Purpose
The purpose of the study was to provide a description of the field of technology and technology teaching in kindergartens.
Research question:
- What content is included in the kindergarten’s field of technology?
- How do the study’s participants conduct teaching within the field of technology?
- What, within the field of technology, provides the kindergarten staff with opportunities to learn through their teaching?
Result
The results showed variations among the staff regarding the descriptions of the content in the field of technology and how this is taught; from content that does not belong to technology as an area of knowledge, to relatively complex technological content. Examples of the former were content such as science, non-technological skills and techniques, and the use of technology as teaching material in other subject areas. Examples of the latter were content such as how a specific form of technology works, for example, the different parts of an object and how they are interrelated, as well as knowledge about technological systems.
These descriptions revealed varying degrees of competence when it came to technology teaching in kindergartens, where some of the staff showed adequate knowledge and self-confidence while others showed less knowledge in addition to greater uncertainty. It also becomes apparent that the desired similarity in kindergarten provision has not been achieved in terms of technology teaching.
Based on the ethnographically inspired part of the study, it is clear that when kindergarten staff have the interest and knowledge necessary to teach technology to children, this teaching can seem meaningful to the children and contribute to achieving kindergarten learning objectives.
Design
The data was constructed through three phases. In the first phase, a survey was sent out to 10% of the kindergartens in a Swedish municipality. Here, the staff were asked about what they understand the field of technology to be and how they view technology teaching in kindergartens. In the second phase, seven of the survey respondents were interviewed with the aim of obtaining more detailed descriptions of how technology is taught in the respective kindergartens. In the third phase, the author carried out ethnographically inspired fieldwork in two of the departments in the sample. The author visited the kindergartens over a six-week period, conducted observations and interviewed the staff.
References
Sundqvist, P. (2019). “Förskolans teknikundervisning: vad och hur?”. Akademisk avhandling. Mälardalens högskola.