Learning Study projects in Swedish Childhood Education : possibility and challenge

Traditionally Swedish pre-schools have been awarded full value, where a path of development and education has often been included. School preparatory learning was rarely emphasized (Brembeck, Johansson & Kampmann, 2004). In recent years pre-school has been given a clearer and partially changed mandate related to children's learning and development (Swedish National Agency for Education, 2010). This new tradition of increased focus on learning and goal achievements is challenging for the teachers (Ljung-Djärf & Tullgren, 2010). With this background the aim of the presentation is to give an overview of Swedish Learning Study projects among pre-school children and how these could impact on the teaching and learning in pre-school settings. The presented studies are Learning Studies and consist of two or three micro-cycle studies. Theoretically they are based upon variation theory and the concepts discernment, simultaneity and variation (Marton & Booth, 1997; Marton & Pang, 2006). When learning it is important for the learners to discern critical aspects of the learning object, discern different aspects simultaneously and whit variation and contrast in representation forms. In the studies special focus is put on generative learning (Holmqvist, Gustavsson & Wernberg, 2007) which could be described as the ability to develop knowledge about the learning object beyond the learning situation in the learning study. The studies show that it is possible to accomplish a Learning Study among young children. Learning Study offers the children, and the teachers, to put focus on a certain object of learning. Also more complex and compounded learning objects are possible for the children to gain and develop knowledge about. Learning Study not only enables the teachers to be aware of their on expectations of the children´s learning, but also spot the importance of the teachers and the teaching when it comes to the children´s learning