutions), particularly in the education of future teachers. National Curriculum Framework proposes basic guidelines for teaching intercultural competences

Competent (And/Or Responsible) Parenting as a Prerequisite for a Complete Child Development

The issue of parental pedagogical competence is becoming morepronounced particularly if it is understood in the context of raising childrenfor a competent and responsible behaviour. Parenting involves undertakingvarious activities aimed at taking care of the child, encouraging his/herdevelopment, and simultaneously developing interpersonal relations. In theirparenting, parents seek to fulfil various personal and social expectations, sothe key issue is how parents perceive their own pedagogical competence. Inorder to study how parents (self-)assess their pedagogical competence, aresearch was conducted on a sample of 90 parents of children of early andpre-school age. Factor analysis identified four factors: lack of knowledge andof confidence in child-rearing, blaming somebody else, and uncertainty inthe ability to influence the child, which explain the pedagogicalincompetence, and confidence factor in child-rearing which indicatesparental pedagogical competence. The T-test was performed and at thesignificance level of p <0.05 no significant difference was found in selfassessedparental competence with respect to the gender and age of the child.It is reasonable to argue that parents need occasional or more permanentsupport and help in the acquisition of knowledge of parenting, which can andshould be primarily provided by the educators in institutions

Pedagogues and Social Workers - Challenges of Collaboration

In their work, pedagogues and social workers respond to many pedagogical and social challenges that children and/or their families face. In order to successfully address these challenges, it is necessary to achieve a quality collaboration between the school and the social welfare centre. Seeking an answer to the question of quality of the collaboration, three research questions were asked in this research. The answer was reached using a semi-structured interview. The results showed that research participants assessed the following as important: collaboration (they also offered suggestions on how it could be improved), their own education and training, personality traits and personal views of “helpers”, the need to harmonise legislation and to employ social workers in schools as members of professional counselling services

Representation of Young Children And Preschoolers on Their Parents’ Instagram Profiles

Kvaliteta odrastanja u današnje vrijeme značajno je određena pojavom novih, virtualnih ‎prostora koji omogućavaju dijeljenje informacija i druženje. Korištenje društvenih mreža određeno je‎ starosnom dobi korisnika, ali to ne znači da su od sudjelovanja zaštićena i djeca najmlađe dobi. Djeca ‎rane i predškolske dobi pojavljuju se na fotografijama na instagramskim profilima svojih roditelja, pa je‎ cilj ovog istraživanja bio utvrditi poštuju li se prava djeteta na privatnost na tim fotografijama te kakvu‎ sliku o djeci imaju roditelji. Kvantitativnom i kvalitativnom metodom te analizom sadržaja fotografija ‎i videozapisa djece na deset javnih roditeljskih profila na području Hrvatske utvrđena je primjetna‎ učestalost dijeljenja informacija o vlastitoj djeci, olako shvaćanje odgovornosti u pogledu zastupanja ‎prava djeteta i nepoštovanje prava djeteta na privatnost. Stvaranje djetetova digitalnog identiteta bez‎ pristanka djeteta moguće je povezati s još uvijek prisutnom tradicionalnom slikom o djeci.‎The quality of growing up nowadays has been significantly determined by the emergence of ‎new, virtual spaces which provide sharing information and socializing. The use of virtual social networks ‎is determined by the minimum age of the user. Nevertheless, this does not mean that even very young ‎children are protected from participation. Young children and preschoolers appear in photos on their ‎parents’ Instagram profiles. Therefore, the aim of this research was to establish the respect of children’s‎ rights to privacy regarding this phenomenon, and to identify the way in which parents perceive their‎ children. Quantitative and qualitative methods and content analysis of children’s photos and videos on ‎ten public parental profiles in Croatia revealed a noticeable frequency of sharing information about one’s ‎own children, a frivolous understanding of the responsibility towards representation of children’s rights‎ and non-respect of children’s right to privacy. The creation of a child’s digital identity without the child’s ‎consent can be correlated with the still-present traditional perception of children.