Collaboration between Teachers, Collaboration between Children

This research project exploited collaborative action research in order to promote the professional development of a kindergarten teacher group on the subject of facilitating children to strengthen their collaborative skills.... [ view full abstract ]

This research project exploited collaborative action research in order to promote the professional development of a kindergarten teacher group on the subject of facilitating children to strengthen their collaborative skills. The action research group worked for three years, starting from October 2013 on the occasion of the O.M.E.P. (Organisation Mondial pour l'Education Préscholaire) Greece activities -O.M.E.P. Patras’ Department-, and consisted of six kindergarten teachers who had different roles (researcher, critical friend, facilitator). Each year, the group repeated the action research cycles aiming at improving their knowledge on the one hand regarding the action research methodology and on the other hand on the development of cooperation skills in children. The research group designed, implemented and evaluated collaborative educational activities in kindergarten classrooms. The specific activities were integrated in the kindergarten curriculum covering different learning areas. Data collection strategies complied with the criterion to be ‘friendly’ to the kindergarten education framework, embedded in the everyday practice (for example critical episodes’ observation and brief descriptions, diary recordings, children’s works, photographs). Through participating in a collaborative form of self-education, group members were able to enrich both their research methodology knowledge (familiarity with research procedures directly linked to everyday teaching practice) and their teaching practices (organizing an integrated program of activities aiming at the development of collaborative skills in kindergarten children). It seems that action research can be an appropriate framework for kindergarten teachers’ self-education and professional development.

Keywords: Action research, collaborative skills, kindergarten teachers’ self-education, teachers' professional development