Arkitektur og pedagogikk i samspill eller motspill? - om betydning av koherens mellom planlegging og etablering av nye typer barnehagebygg

Abstract

This article discusses the intentions and experiences from architects and pedagogues involved in planning and establishing kindergartens with new building topologies in Oslo. The National Kindergarten effort (St.meld.nr. 24 2002-2003) with the political aim that all children between one and six years should have the right to attend kindergarten, led to a huge development of kindergarten buildings all over Norway. Many of the buildings were designed as new typologies named base and zone kindergartens. There are barely research on processes and consequences of the changes in physical structures in educational institutions. The results of the research presented here are based on a case study of processes in four municipalities in Oslo. It shows that the staff working in the new buildings had scarcely any knowledge of the intentions behind the new design, and the support in establishing pedagogical work in new physical frames was limited. The aim of the article is to expand the knowledge about connections between architecture and pedagogic, and point to the importance of involving the staff/professionals in educational changes where the physical environment is at stake. These findings may be relevant to other transformations involving organizational and architectural changes. Sammendrag: Artikkelen drøfter intensjoner og erfaringer hos arkitekter og pedagoger involvert i planlegging og etablering av barnehager med nye bygningstypologier i Oslo. Barnehageforliket (St.meld.nr.24 2002-2003) innebar et politisk vedtak om barnehageplass for alle og førte til en massiv utbygging av barnehager over hele landet. Mange av de nye byggene ble oppført med nye typer planløsninger (base- og sonebarnehager). Det finnes lite forskning om prosesser og konsekvenser knyttet til endring av fysiske strukturer i pedagogiske institusjoner. Forskningsresultatene som presenteres i artikkelen er basert på en casestudie av prosesser i fire bydeler i Oslo, og viser at personalet i de nye byggene hadde lite kjennskap til intensjoner bak byggenes utforming og opplevde lite støtte i etableringsprosessen. Artikkelens formål er å bidra til kunnskap om betydningen av å involvere personalet i pedagogiske reformer og i utvikling av det fysiske miljøet. Funnene kan ha overføringsverdi til andre reformer som innebærer organisatoriske og arkitektoniske endringer.

The selection of informants in kindergarten research in Norway: A critical review

“…On the other hand, topics like leadership, planning, professional development and kindergarten teacher education (for example, Bø & Hognestad, 2014Moen, 2017;Skjaeveland et al, 2017;Vatne & Gjems, 2014) are defined in this study as typical topics that might not readily accommodate assistants as informants. Publications where the research question is specific to designated occupational groups, such as chairs (for example, Børhaug & Lotsberg, 2014;Evenstad & Becher, 2015;Kirkhaug et al, 2012) or pedagogical leaders (for example, Keilman, 2017;Knaben & Abrahamsen, 2017;Ødegård, 2012) are not defined as relevant for assistants either.…”

Much More Than Refurnishing! How Leadership Matters When Transforming Physical Environments for Play

“…Uninviting physical play environments exist in different types of buildings and organizations (Dahl, 2020). Materials for play are often placed in high cabinets, stored out of sight or in special rooms (Bjørnestad & Os, 2018;Evenstad & Becher, 2015). There is a strong need for empirical research on physical environments in kindergartens, but also research that provides insights into institutional change processes (The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, 2018, chapter 5).…”