This book is the outcome of a joint collaboration between East China Normal University and the University of Luxembourg, initiated by the Center of Ideas for the Basic Education of the Future (IBEF), and focuses on kindergartens in China from a cultural psychology perspective.
By coupling young scholars from diverse cultural backgrounds as research tandems, this book uses an innovative methodological method to reveal a deeply immersing research perspective of the often complicated issues in the Chinese social reality, where long historical tradition and strong motivation for a “modernized” future are fused together and continuously evolve itself into a vibrant and intricate landscape. Meanings and values consciously or unconsciously promoted and conducted in the kindergarten are semiotic devices and they mediate children’s and educator’s daily behaviours and activities, which are constantly navigating among different social institutions and crossing the border of kindergarten.
The book discusses the process of children’s socialization in the kindergarten from different angles such as cultural objects, moral education, conflict negotiation, children's drawing analysis and the role of Lego in numeracy development. It also provides an overview of basic educational needs in Chinese kindergartens as well as three commentaries to provide background information and to add a reflective angle for the readers. By reading the book, readers will hopefully go through a constantly transforming process between familiarizing and de-familiarizing along with the research tandem and develop their own understanding of the complex landscape of the Chinese kindergarten and its children as developing subjects constantly living and transcending the context.
Author(s): Shuangshuang Xu, Giuseppina Marsico
Series: Cultural Psychology of Education, 12
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 146
City: Cham
Preface of the Series Editor
Contents
1 Research Tandems in International Collaboration: Luxembourg–China
One Kindergarten as a Window of a Bigger World
Research Tandem as a Platform to Cultivate Research Intuition
Brief Introduction of the Structure of the Book
Conclusion and Future Development
References
2 Dialogues on Basic Educational Needs: East and West
Basic Abilities in Children’s Daily Life Practice
“Consciousness” as the Key Issue in Deep Psychological Researches
School and Its Societal Functions: The Institutionalized Dramaturgy of Education
References
3 Setting the Stage: Kindergarten in China as Beginning of Schooling
Playful Teaching and Learning
A Revolution: Returning Play to Young Children
4 Cultural Objects at ECNU Kindergarten
The Objects at ECNU Kindergarten
Categories
Function of the Objects
Conclusions
References
5 Moral Education in a Shanghai Kindergarten—How Do Children Perceive Social Values and Norms?
Observation of Values, Norms, and Rules in Everyday Kindergarten Life
Daily Structure and Routines
Themes During Lessons
Directions and Rules of Social Interaction
Short Movies
Picture Books
Discussion of Observations
Theme Interpretation of David Gets in Trouble (By David Shannon)
Picture Books as an Instrument to Assess Children
Interviewing Children
Children’s Understanding of David’s Behavior and Behavioral Outcomes
Young Children Can Accurately Observe the Behavior of the Characters, but Not the Results Caused by the Behaviors
How David’s Behavior Links with Everyday Experience
Being Able to Look at David’s Behavior from the Perspective of Others
Interpretation of David’s Personality Characteristics by Children Aged 4–6 Years Old
Evaluation Based on the Performance, Status, or Behavior of the Characters That Can Be Observed in the Book
Simple and General Perception of David
Children’s Understanding of the Themes of the Picture Book Story
Social Development
Admit Mistakes
Cause Trouble/Get in Trouble
Emotional Needs
Loving Mom
Unable to Determine Theme—Describing Elements
Conclusions
4–6-Year-Old Children Interpret This Picture Book from Multiple Perspectives
Most 4–6-Year-Old children’s Interpretation of the Content of This Picture Book is Superficial
Moral Education Through This Picture Book is Restricted
Appendix: Picture Book David Gets in Trouble by Shannon (2002)
Literature
6 Chinese Preschoolers’ Conflict Negotiation in Resource Limited Situations
Preschoolers’ Peer Conflicts in Kindergartens
Preschoolers’ Conflict Solving Strategies: Categories and Variations
Conflict Negotiation and Resolution in Chinese Kindergartens
The Present Research: Research Questions and Methods
Result Analysis
First Impression from Observation
Findings from the Projective Test
Summary: Access of Resources as a Dynamic Negotiation of Ownership and Possession
References
7 Small Images of a Big World: Children’s Drawings in a Chinese Kindergarten
Social Background of Chinese Family
Chinese Modern Family Structure of “4-2-1”
Cross-Generational Education
Chinese Children’s Drawings in Kindergarten Context
General Observations
Family Activities in Children’s Drawings
Daily Life Activities
Outdoor Sports
Natural Play
Imaginary Activities
Word Frequency Analysis of Descriptions of Children’s Drawings
Discussion
The Imbalance in Intra-Household Labor Division
Using Electronic Devices Affect Parent–Child Interaction
Natural Play Is Relative Ignored in Family Activities
Conclusion
References
8 The Role of LEGO in Numeracy Development: A Case Analysis
Definitions
General Development in the Preschool Age
Mathematical Development
Numeracy Development and the Chinese Number System
LEGO and Numeracy Development
Studies
China Education Policy on Mathematical Cognition
Objectives of the Study
Context: Opportunity for Construction Play at the ECNU Kindergarten
Results
Yu Yan’s Case
Zhang Wei’s Case
Differences in Observation of the Two Children
Comparing Observations with the Math Test and Parent Questionnaires
Discussion and Future Directions
Limitations
Future Research and Practical Implications
References
9 Children’s Construction of the Natural Numbers: Some Examples from a Cultural Background
Baby’s Representation of Numerical Magnitudes
Requirements for Counting Development
References
10 The School as Semiotic Intercultural Arena
Introduction: Polyphonic Epistemology
Semiotics and Materiality: Ordinary Things
Socially Coordinated Human Development
Conclusion: Polyphonic Psychology
References
11 Revisiting Peer Conflict from Sociocultural Perspective
Systematic Interdependence: Children in Conflicting Situation as Inclusive Partitioning
Peer Conflict as Dynamic Borderland
Catalytic Scaffolding in Peer Conflict
Implications for Peer Conflicts in Chinese Context
References
12 General Conclusions: United Research Efforts of the Young: Realizing Potentials
Young Researchers Who Changed Our Basic Knowledge—The Trimates
Needed—New Forms of Knowledge Construction
A “Beagle” for the Young: The Positive Role of Internships
What Is There to Learn from a Kindergarten?
Redundancy as a Tool to Break Through the Barriers of Non-response
How Can One Generalize from This One Single Kindergarten?
General Conclusión: Universal Freedom in Disguise
References
