Abstract/Notes: The ideas of the constructivist paradigm of education continue to develop in the XXI century. In this context, the STEM approach is being implemented very dynamically for the formation of curricula of formal and non-formal education institutions. At the same time, M. Montessori pedagogy educational centers remain popular in Ukraine. Based on the use of web mapping service Google Maps, the authors searched, identified and quantitatively analyzed the distribution of educational institutions in Ukraine that use the STEM-STEAM-STREAM approach and methodological tools of M. Montessori pedagogy. The results of data processing are presented in the form of author's maps and diagrams, which indicate the number of Montessori pedagogy centers and STEM-STEAM-STREAM training centers for each region. Based on the data of the official websites of educational institutions, an analysis of the content and organization of some Montessori centers in Ukraine was carried out that is demonstrated by means (More)

Language: English

Published: Kyiv, Ukraine: Science and Technology Publications, 2022

Pages: 211-220

DOI: 10.5220/0010922500003364

ISBN: 978-989-758-558-6

Abstract/Notes: A Tangible User Interface (TUI) can bridge real-world physical objects with the digital world, which has much potential for children with ASD. However, at present, most TUIs have been developed for children in affluent countries. Such solutions may not be applicable for children with ASD in low resource countries like Sri Lanka. Therefore, we have designed a tablet-based, and cost-effective TUI called POMA (Picture to Object Mapping Activities) for supporting social and cognitive skills of Sri Lankan children with ASD. This paper presents the evaluation of POMA with 20 children with ASD (moderate: 6; mild: 14) and five special education teachers. Results show that both groups of children were able to play POMA accurately. However, children with moderate ASD required more time and help from the special education teachers to play POMA compared to children with mild ASD. This study identified several lessons for designing TUI, such as the importance of including audio prompts when the system is in idle state, using appropriate helper cues, using multiple types of reinforcements, easy-to-handle nature of the tangibles and the properties of them. Finally, we provide guidelines to overcome the issues for designing low-cost TUIs for children with ASD.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2020.102486

ISSN: 1071-5819

Abstract/Notes: Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a medically recognized disorder on the Autism Spectrum. One in 88 children age eight are diagnosed with AS (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2014). A key feature of AS is a deficiency in social skills. In the past ten years five main types of social skills interventions have been researched for their impact on young children with AS. Data suggest these treatments help children with AS acquire social skills. More research is needed on the types of learning environments that incorporate or lend themselves to utilizing these types of social skills interventions. One potential model, the Montessori Method of education was initially designed to teach children with significant developmental, social, and educational disabilities, with an intentional focus on individualized learning and socialization. To date, the potential overlap between empirically supported interventions to teach social skills to children with AS and the Montessori Method of education has not been researched. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to compare five researched interventions for social skill acquisition in children with AS with the Montessori Method of education. Findings suggest that of these five interventions, three bear significant resemblance to the Montessori Method of education while the other two do not. Implications and recommendations for parents, teachers, educational administrators, and social workers and other mental health practitioners who assist children with AS are provided.

Language: English

Published: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2014

Abstract/Notes: Research findings indicate that executive function (EF), social-emotional skills, and pre-academic competence significantly promote children's school readiness and later success. School readiness broadly refers to a combination of skills necessary to function successfully in school and lack thereof may increase the risk of children's school problems. Therefore, it is essential for school systems to provide appropriate and timely support to the development of these fundamental skills. The present study focused on three particular preschool programmes: Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and the traditional play-based (British Columbia Early Learning Framework: BCEFL) programmes in Western Canada. Although they are popular, there is little empirical research that examines and compares the benefits of these programmes to the development of school readiness skills. As such, the present study aimed to 1) determine the effectiveness of these three preschool programmes in Western Canada on the development of children's school readiness; and 2) examine other sources of influences in the child, family and school in relation to the development of school readiness skills. Overall, 119 preschool children (48 Montessori, 42 Reggio Emilia, 29 BCELF) participated in the study. Observation was conducted once in the autumn of 2015 for each classroom using the CLASS observation tool. Teachers and parents of participating children filled in a series of questionnaires regarding the quality of their relationship with their child and their perceptions of daily EF and social-emotional skills of their child. The researcher also assessed individual children's fluid intelligence, EF, and pre-academic competence. The results showed that 1) although Montessori education appeared to be the most effective in facilitating numeracy skills, no curriculum stood out as notably more effective than any of the others at improving other areas of school readiness skills; 2) well-run classrooms where teachers were effective in time, behavioural, and attention management were most effective in promoting children's numeracy skills; 3) EF, social-emotional skills, and pre-academic competence exhibited an overlapping developmental process over time; 4) relational quality in both home and school environments significantly affected the development of school readiness skills, especially social-emotional skills; and 5) adults' perceptions of children's EF and social-emotional skills had a significant consequence for how teachers and parents formed their relationships with their children.

Language: English

Published: Oxford, England, 2018

Abstract/Notes: Preschools have become an important beginning step in education. This sequential mixed methods study sought to determine if the Montessori preschool setting provides greater academic achievement in reading readiness, specifically phonemic awareness, in preschoolers as compared to a conventional elementary standards-based preschool setting. Social constructivist theory and sociocultural theory were used as theoretical frameworks. Qualitative data was comprised of interviews with kindergarten teachers who agreed unanimously that preschool had a positive impact on students’ academic ability upon entrance to kindergarten. However, all four teachers had a negative connotation pertaining to Montessori students and the Montessori Method based solely on students’ behavior and students’ lack of conformity. For the quantitative data, multiple two sample t-tests were conducted to determine the effect of preschool experience on all 90 participants’ reading readiness scores upon entrance to kindergarten based upon DIBELS FSF and PSF and their KRA assessment scores, while taking socio-economic status into consideration. T-tests were used to compare the results from 30 Montessori students, 30 conventional standards-based elementary students, and 30 students with no preschool experience. All three sub-groups were matched equally based on socio-economic status. Montessori students outperformed the other two school groups on all three assessments. The difference in scores when separating Montessori students by socio-economic status is the most significant finding to come from this study. Montessori students considered low income had statistically lower scores on all three assessments when compared to Montessori students who are not considered low income.

Language: English

Published: Findlay, Ohio, 2019

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this action research project was to study the implementation of practical life skills targeting school-specific skills. This study took place in a Children’s House classroom at a public Montessori school located in an urban city in the Midwest. The classroom housed a total of 19 students, consisting of pre-k and kindergarten children ranging from the age of four to six. Originally constructed as a traditional school, the building itself often inhibits independence for the school’s youngest learners. In this study, the researcher sought to increase student independence by implementing a serious of “school-specific” Practical Life tasks. The students were asked to practice the tasks as a part of their daily work cycle. Students then documented their work on Seesaw with their district-issued iPad. Over the course of six weeks, quantitative and qualitative data was collected to determine the impact of these activities on student independence levels at school. The results of this study indicate that students were capable of completing more school-specific tasks independently following the six-week study. The final pages of the paper present a thorough analysis of the further research and action steps of this study/paper. The paper concludes with some suggestions pertaining to potential opportunities for family/educator partnerships.

Language: English

Published: River Falls, Wisconsin, 2022

Abstract/Notes: Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli saada selville, mitä keinoja montessoripedagogiikassa käytetään kaveritaitojen tukemiseen ja kehittämiseen. Tavoitteena oli tuottaa tietoa, sekä pohtia miten montessoripedagogiikan hyviä käytäntöjä voisi käyttää kirkon varhaiskasvatuksen toiminnassa. Menetelmänä tulosten saavuttamiseksi käytettiin henkilöstön haastattelua. Toisena menetelmänä käytettiin havainnointia Montessori-leikkikoulussa. Henkilöstön haastatteluun vastasi 43 % kutsutuista. Havainnointi suoritettiin Helsingin Montessori-leikkikoulussa Pakilassa. Lähdeaineistona teoreettisen viitekehyksen, sekä tulosten peilaamiseen käytettiin alan lähdekirjallisuutta keskittyen lasten sosiaalisen kompetenssin kehittymiseen varhaiskasvatuksessa, sekä montessoripedagogiikassa. Tutkimus aloitettiin helmikuussa 2022, havainnointi suoritettiin elokuussa 2022. Haastattelun vastaukset saimme syksyn 2022 aikana. Teoreettisen viitekehyksen pohjalta arvioitiin, että tärkein seikka kaveritaitojen kehittämisen näkökulmasta on tutulta kasvattajalta saatu tuki ja sensitiivisyys lapsen yksilöllisiä piirteitä kohtaan. Empatiataitojen havaittiin olevan keskeisessä roolissa kaveritaitojen kehittymiselle. Havainnoinnin tuloksena saimme nähdä montessoripedagogiikan toimintaa käytännössä, lasten spontaanina toimintaan hakeutumisena, sekä keskinäisenä vuorovaikutuksena kasvattajien ja muiden lasten kanssa. Haastattelun vastauksissa nousi esiin toistamiseen arjen toiminta kaverisuhteiden kehittämisen tukena, sekä vahva toimintakulttuuri, jossa kaikki kasvattajat toimivat yhdenmukaisesti. Vahvistavina keinoina arjessa koettiin aikuisten vuorovaikutusmalli ja esi-merkki, aikuisen havainnointi ja ristiriitatilanteissa asioiden sanoittaminen. Lisäksi vastauksissa korostui tunnetaidot, sekä eri-ikäisten lasten ryhmä, jossa mallioppimista muilta lapsilta tapahtuu. Peilatessa montessoripedagogisia keinoja kirkon varhaiskasvatuksen toimintaan, huomattiin yhdistäviä tekijöitä, jotka voisivat toimia yhteistyötä mahdollistavana väylänä Montessorin varhaiskasvatuksen ja kirkon välillä. Dialogisuus, toisten ja ympäristön kunnioittaminen ovat arvoja, jotka yhdistävät Montessoria ja kirkkoa. Kirkon avarat tilat, ajankäytön muokkaamisen mahdollisuus, henkilöstön sitoutuneisuus, sekä kirkon varhaiskasvatuksessa olevien lasten ikäjakauma 2–5 vuotiaisiin, mahdollistavat kaveritaitojen kehittämistä laajemmin. Tulosten pohjalta havaittiin, että montessoripedagogiset oppimisympäristöt, sekä kasvatusmetodit tukevat lapsen itseluottamuksen, sekä kaveritaitojen kehittymistä.

Language: Finnish

Published: Helsinki, Finland, 2023

Language: English

ISSN: 0888-0352

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: The present study is conducted to examine the effect of the Montessori method on kindergarten children's large muscle skills. The study group formed with 40 children who were between 36 and 60 months and going to Ihsan Dogramacı Implementation Kindergarten of Selcuk University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Konya during the 2014-2015 academic year. As data collection tool, the Large Muscle Skills Assessment Test (LMSAT) is used. The tests are applied to students before and after the experiment; they are applied again to experimental group ten weeks after the application of the program ended. Mann-Whitney- U Test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test were used in the analysis of the data obtained from the study. When the findings of the present study are examined and the pre-test and post-test score average of both experimental and control group children's gathered via Large Muscle Skills Assessment Test (LMSAT) is compared, a significant difference was found in favor of the experimental group. When experimental group children's Large Muscle Skills Assessment Test (LMSAT) post-test and test-retest score average results are compared there was no statistically meaningful difference. Depending on the findings it can be said that Montessori method affects kindergarten children's large muscle skills positively and is also more effective in terms of large muscle skills compared to the pre-School education program of the Ministry of Education. / Bu araştırma, Montessori yönteminin anaokulu çocuklarının büyük kas becerilerini etkisini incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışma grubunda, 2014-2015 öğretim yılında Konya ilinde bulunan Selçuk Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, İhsan Doğramacı Uygulama Anaokulu'nda okul öncesi eğitime devam eden (36- 60 ay arası) 40 çocuk yer almıştır. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak, Büyük Kas Becerilerini Ölçme Testi (BÜKBÖT) kullanılmıştır. Testler çocuklara deneme öncesi ve sonrasında uygulanmış; ayrıca deneme grubuna eğitim programı bitiminden on hafta sonra tekrar uygulanmıştır. Araştırmada elde edilen verilerin analizinde Mann Whitney – U Testi ve Wilcoxon İşaretli Sıralar Testi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular incelendiğinde, deneme ve kontrol grubu çocuklarının Büyük Kas Becerilerini Ölçme Testi (BÜKBÖT) sontest puan ortalamaları karşılaştırıldığında, deneme grubu lehine anlamlı bir farklılaşma bulunmuştur. Deneme grubu çocuklarının Büyük Kas Becerilerini Ölçme (BÜKBOT) Testi sontest ve izleme testi puan ortalamaları karşılaştırıldığında ise anlamlı bir farklılaşmanın bulunmadığı ortaya konulmuştur. Elde edilen bulgular doğrultusunda ulaşılan genel sonuç; Montessori yönteminin anaokulu çocuklarının büyük kas becerilerini olumlu yönde etkilediği ve MEB Okul Öncesi Eğitim Programı'na göre büyük kas becerileri acısından daha etkili olduğudur.

Language: Turkish

Published: Konya, Turkey, 2016