CREANET The Network on Creativity in pre-school education www.creativityinpreschool.eu

Twitter hashtag #Creaconf2

The CREANETnetwork aims at developing a european forum for discussion research and

exchange of best practices on creativity in preschool

education from a multidisciplinary and cross-institutional perspective.

TWO SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF INVESTIGATION:

▪ CREATIVITY AND CONTEXTS (SPACES/MATERIALS/RELATIONS)

▪ CREATIVITY AND EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGES

(AESTHETIC MEANS OF EXPRESSION)

THE NETWORK

→ 12 PARTNERS (10 countries)

→ 40 ASSOCIATED PARTNERS

PROJECT LENGTH

PROJECT PARTNERS • MUNICIPALITY OF SCANDIANO, REGGIO EMILIA – ITALY

(LEAD APPLICANT)• SERN (MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR) ITALY• UNIVERSITY OF MODENA AND REGGIO EMILIA –

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION - ITALY• LANDRATSAMT ENZKREIS - GERMANY• UNIVERSITY OF JYVASKYLA - INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL

RESEARCH – JYVASKYLA - FINLAND• MUNICIPALITY OF NORRKOPING – SWEDEN• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LILLEBELT - ODENSE – DENMARK• INSTITUTO POLITECNICO DE BEJA – BEJA - PORTUGAL• KLAIPEDA UNIVERSITY - FACULTY OF PEDAGOGY – KLAIPEDA -

LITHUANIA • LIEPAJA UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF PEADGOGY – LIEPAJA -

LATVIA• MURCIA UNIVERSITY – FACULTY OF EDUCATIONAL

PSYCHOLOGY – MURCIA - SPAIN• MUNICIPALITY OF VERTENEGLIO - CROATIA

AIMS OF THE NETWORK1. TO CREATE A EUROPEN FORUM FOR DISCUSSION

AMONGST PRACTITIONERS AND ACADEMICS2. TO IDENTIFY COMPARE AND EXCHANGE

METHODOLOGIES APPROACHES AND EXPERIENCES THAT PROMOTE CREATIVITY

3. TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATIONAL OFFER AND IMPROVE THE COMPETENCES/SKILLS OF THE TEACHING STAFF

4. TO USE CREATIVITY AS A MEANS TO BOOST THE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BELONGING TO MINORITIES AND/OR DISADVANTAGED GROUPS

5. TO STRENGTHEN THE EUROPEAN DIMENSION OF LIFELONG LEARNING AND TO STIMULATE CREATIVITY AT THE EARLY STAGES OF CHILDHOOD

NETWORKING STRATEGY 1. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AIMED AT DEVELOPING

A EUROPEAN APPROACH TO CREATIVITY IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH LITTERATURE REVIEWS FIELDWORK AND ACTION-RESEARCH

2. EXCHANGE OF BEST PRACTICES STRUCTURED IN TWO WORKING GROUPS DEALING RESPECTIVELY WITH CREATIVITY AND “CONTEXTS” AND “EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGES”

3. ANNUAL CONFERENCES AIMED AT EXCHANGING BEST PRACTICES AND AT DEVELOPING NEW PROJECTS BASED ON RESULTS OF RESEARCH

AIMS OF RESEARCH → To provide an overview of the academic

work on creativity and ECEC in Europe

→ to identify the perspective of the teachers on creativity

→ to identify activities and methodologies that promote creativity in preschool settings and in different socio-cultural contexts

ANNUAL CONFERENCES

Year 1 – Beja - portugal 5-7 may 2011a) presentation of results of investigation b)set up of working groupsc) contact seminar for project development

ANNUAL CONFERENCES

YEAR 2 – KLAIPEDA LITHUANIA 23-25 May 2012a) presentation of work carried out in the working

groupsb) presentation of findings of comparative research

carriedoutc)contact seminar for project development

ANNUAL CONFERENCES

YEAR 3 – SCANDIANO – ITALY 12-14 JUNE 2013

a)presentation of the final results of research b)presentation of best practices identifiedc)presentation of draft document addressed to

policy makersd)contact seminar for project development

ANNUAL CONFERENCES

YEAR 3 – SCANDIANO – ITALY 12-14 JUNE 2013

A)Presentation of the final results of research

B)Presentation of best practices identified

C)Presentation of draft document addressed to policy makers

D)Contact sessions for project development

CREANET working groups Methodology

1) Identification of the key charateristics of creativity2) Identification of specific aspects related to subthemes

- Contexts (spaces and materials, technology and media/relations, outdoor spaces)- Expressive languages (Story telling and language learning, aesthetic expressions, expressive language in outdoor environment)

3) Reading the daily practices about the themes in the light of the keywords

Preparation of a description sheetfor the practice identified

Discussion on the themes in working groups

1) Presentations2) Discussion in groups

- Identification of common elements- Possible aspects to deepen

3) Reporting in plenary

Project development/ follow-up session- Problem/needs- Identification of objectives /expected results- Definition of possible activities- Time plan

Dissemination seminars

Activities carried out in local seminars:

1) Reporting of the research results presented at the annual conferences

2) Lectures on creativity given by academics or professionals

3) Workshops on the theme of creativity

Dissemination seminars

• 80 ACADEMICS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

→1400 THROUGH DISSEMINATION

• 280 TEACHERS, EDUCATORS, PEDAGOGICAL COORDINATORS, PRESCHOOL MANAGERS

→7000 THROUGH DISSEMINATION

EXPECTED IMPACT

EXPECTED IMPACT• 200 DECISION MAKERS AND

CIVIL SERVANTS →1700 THROUGH DISSEMINATION• 4.000 FAMILIES FOR WHOM

PRESCHOOL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED WITHIN THIS PARTNERSHIP

• CHILDREN ATTENDING THE PRESCHOOLS INVOLVED

Dissemination strategyOrganizations reached by dissemination:- 179 Pre-schools- 51 Municipalities- 22 Universities- 28 Associations- 26 Primary schools- 2 Trade unions

Professional profiles involved in Creanet activities:-443 preschools teachers,-238 civil servants-79 academics -53 preschools managers- 43 students-8 trade union representatives.

Dissemination results

2862 People reached by dissemination tools

1) Dissemination seminar at local level750 people attended local seminars

2) Internet website/ online platform166 member of Creanet online community22.578 Visits to public website and online platform

3) Newsletter650 copies of the e-newsletter distributed through Creanet and SERN contact lists

HOW TO BE LINKED TO CREANET

• VISIT THE SITE OF THE PROJECT www.creativityinpreschool.eu (presentations can be downloaded)

• SUBSCRIBE TO THE PROJECT’ S NEWSLETTER

• ATTEND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCES (SCANDIANO ITALY JUNE 2013)

• GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR NATIONAL COORDINATOR

• IF YOUR COUNTRY IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE NETWORK SERN CAN PROVIDE NECESSARY INFORMATION/CONTACTS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !

Dr Nicola CatellaniProject Coordinator

info@sern.eu