Advisory Committee Chair
Lois M Christensen
Advisory Committee Members
Grace Jepkemboi
Lynn Kirkland
Kelly Russell
Deborah Strevy
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2013
Degree Name by School
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) School of Education
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to encourage learners to care for others and make a difference in the world through Reggio Emilia-inspired teaching and learning practice that promoted transformational education. Students were anticipated to take an active role in helping to develop the transformational educational curriculum. Students recommended ways of making a difference in their school, neighborhood, and community while investigating a learning theme of their interest and choice. A total of 15 first grade students and nine parents participated in this study. Limited literature exists on the topic of Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood classrooms and recycling projects involving children in central Alabama schools, specifi-cally with transformative education as the goal. This study worked towards filling a gap in the literature to describe how valuing children's ideas can lead to authentic discussions, research, and projects, ultimately establishing a transformational project in the school community of the children. A case study design was selected to address this deficiency. This research addressed the lack of knowledge and understanding to use a Reggio Emilia-inspired approach in the classroom to promote transformational education through recycling. A case study was developed to answer the following questions: 1. What does transformation education look like in a first grade classroom? 2. How do first grade students in central Alabama play an active role in helping to develop the transformational education curriculum? 3. How do first grade students in central Alabama recommend ways of making a difference in their school, neighborhood, and community while investigating a learning theme of their interest and choosing? 4. How do family members describe their children's involvement in a transfor-mational education curriculum? The participants for this study were selected using a purposeful sampling tech-nique. Data was collected for four months. Field notes, observations, student interviews, student learning logs, classroom charts, parent questionnaires, student drawings, photo-graphs, email messages, and a student-created class book were collected. Themes and sub-themes were identified and reported to answer the research questions. A cross-case analysis and discussion were provided.
Recommended Citation
Pendergrass, Amanda Daniel, "Engaging First Graders In Transformational Early Childhood Emergent Learning Themes" (2013). All ETDs from UAB. 2697.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/2697
