1. T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret The Scandinavian Model ?
EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL EUROPEAN REGION Round Table on Early Childhood Education Sofia,
The Scandinavian Model ?
Thomas Moser Vestfold College
Department of Education Denmark University of Education
Learning Lab Denmark
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2. T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
IS THERE A SCANDINAVIAN MODELL?
WHAT KIND OF CRITERIA ?
Society
Policy/politics
Structural, organizational
Pedagogy
Curriculum
Didactics
Pedagogical practice
Moser - EI Sofia
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3. SCANDIAVIA …. Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Norway
About 25 million inhabitants spread out over a big area at the European periphery
Living under relatively wealthy (rich) conditions
In communities still having a significant (but decreasing) sense of solidarity and trusting in public solutions
Feeling some kind of relatedness to each other (e.g.. relying on that “we” have the best social-, welfare and health systems in the world and a not so bad educational system either)
Moser - EI Sofia

4. HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Similarities and differences 1
T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Similarities and differences 1
DANMARK
SWEDEN
ISLAND
FINLAND
NORWAY
NAME
“Day offer”
-Child-crib
-Kindergarten
-+ _______
Pre-school
Pre-school Day care
Pre-school Day-care
Kindergarten
AGE
Kinder-garten class
(0)1-6 +Kinder-garten class
0-5
1st class in school
+Kindergarten class
MINISTRY OF
Family and Consumer Affairs
Education
Education, science and culture
Social Affairs and Health
Children and Family affairs ->2005, now: Knowledge
Public
Private
~100 %
90 %
10 %
~97 %
~3 %
~99 %
~1%
~45 %
~55 %
Comment: Please check terminology (name) , age, public/private ratio!!!!!
Moser - EI Sofia
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5. T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Percentage of children (age 1-5) in day care (2003)1
DANMARK
ICELAND
SWEDEN
NORWAY
FINLAND
88 %
85 %
81 %
66 %
55 %
1The Nordic countries in Figures 2004 and 2003;
2 countries with a cash benefit scheme
Moser - EI Sofia
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6. T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Percentage of age groups in day care (2003)1
Years of Age
DANMARK88 %2
ICELAND 85 % 2
SWEDEN 81 % 2
NORWAY 66 % 2
FINLAND 55 % 2
0 (<1)
9.4
7.8
0.0
2.0
1.4 1
72.4
54.7
44.6
29.8
27.5 2
84.3
89.2
86.9
50.6
43.9 3
92.2
93.3
90.9
76.6
62.3 4
93.5
94.0
85.7
84.2
68.5 5
97.3
92.9
96.9
86.5
73.0
1The Nordic countries in Figures 2004 and 2003;
2 Average age 1-6.
Moser - EI Sofia
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7. T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Percentage of professional trained pre-school teachers in the institutions1
DANMARK
SWEDEN
NORWAY
ICELAND
FINLAND
60 %
50 %
35 %
32 %
30 %
1 Data from Jan-Erik Johansson presented at the 33rd congress of Nordic Educational Research Education(2005)
Not all of the rest
are totally untrained!
Moser - EI Sofia
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8. HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? What kind of professional training?
T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? What kind of professional training?
DANMARK1
SWEDEN2
NORWAY
ICELAND
FINLAND
a merged education for pre-school teachers, social workers and after school teachers
a merged teacher education
Specific
1 “Non-research based” education
2 Early years teacher: age 1-12
Moser - EI Sofia
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9. HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Curriculum - revisions/reforms
T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Curriculum - revisions/reforms
DANMARK
SWEDEN
NORWAY
ICELAND
FINLAND
2003
Pedagogical curriculum
1,5 pp*
1975
1988
1998 Curriculum for preschool
2004 General advices and comments for quality in preschool
~17 pp*
1992/ st Framework plan
2005
Framework plan for Kindergarten
139 pp*
(29 pp)**
1985 Framework-plan
1999
National Curriculum Guide for Pre-schools
47 pp *
National Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care
45 pp *
*Number of pages – national curriculum
**hearing-proposal – new curriculum framework
Moser - EI Sofia
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10. HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Preschool teacher preparation1
T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
HOW IS THE SCANDINAVIAN SITUATION? Preschool teacher preparation1
DANMARK
ICELAND
SWEDEN
NORWAY
FINLAND
AFFILI-ATION
College
University
University College
SINCE
1998
2000
1979 ?
1995
DURATION
3 1/2 yrs.
3 yrs.
CERTIFI-CATE
Social educator
Preschool teacher
Early years teacher
WORK –PLACE
Preschool After-school Social work
Preschool
Preschool After-school
Elementary school
1Information taken from a manuscript by Jan-Erik Johansson (2005?)
Moser - EI Sofia
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11. Tracing a Scandinavian Model 1
Parents primary responsibility for education and care TOGETHER WITH a clear national/governmental responsibility
Parents influence on pedagogical praxis in Kindergarten
Perspectives on Children an Childhood
Children as human beings (not human becomings)
Childhood as a value “per se”
An integrative perspective on and approach to “small small” children (age 0-2/3) and big small children (age 3-6)
Values related to children and childhood (UN-declaration of children’s rights)
Children must be heard and seen
Children’s participation
Moser - EI Sofia

12. Tracing a Scandinavian Model 2
Kindergarten as an cultural institution
Transmission and renewing of culture
Children as active creators of culture
Awareness for different cultures (own and other’s)
Live long learning
Holistic approach to caring and learning
Resistance against/disapprove of testing and assessment
Resistance against/disapprove of school-model and -praxis
Moser - EI Sofia

13. Tracing a Scandinavian Model 3
Social competencies and social learning
Outdoor activities
Health
Importance of motor skills and control
Romanticism (back to nature; simplicity)
Hardiness
Self regulation, being in charge, self efficacy
Moser - EI Sofia

14. Tracing a Scandinavian Model 4 Common Scandinavian struggling-projects
The status and overall aim of ECE-institutions in the society
The identity of the institutions (compared to school)
Communication of professional, pedagogical praxis (tacit/silent versus explicit knowledge)
The identity and acceptance of the professionals (pure motherhood against academic trained [female] staff)
The gender issue
Acknowledge of competency and social significance of the work through payment
Moser - EI Sofia

15. T. Moser HVE/Barnehagesenteret
The Scandinavian Model? Summing up
Well, there may be something common …
Society: good economy; highly organized society; values like equality and solidarity; attitude to children
Policy/politics: (some) political will and financial power; life long learning perspective; public responsibility;
Structural, organizational: relatively long history of and strong traditions in ECE; high parent fees; soon accessibility to ECE for almost everybody
Pedagogy: integration of education and care; parents influence on pedagogical praxis; the child as subject and human being; the child as actor for his/her own development and learning.
IS THERE A SCANDINAVIAN MODELL?
Moser - EI Sofia
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