Kompetanse for utvikling av barnehagers inne- og utemiljøer

Primary objective:

In close and mutual collaboration with the ECEC practice sector, to develop new knowledge and to test out new research tools which will result in a higher competence in planning, designing and developing ECEC institutions' physical (indoor & outdoor) environments.

Secondary objectives

1. To enhance knowledge about how children interact with physical environments in ECEC institutions, and how this affect children's play, learning, psychosocial- and physical health.

2. To use the knowledge gained in secondary objective #1 to develop and test an intervention in ECEC institutions that outlines principles for design or adaption of physical environments to be optimal and functional for children's play, learning, psychosocial and physical health.

3.To use the knowledge gained in secondary objective #2 to develop an evidence-based guide and online tool for planning, designing, and adapting ECEC institutions' indoor and outdoor physical environment.

The ECEC sector has identified a strong need for research and new competencies regarding the role physical environments have as arenas for children's play, learning and development, and strategies for enhancing these environments. Therefore, the aim of this project is to develop research based knowledge on how children interact with and use the physical environment for play and learning in ECEC institutions, and how this environment contributes to conditions that promote play, learning, psychosocial, and physical health. The aim is also to build competence among important stakeholders and ultimately result in developing principles and practical tools for how to improve ECEC physical environments; Tools that would be applicable for the ECEC sector, the architect and landscape architect sector, ECEC teacher education, ECEC teacher students, architect students and landscape architect students.

The project takes the methodological approach of a Design experiment in education, with an iterative design that through four distinct phases that build on each other will build, test, evaluate and calibrate an intervention in ECEC institutions through a close collaboration between researchers and ECEC teachers. The project is also interdisciplinary in the way it includes researchers and professionals from different relevant subjects such as education, pedagogy, health, architecture and landscape architecture. The data collection will take a convergent mixed-method design with repeated measures, where multiple variables are tested, and quantitative and qualitative data are combined. The overarching method is structured observations; including environment analysis, video observations and situational and overview field notes. These data is supplemented by qualitative interviews of ECEC staff and children. The produced knowledge/competence and tools are particularly relevant for stakeholders in the ECEC sector and professionals who develop, design and rehabilitate ECEC institutions.