Estonian preschool teachers' views on learning in preschool

Abstract

As in many Western countries, children's learning in the curriculum of Estonian Early Childhood Education is seen as a lifelong process, wherein the teacher is primarily a guide to children's active learning. Thus, a child-centred approach to learning is valued in the national curriculum, but our interest was whether this approach is fixed in the teachers' views. The aim of this survey study was to identify and examine the most important aspects of children's learning according to preschool teachers' perceptions and to determine if there are any differences in teachers' opinions according their background. In the survey (N = 729), a structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The results show that children's own initiative and active participation in the learning process, as well as in everyday activities, are largely considered to be more important than direct guidance by a teacher, although the latter was considered important, too.