Creative movement as a holistic teaching approach in primary school

Ustvarjalni gib je aktiven pristop učenja in poučevanja raznih vsebin s pomočjo telesa. Opredelimo ga kot pristop, oziroma način dela, pri katerem otroci z gibanjem izražajo, oblikujejo in ustvarjajo različne učno-vzgojne vsebine. Ko govorimo o ustvarjalnem gibu kot pristopu za učenje in poučevanje različnih vsebin kurikuluma, se naslanjamo na dve področjina eni strani na gibanje, na drugi pa na umetnost. Pri implementaciji ustvarjalnega giba v šolski prostor sta to dve neločljivi celoti, saj pristop zagovarja proces učenja, kjer uporabljamo gibanje, po drugi strani pa se skozi gib tudi izražamo in osebnostno rastemo. Pristop torej vzporedno dosega cilje gibalnega področja in umetnostnega področja v smislu integracije oziroma medpredmetnega povezovanja. V slovenskih osnovnih šolah se ustvarjalni gib ne implementira v veliki meri na vseh predmetnih področjih in je med učitelji dokaj neznan učni pristop, saj sistematično in formalno izobraževanje za ustvarjalni gib pri nas še ni dodobra izdelano in preverjeno. Področje raziskovanja v okviru doktorske disertacije je opredelitev in utemeljitev učenja in poučevanja skozi gib – ustvarjalnega giba kot celostnega in izkustvenega učnega pristopa, ki pozitivno vpliva na različna področja otrokovega razvoja. V teoretičnem delu predstavljamo sodobne učne pristope in koncepte učenja in poučevanja, ki poudarjajo kompleksno in dinamično znanje s poudarkom na aktivnem, izkustvenem procesu pridobivanja znanja in podpirajo celostno in sodelovalno učenje. Pojasnimo vlogo telesne aktivnosti pri učenju in poučevanju z vidika utelešene kognicije – povezanosti med človekovo telesno, gibalno dejavnostjo in psihičnimi procesi. S primerjalno analizo sodobnih pristopov in konceptov učenja in poučevanja utemeljimo ustvarjalni gib kot celostni in izkustveni učni pristop. Opredelimo tudi zaznavo izgorelosti in samoučinkovitosti pri učiteljih ter preverimo součinkovanje glede na stališča in prepričanja učiteljev o ustvarjalnem gibu kot učnem pristopu. V pilotskem delu naše raziskave smo proučili primer dobre prakse na šoli, ki v pouk vključuje izraz telesa ob glasbi z vidika konvergentne pedagogike. Izvedli smo polstrukturirani intervju s fokusno skupino učiteljic, ki že več let uspešno integrirajo izraz telesa ob glasbi v učni proces. Rezultati so bili v pomoč pri oblikovanju anketnih vprašalnikov in programa izobraževanja iz ustvarjalnega giba za učitelje. Osnovni cilj doktorskega dela je raziskati prepričanja in stališča učiteljev o vlogi ustvarjalnega giba pri učenju in poučevanju, načine vključevanja ustvarjalnega giba v pouk in učinke, ki jih zaznavajo učitelji pri učencih pred in po izobraževanju. Z baterijo vprašalnikov, oblikovanih posebej za namen raziskave, smo raziskali stališča in prepričanja učiteljev o vlogi gibalnih dejavnosti pri učenju in poučevanju ter načine medpodročnega povezovanja ustvarjalnega giba v osnovni šoli pred in po vključitvi učiteljev v program usposabljanja s področja ustvarjalnega giba. Pridobljene podatke smo primerjali v odnosu do učiteljeve zaznave samoučinkovitosti in izgorelosti pri poučevanju. V vzorec smo vključili 112 učiteljev iz različnih slovenskih regij, ki so se udeležili izobraževanja iz ustvarjalnega giba. Program izobraževanja smo oblikovali in izvajali v okviru nadaljnjega izobraževanja in usposabljanja strokovnih delavcev v vzgoji in izobraževanju. V raziskavi smo skladno z zastavljenimi hipotezami uporabili kvantitativne in kvalitativne raziskovalne pristope. Glavni rezultati raziskave kažejo, da je izobraževanje iz ustvarjalnega giba pripomoglo k pozitivnim stališčem učiteljev o učenju z gibanjem in skozi gib. Po izobraževanju so se stališča in prepričanja učiteljev do ustvarjalnega giba in načini uporabe giba pri učencih z ali brez posebnih potreb spremenili v smeri celostnega in izkustvenega učenja in poučevanja. Pozitivni učinki pristopa se po mnenju učiteljev odražajo predvsem na čustveno-socialnem in kognitivnem razvoju otrok. Prav tako se je po izobraževanju in uporabi ustvarjalnega giba v praksi povečala zaznava učiteljeve samoučinkovitosti, občutje izgorelosti pa se je zmanjšalo. Rezultati pričajo, da uporaba učnega pristopa pripomore k inkluzivnosti in psihičnemu blagostanju tako učiteljev kot tudi učencev. Zaključujemo, da so ugotovitve raziskave o vlogi in uporabi ustvarjalnega giba kot učnega pristopa pomembne za širšo implementacijo ustvarjalnega giba v osnovno šolo, pa tudi za nadaljnje izobraževanje učiteljev in študentov pedagoških fakultet. Te ugotovitve sovpadajo s svetovnim trendom raziskovanja holističnega pristopa v vzgoji in izobraževanju, učenja in poučevanja z gibanjem in skozi gib, z umetnostjo in skozi umetnost ter pomembno prispevajo k teorijam in metodam izkustvenega ter celostnega učenja.Creative movement is an active approach to teaching, using the body to learn numerous topics. It can be defined as an approach in which children use movement to express, form and create a variety of learning content in a range of school subjects. When talking about creative movement as an approach to teaching subjects on the school curriculum, the focus rests firmly on the following two areas: movement, on the one hand, and arts concepts, on the other. When implementing creative movement in the classroom these two areas are inseparable, since this approach encourages the use of movement in the learning process, while understanding that movement is also a means of self-expression and personal growth. Accordingly, this method achieves the objectives of both the movement and arts fields, insofar as it offers cross-curricular integration. In Slovenian primary schools this method is not practised very often or in many subject areas, and it is not widely known among teachers, because a formal and systematic way of teaching creative movement has not yet been implemented. The research focus of this doctoral dissertation is the definition and justification of teaching and learning through movement – creative movement as a holistic and experiential way of learning that has a positive effect on all areas of a child\u27s development. In the theoretical part contemporary teaching methods are presented, along with teaching and learning concepts that highlight complex and dynamic knowledge and support holistic, cooperative learning, while focusing on an active and experiential learning process. The role of physical activity in learning and teaching is presented in terms of embodied cognition – the connection between a person\u27s physical activity and mental processes. By implementing a comparative analysis of modern approaches and concepts of teaching and learning, creative movement is justified as a holistic and experiential teaching method. Additionally, teacher’s self-efficacy and burnout are defined. In the pilot study, an example of good practice is examined at a school where expressive movement to music is included in class within the framework of convergent pedagogy. A semi-structured interview was conducted with a focus group of teachers, who have been successfully integrating movement into their classes for a number of years. The results helped us to design questionnaires and a creative movement educational programme for teachers. The main goal of our research was to determine teachers’ ideas and viewpoints on using creative movement in teaching, to explore various ways of including creative movement in class, and to document the student outcomes noted by teachers before and after attending the educational program. A battery of questionnaires was prepared specifically for this research project to research teachers’ viewpoints and beliefs on the role of movement activities in teaching and learning, and on the various methods for cross-curricular integration of creative movement in primary schools, before and after the teachers’ inclusion in the creative movement educational program. These results were compared with the teachers’ perceptions of their self-efficacy and burnout while teaching. The sample included 112 teachers from various regions of Slovenia, who all took part in the creative movement educational program. The program was designed and executed as continuing professional development for education practitioners. To examine the stated hypotheses, both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were employed. The main results show that the creative movement educational program encouraged teachers’ positive outlook towards teaching with and through movement. After the educational program, the teachers’ attitudes towards using creative movement in classrooms, with or without special needs students, changed in favour of holistic and experiential teaching and learning. The teachers reported the positive effects of this teaching method in the social-emotional and cognitive development of the children in their classes. After completing the program and using creative movement, the teachers noticed a change in their perception of self-efficacy, while their feeling of burnout lessened. The results suggest that using this method benefits the feeling of inclusiveness and the mental wellbeing of teachers and pupils. In conclusion, the research findings on the role and use of creative movement as a learning approach are relevant in the wider implementation of creative movement in elementary schools as well as for the further education of teachers and student teachers on creative movement. These findings belong to a global trend of researching holistic approaches to education, teaching and learning with and through movement and arts, and contribute to the theory and methods of experiential and holistic learning