Examining Levels of Involvement in the Early Years
Engaging with children's possibilities
- 120 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Examining Levels of Involvement in the Early Years
Engaging with children's possibilities
About This Book
Examining Levels of Involvement in the Early Years studies the theory and rationale behind using young children's levels of involvement as a tool for enhancing their experiential learning in diverse settings by exploring values, beliefs, ideology, resourcefulness and environmental contexts.
Drawing on Laevers' process-oriented Self-evaluation Instrument for Care Settings and the Leuven Involvement Scale for Young Children, this book examines the theoretical constructs that underpin the development of these instruments as well as the practical implications of how and why practitioners may use the scales in their settings. More importantly, it looks at children's deep level learning capabilities and reflects on the engaging possibilities this presents.
Using encounters with children and adults from a range of settings, it covers:
ā¢ connecting levels of involvement with local, national, international and theoretical approaches;
ā¢ embracing levels of involvement;
ā¢ involving the environment;
ā¢ levels of outdoor involvement;
ā¢ engaging with adult involvement;
ā¢ nurturing involvement through observation, assessment and planning.
Including contributions from experts in the field, this book will be essential reading for students, trainee early years practitioners and all those wanting to continue their professional learning.
Frequently asked questions
Information
1 Why involvement?
In May 1976 twelve Flemish pre-school teachers, assisted by two educational consultants, start a series of sessions with the intention to reflect critically upon their practice. Their approach is āexperientialā: the intention is to make a close, moment by moment description of what it means to a young child to live and take part in the educational setting.
The educational model Experiential Education (EXE) evolved during the 1970s and 1980s, from a series of observations of young children in early education settings in Flanders, Belgium. Since that time, EXE has grown to become one of the most influential models in the area of early childhood education in Flanders and has been disseminated across a range of world regions and countries, including Australia, Croatia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa and the U.K. In sum, Experiential Education sees well-being and involvement as a measure of deep learning and of the effectiveness of the learning environment. Because these indicators of quality learning can be easily accessed by practitioners, the process-oriented strategy has an empowering impact on them and can help them to develop the huge potential of children. The approach has been further developed for child care, special education, secondary education, higher education and in service training.Research on quality at the level of the learner, EXE [Experiential Education] theory suggests that the most economical way to assess the quality of any educational setting (from preschool to adult education) ā in particular, from the perspective of the learner ā is to focus on two process dimensions: the āemotional well-beingā and the ālevel of involvementā of the learner. āWell-beingā indicates that the basic needs of the child are satisfied and refers to the degree to which children feel at ease, act spontaneously, and show vitality and self-confidence. āInvolvementā is evident when children are concentrated and focused, interested and fascinated and when they are operating at the very limits of their capabilities.
Laeversā work is well established and rigorous, and it is particularly accessible to early years workers. Laevers has been looking at the processes of learning as well as the outcomes or products. He is interested in what is happening inside children as they learn.
Process over product supports childrenās learning and knowledge acquisition. Process over product has been emphasised as an important component of learning, suggesting that the act of participation in play is more important than what the play itself generates.
[Laevers] has developed the LIS [Leuven Involvement Scale] as a means of assessing the effects of the learning situation on the child, by observing and rating the childās level of involvement in play according to certain defined signals. He describes involvement as a quality of human activity that can be recognised by concentration and persistence. It is characterised by motivation and fascination, openness to stimuli and intensity of experience both at the sensory and cognitive level.
Involvement
a quality of human activity, characterised by concentration and persistence, a high level of motivation, intense perceptions and experiencing of meaning, a strong flow of energy, a high degree of satisfaction, and based on the exploratory drive and basic development of schemes. Involvement is a dimension of human activity. It is not linked to specific types of behaviour nor to specific levels of development.This high intensity of experience indicates a great deal of (mental) energy is being mobilised and used in a most efficient way. Furthermore, the activities reflect the level of functioning attained by this particular person. One cannot get involved in activities that are too easy or that require more developed capabilities. Involved persons are highly motivated. But we have to stress that the source of this motivation is the exploratory need, eagerness to understand and learn, the drive to get to grips with reality (in the literal and figurative sense of the word). Involvement always implicates intrinsic motivation.We hypothesise that this kind of activity leads (gradually or suddenly) to shifts in the fundamental schemes.
involvement as a single concept āis addressing motivational, emotional and cognitive aspects of a childās activity.ā An involved person is narrowing his or her attention to a relatively limited (concentration). There is at the same time a tendency to continue the activity (persistence). An involved person is fascinated and gives him (her) self completely (motivation). A generally acknowledged signal of this state is the distortion of time perception: time passes by without being noticed. At the level of cognitive functioning there is alertness and an openness to (relevant) stimuli. Perception is remarkably fresh and vivid and at the more abstract level of cognition, meanings are felt in an intensive way. The activity is accompanied by a bodily felt stream of positive energy and strong feeling of satisfaction. The source of this satisfaction is a complex of motives that comes down to the exploratory drive, the basic need to get a better grip on reality (intrinsic motivation). Further, involvement is situated at the verge of oneās personal capabilities or in oneās āzone of proximal developmentā. An involved person uses the full potential of his/her capabilities. Finally, for all of the aspects mentioned in the definition, involvement is seen as an indication for developmental changes taking place, changes that have to be defined as deep level learning.(Laevers, 1993)
Children with a high level of involvement are highly concentrated and absorbed by their activity. They show interest, motivation and even fascination. That is why they tend to persevere. Their mimic[ry] and posture indicate intense mental activity. They fully experience sensations and meanings. A strong sense of satisfaction results from the fulfilment of their exploratory drive. When there is involvement we know children are operating at the very limits of their capabilities. Because of all these qualities involvement is the condition that brings about deep level learning.(Laevers, 2005: 10)
(Woods, 2013: 56)
Concentration The child is narrowing his/her attention to the limited circle of his/her activity. Only intense stimuli can reach and maybe distract him/her. A main point of reference for the observer (with most activities) are the childās eye movements: are the eyes fixed on the material or do they occasionally wander? |
Energy In motor activities physical energy is involved. One could even regard the degree of transpiration as a measure for involvement. In other activities a physical component may still catch the eye: loud talking (shouting), the actions being carried out in a relatively short t... |
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Half Title Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Table of Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- IntroductionāANNIE WOODS
- 1 Why involvement?āANNIE WOODS
- 2 Being involved in levellingāANNIE WOODS
- 3 Involving the environmentāVICTORIA BROWN
- 4 Levels of outdoor involvementāSALLY McMEEKING, MOIRA MORAN AND DANUSIA TAYLOR
- 5 The role of practitioner engagement in supporting childrenās involvementāVICKY McEWAN
- 6 Embracing levels of involvementāJULIE KENT
- 7 Nurturing involvement through assessment and planning for possibilitiesāCATHERINE GRIPTON
- Index