Contribution to the Development of Kindergarten/Preschool Teachers’ Competences for Education for Sustainable Development in Preschool Institutions / Doprinos razvoju kompetencija odgojitelja za odgoj i obrazovanje za održivi razvoj u predškolskim ustanov

Abstract

Abstract

One of the fundamental tasks of the kindergarten/ preschool teacher is to familiarize the child with its environment and optimal stimulation of its growth and development, including the development of the fundamental rights of children to an environment, clean air, drinking water, healthy living, and quality of childhood. The sensitization of children is of essential importance for the future of education for sustainable development, which needs to be developed from early childhood. The problem of the curriculum and work practices of kindergarten/preschool teachers includes questioning the competence for the successful practice of working with children in education for sustainable development. In this paper, we present some of the existing models of evaluation of the competence for lifelong education for sustainable development. We developed a measuring instrument, which measures particular characteristics explored in this paper, and we present the results of this preliminary research. The research was conducted on a sample of 65 teachers in five kindergartens/preschools. The constructed scale explains 48% of the total variance and can be used as an important base for future further questioning and development of competence model of kindergarten/preschool teachers. In this way, it represents a good foundation for reflection on the content of the curriculum of future initial education and professional development of kindergarten/preschool teachers in the field of lifelong education.

Key words: competence; environmental education/education for sustainable development; kindergarten/preschool teachers; kindergartens/preschools; lifelong learning; sustainable society.

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Sažetak

Jedna od temeljnih zadaća odgojitelja jest upoznavanje djeteta s njegovim okruženjem i optimalno poticanje njegova rasta i razvoja, uključujući i razvoj temeljnih prava djece na okoliš, čist zrak, pitku vodu, zdrav život i kvalitetno djetinjstvo. Razvoj osjetljivosti djece iznimno je važno za budućnost odgoja i obrazovanja za održivi razvoj, a treba ga početi razvijati još od ranog djetinjstva. Problematika kurikula i prakse rada odgojitelja uključuje i propitivanje kompetencija za uspješnu praksu rada s djecom u odgoju i obrazovanja za održivi razvoj. U radu se prikazuju neki od razvijenih postojećih modela procjene kompetencija za cjeloživotni odgoj i obrazovanje za održivi razvoj. Razvijen je mjerni instrument čije su mjerne karakteristike ispitane, a u radu su predstavljeni rezultati toga preliminarnog istraživanja. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 65 odgojitelja u pet dječjih vrtića. Konstruirana skala objašnjava 48 % zajedničke varijance i može biti značajna osnovica za daljnje propitivanje i razvoj modela kompetencija odgojitelja. Na taj način predstavlja i dobar temelj za promišljanje sadržaja kurikula budućega inicijalnog obrazovanja, ali i stručnog usavršavanja odgojitelja u području cjeloživotnog odgoja i obrazovanja.

Ključne riječi: cjeloživotno obrazovanje, kompetencije, odgoj i obrazovanje za okoliš/održivi razvoj, odgojitelj, održivo društvo, predškolske ustanove.