The possibilities for children's participation in visual art education traditions

Early childhood education teacher’s depictions of successful visual arts education

Authors

• Jaakko H. Moilanen Oulun yliopisto https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8801-0278
• Jaana Juutinen Oulun yliopisto
• Anna Siippainen Tampereen yliopisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33350/ka.127154

Keywords:

visual arts education, participation, early childhood education, early chilhood education teacher

Abstract

In this article, we examine how early childhood education teachers depict successful visual arts education, and especially how children’s participation is depicted, and how participation is in relation with visual art education traditions. Participation is understood as social and political phenomena in which communality, belonging, agency, decision making and influencing stands out. The data is collected as a part of evaluation of Finnish Education Evaluation Centre where pedagogy for five-year-old children and the state of skills and art education in early childhood education and care was examined. The method of analysis was abductive, and it was implemented both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results emphasize teacher-led pedagogies, and visual arts are often implemented in a method-based ways. The objectives for participation and visual expression in national core curricula for early childhood education and pre-primary education are left for little attention.