The modeling of a modern preschool curriculum is contextually conditioned and represents a complex process. Each kindergarten has its "own identity," its "DNA," just as children, preschool teachers and other participants in the educational process have their "own individual equations." Contextual learning is at the…

The aim of the research is to determine pre-service preschool teachers' views on creating learning environments in preschool classrooms. Qualitative research methods were used in the research. The study group was composed of 35 pre-service preschool teachers. In this study, a semi-structured interview form was chosen as data collection tool. The…

Recent scholarship looks at the relationship of learning to space and place within educational research. The purpose of this article was to put data produced from teaching in four Japanese preschools into conversation with spatial theory and Ma, a Japanese spatial esthetic. We seek to understand "how" and "what" spaces…

Physical qualifications of group rooms are highly important in terms of child development during preschool education. First of all, the required space should be provided in order to create ideal conditions in a group room. The standards of the required space for a child in group rooms vary among countries. It is stated that in Turkey minimum 1.5…

Quality design and appropriate space organization in preschool settings can support preschool children's educational activities. Although the relationship between the well-being and development of children and physical settings has been emphasized by many early childhood researchers, there is still a need for theoretical design guidelines that are…

Noting that the design of the classroom used for early childhood and kindergarten classes can contribute in powerful ways to the education of young children, this paper applies principles of architecture to the organization and shaping of the interior classroom space. The paper maintains that five principles, when applied, create a climate of…

This study examined the influence of literacy-enriched play centers on preschoolers' conceptions of print. Subjects, 25 boys and 12 girls aged 4 and 5 years from 2 urban preschool classes, were systematically observed before and after 5 basic design changes were made in the classrooms. Four distinct play centers (post office, library, office, and…

The informal nature of preschool provision may allow building design a greater influence than at primary and secondary levels. The effect of building type seems to be to inhibit or facilitate the expression of existing child behavior or staff policy, with room openness and noise levels being the most potent factors. (Author/CT)

Describes how play centers can be enriched in the functional uses of print. Details some of the effects observed on the frequency and quality of literacy activities in the spontaneous play of 37 preschoolers. (MG)

This study examined 40 preschool children's knowledge of learning centers in their classrooms. Results revealed that children were more able to name an activity for each center than to name the centers, and were least able to describe the developmental purposes of the centers. Children's drawings of their classrooms suggest that they recognize the…

Investigated whether early childhood classroom activities and areas differed between mainstreamed and nonmainstreamed classrooms, and assessed difficulty of adapting them for disabled children. Respondents reported wide range of activities and areas that were moderately easy to adapt for disabled children. Findings suggest mainstreaming does not…

This study was a joint undertaking of interior environmental designers and a child developmentalist. The goal of the study was to increase peer interation between children in two classes held in one classroom. Children were observed for 7 weeks, in three periods: weeks 2 and 3 (time 1); weeks 4 and 5 (time 2); and weeks 6 and 7 (time 3). Observers…

In a three-year cumulative study, more than 1,000 children were observed either in randomly arranged preschool classrooms or in classrooms deliberately arranged to promote learning. Creativity, oral language use, and development of science and number concepts were significantly higher for children in the specially planned classrooms. (Author/SJL)

The experience of designing and making installations of school furniture in collaboration with three countries--Norway, Portugal, and Spain--and of performing additional work in France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom provides the basis for this report. The ages of the pupils in the schools concerned ranged from 3 to 13 years. A theme of…

A non-sexist preschool program was developed which attempted to eliminate sex-stereotyping in room arrangement, classroom materials, curriculum units, and teacher behavior and language. Measurements of sex-role stereotyping administered to the children before and after a 6-month exposure to the non-sexist program consisted of an Occupation Clue…