AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
responsible for their child. Paradoxically, the results of family
research show that:
Child upbringing/educating is an essential problem for
parents - the 1991 family survey questionnaire conclusion
(Tirpák, 2009, p. 100).
Chronic lack of time is a phenomenon characterized by the
results of research on family in Slovakia. The father spends
an average of 9, and a mother 24 minutes a day for
discussion with their child (Zelina, 1994 In: Šatánek,
2005).
Employed parents do not have an overview of their child's
activities in its free time. The education is negatively
influenced by the "second shift" of the mother, after
returning from work. Caring for the household absorbs her
every free moment (Končal, 2008, p. 531).
The Declaration of the Rights of the Child, adopted by
UNESCO and the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child, adopted by the UN General Assembly
on 20 November 1989, are being violated by a part of the
parents. Parents deny children (in relation to them) their
right to have their own opinion, exercise their own
interests, choose school, finance, and the right to personal
freedom - research carried out by Šatánek via the method
of questionnaire 2004/2005 (Šatánek, 2005, pp. 105-109).
The results of the research tasks VEGA 1/2044/03 pointed
out the shortcomings of parents in the quality of their
educational impact. They manifest themselves in disregard
of the fundamental rights and needs of the child - results of
partial research tasks of the scientific research project
VEGA 1/2044/03 "Family environment as a factor of
socialization and personallization of the child's personality"
(Šatánek, 2005, p. 100).
Research findings of the research project VEGA 1/2044/03
"Family environment as a factor of socialization and
personalization of the child's personality", showed that the basic
conditions for successful socialization of the child in the family
are: Appropriate manifestation and recognition of the child's
love. Respecting his/her personality as an autonomous subject.
Appropriate, stimulating and emotional environment,
corresponding to the individual needs of the child. Quality
interaction and communication of subjects in the family
(Šatánek, 2005, p. 100).
A thorough analysis of the theoretical background of the authors
dealing with the issue of education - Tománek (2012), Dolinská
(2009), Pupala (2004), Průcha (2009), has identified several
functions of education in the family:
The Protective function. Education is the protection of the
child from the world and, on the other hand, the protection
of the world from desolation. Before the desolation of the
social space, in which we live, as a result of the penetration
of new phenomena rolling into the world together with
every next generation (Pupala, 2004, p. 77).
By the term Generation, we understand a group of people
sharing a similar cultural experience, born in
approximately the same time frame (Tománek, 2012, p.
141).
Transformation / assimilation function. Education is a
dynamic phenomenon, determined by the dynamics of
human being. It is an integral part of the culture and, as a
consequence, itself undergoes various changes. Because it
is a phenomenon taking into account the needs of the
present time and the prospective needs of contemporary
society (Tománek, 2012, p. 98-99).
Existential function. The aim of education is the ability of a
person - a child - to act in education (Kaiser, Kaiserová,
1993 In: Dolinská, 2009, p. 144).
The child's versatile development function. Education as a
purposeful activity of a parent, focused on deliberate all-
round development of a child's personality (Jůva, 1967 In:
Tománek 2012, p. 96).
Educational function. The family is the first social space in
which the subject (child) finds his/herself. He / she learns
the mother tongue and learns communication and language
skills, by interacting with other subjects (parents), who
intentionally and unintentionally expose them. It is the
realization of educational processes - the processes of
learning intentionally and incidentally
(Průcha, 2009, p.
65).
Real educational processes in family education determine or
influence, in some way, the constructs that parents have in their
education. Educational constructs are such theories, models,
plans, scenarios and other theoretical creations, that actually
influence educational processes (Průcha, 2009, p. 67) in the
family.
2 Research problem and research objectives
At present, the child's education at an early age is not
systematically addressed in Slovakia. Similarly, it is also abroad.
There are few research studies on early childhood education.
They are overshadowed by the research of preschool and
elementary age children, but issues of toddler and infant
education are rarely addressed. There are few state-run
institutions in Slovakia to educate children of early age. It takes
place in facilities until the third year of the child's age. Based on
period-conditioned domestic and inspirational foreign programs,
and in line with the socio-cultural conditions of the present
world, early education proves necessary not only for the
development of a child in rapidly changing conditions, but also
for parents, who are rapidly returning to their profession, and
even for weak parent orientation on the systematic support of the
child's educational needs. Parents also have difficulty in
choosing parenting strategies, at a time of rapid information
boom, while the absence of pedagogical counseling, including
educational programs for children. The current adult society
places demands on active and significant life in society, but does
not give adequate attention and seriousness to the issues of early
childhood education. The main goal of the research is to
conceptualize ECEC in facilities providing care up to the age of
three. Our intention is to:
1)
Identify the educational aspects of institutionalized care
provided in childcare facilities up to the third year of the
child's age.
2)
To present and analyze the essence of subjective statements
of caregivers and early childhood childcare professionals, in
connection with the research problem identified.
3)
Conceptualize the methodological-content form of early
childhood education and care, by identifying educational
issues and educational needs, considered by caregivers,
parents, and early childhood education and care
professionals.
Research presented here is of a social nature: it interferes with an
area that is widely represented, but its lacking scientific
attention. We use research as a fundamental tool for developing
science. We apply a qualitative methodology that is desirable in
the study of subjects and their human activities.
2.1 Research questions
What are the specifics of educating early childhood
children in the family and childcare facilities up to the third
year of the child's age?
What are the positives, the negatives of the current
education in ECEC facilities, providing care until the third
year of the child's age?
What early childhood educating constructs can be
identified, based on mental and social representations of
parents, caregivers and other early childhood educators?
As a research tool, to address our research in view of the
research problem, we have decided to apply a focus group.
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