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THE DEPARTMENT OF PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION

 

Head of department
Branimir Mendeš, PhD, Assistant Professor
E-mail: bmendes@ffst.hr

Secretary for department
Snježana Lauš
E-mail: slaus@ffst.hr

ECTS coordinator
Tea-Tereza Vidović Schreiber, PhD, Senior Lecturer
E-mail: tvidovic@ffst.hr

 

General information about the programme

The arguments for initiating the study programme

The arguments for initiating, i.e. for the continuation of the study programme, are related first of all to the fact of the insufficient integration of pre-school children into pre-school educational programmes. In the contemporary social context families need organized pre-school child care more than ever. Although in the European Union attending educational programmes is optional before the age of five, more than 75% of four-year-old children are integrated in the pre-school educational system, where the only exceptions to the figure are Greece, Ireland and Portugal where the integration rate is just over 50%. On the other hand, in Croatia the integration rate is approximately 30%, and in the three counties neighbouring Split (where the largest number of students at the University of Split come from) it amounts to 31.6 %.

Evaluation of purposefulness with regard to labour market requirements

Pre-school teacher training at the Teachers’ College meets the requirements of the professional profile of the three counties of Split and Dalmatia County, Dubrovnik and Neretva County, along with, in part, Šibenik and Knin County, as well as a part of the needs of the nearby Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The integration of children in regular pre-school programmes

 

Number of educational groups

Number of teachers

Number of children integrated in regular pre-school programmes

Integration rate

Split and Dalmatia County

538

773

12906

33.6

Dubrovnik and Neretva County

134

191

3155

31.2

Šibenik and Knin County (30% of the total number)

30,6

43,8

769,8

30

TOTAL:

774

1110

18627

31.6

 

Taking into consideration the current number of employed teachers in the three abovementioned counties (Šibenik and Knin County is only partially included, with 30%), the fact that 30 years of service are needed for women to qualify for retirement (art. 31, Retirement Insurance Law- Zakon o mirovinskom osiguranju in Croatian) as well as the assumption of even age distribution, zero professional dropout and a full range of years of service, 37 female teachers go into early retirement every year. Considering the fact that some of the graduated students develop their professional career in other activities, as well as the fact of resigning early from the job for various reasons (disability, early retirement, disease, family problems...), the realistic estimate of the teacher-profession reproduction rate will be considerably higher than the rate of 3.3%, which would be valid under the limitations of "plain reproduction."

In terms of the previous data the annual need for new pre-school teachers amounts to at least 40 teachers a year. Starting from the highly optimistic assumption of having a 90% pass rate, it would be necessary to enroll at least 45 students a year.

If we, additionally, acknowledge harmonization with the European system as well, and if we expect the integration of children in pre-school educational programmes to hover around 75% in the near future, the number of employed teachers should therefore grow by 42%. The estimated minimal number of students for a 75% integration rate would amount to, under the same assumptions as above (reproduction rate of 4% and pass rate of 90%), 107 students.

The correlation between the programme and contemporary scientific notions

Educational studies constitute the foundation of professional teacher training. This is the reason why educational studies consist 30% of the study programme.

A humanistic approach based on a new perception of the pre-school curriculum as transactional-transformational has been accepted in our pre-school theory as well as in practice for more than a decade. The modern pre-school curriculum is characterized by being transparent, integrated and under development. Numerous longitudinal parallel studies of various approaches in pre-school curriculum forming (Burts, Charlesworth, Fleege, Mosley, Thomasson 1992; Epstein 1993; Marcon 1992; Falk, Dierking 2000; DeVries, Reese-Learned, Morgan 1991; Bredekamp 1996; Duran 2001; and others) indicate the important and valuable contributions of the integrated curriculum to the whole of child development. Each child, as proven by these studies, has his/her unique development pattern determined by specific interests, personal strategy and tempo of learning, earlier experience and sociocultural context in which they live. It has been pointed out that already from an early age a child is a competent being, rich in potential, open, capable of discovering and investigating the phenomena which he/she encounters as well as of sharing his/her discoveries with others through different forms of expression. Beside this, a child has an intensive need for development which results in their demand for an experience of authentic development.

Teaching effectiveness is reflected in the understanding of a child’s learning process based on the modified paradigm of pre-school learning. The starting positions are that of constructivist interaction conceptions of learning and education according to which learning is a process of discovering the meaning of one’s own experience (construction) under the conditions of interaction and dialogue (co-construction). In this contextual-integrated model of learning, the crucial teacher’s role is to encourage the child's development and learning as a whole, i.e. the child's development in critical and creative thinking, to engage the child’s potentials as a whole, to promote collaboration, interaction and negotiation among children. Thus throughout pre-school educational studies, among other things, an adequate psychological, pedagogical, methodological, philosophical and sociological education of students is important as it is crucial for the understanding and implementation of the teacher’s roles in the constructivistically conceived environment of the pre-school child’s learning. A student should, through the content of the above-stated scientific disciplines, become trained in the roles of mediator and mentor in encouraging child development as a whole, i.e. in planning, mentoring and evaluating the process of the child progress which he/she realizes through an integrated pre-school curriculum.

Comparability with the programmes of the respectable institutions of higher education abroad

The development of the teacher educational system in Europe proceeds in the direction of university education and professionalization. At least three years of higher education are required in order to obtain teacher qualifications.

The proposed study programmes have been created bearing in mind the related study programmes of the leading institutions of higher education in the European Union and in the United States of America. We emphasize programmes that have been implemented in Slovenia, Czech Republic, Ireland, Poland and Finland as particularly related to ours.

Initially, the study programme was organized as a vocational one. Subsequently it was transformed into an academic study programme through the gradual strengthening of "the teaching personnel structure" of the stated institutions and through the improvement of the position of the educational sciences.

Openness to students´ mobility

Croatian institutions of higher education which have study programmes for pre-school teacher training have been coordinating their programmes for the purpose of encouraging students´ mobility ("horizontalna pokretljivost"). Apart from mobility among local comparable institutions, mobility to institutions of higher education abroad is expected as well. Arrangements regarding the drafting of "learning/study agreements" ("sporazum o studiranju") are being made with a number of institutions abroad, among which let us single out the Slovene and Finnish ones (Abo Akademi University – Department of Early Childhood Education, in Jakobstad).


CONTACTS

 

Name and title

E-mail address

Head of department

Branimir Mendeš, PhD, Assistant Professor

bmendes@ffst.hr

Secretary

Snježana Lauš

slaus@ffst.hr

ECTS coordinator

Tea-Tereza Vidović Schreiber, PhD, Senior Lecturer

tvidovic@ffst.hr

 

Address: Poljička cesta 35, 21000 Split

https://www.ffst.unist.hr/odsjeci/rani_i_predskolski_odgoj_i_obrazovanje


EMPLOYEES AND COURSES

Associate Professor

izv. prof. dr. sc. Marija Brajčić Email 21 (Teslina)
izv. prof. dr. sc. Ivana Visković Email 229

Assistant Professor

doc. dr. sc. Toni Maglica Email 231
doc. dr. sc. Branimir Mendeš Email  
doc. dr. sc. Tea-Tereza Vidović Schreiber Email 229D

Associate Professor

izv. prof. art. Tatjana Ravlić Email  

Associate Professor

izv. prof. dr. sc. Joško Markić Email  
izv. prof. dr. sc. Marijana Županić Benić Email  

Assistant Professor

doc. dr. sc. Blaženka Bačlija Sušić Email  
doc. dr. sc. Dodi Malada Email  

OTHERS

pred. Adrijana Bedrica Email  
pred. mr. sc. Perislava Bešić-Smlatić Email  
pred. Marica Grgurinović Email  
pred. dr. sc. Antonia Jeličić Kadić Email  
pred. dr. sc. Aleksandra Kardum Email  
pred. Josipa Matoković Email  
pred. Dejan Nemčić Email  
pred. Ana Pirić Email  
dr. sc. Edita Runjić  
izv. prof. dr. sc. Esmeralda Sunko Email 229
dr. sc. Marko Šimunović Email  
Title Semester Program External URL INFO
Action research in early and pre-school education 2 graduate  
Artistic Expression in Early and Preschool Education 1 4 undergraduate  
Artistic Expression in Early and Preschool Education 2 5 undergraduate  
Basic Methodology of Pedagogical Research 3 undergraduate  
Basics of Kinesiology 3 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Basics of Music Culture 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Basics of Natural Science and Mathematical Literacy 4 undergraduate  
Basics of Pedagogy 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Basics of Visual Arts 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
BA thesis 6 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 6
Child and creativity 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Children in risk 2 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Children's Literature 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Computer Literacy 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Contemporary childhood and children's rights 3 graduate  
Contemporary pedagogical approaches in early and preschool education 2 graduate  
Contemporary Sociological Theories 5 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 5
Croatian Language 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Culture of early and pre-school education institution 1 graduate  
Developmental Psychology 1 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Developmental Psychology 2 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Didactics of Art 3 9 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 9
English Language 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Evaluation and Self-Assessment in Contemporary School 3 graduate  
Family Pedagogy 5 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 5
Health Care and Care of Children Early and Preschool Age 4 undergraduate  
Historical context of early and pre-school education 1 graduate  
Inclusive pedagogy 5 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 5
Inclusive Pedagogy 6 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 6
Integrated Curriculum of Early and Preschool Education 1 3 undergraduate  
Integrated Curriculum of Early and Preschool Education 2 4 undergraduate  
Integrated Curriculum of Early and Preschool Education 3 5 undergraduate  
Integrated Curriculum of Early and Preschool Education 4 6 undergraduate  
Introduction to Civic Education 10, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 10, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8
Introduction to Civic Education 10, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 10, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8
Introduction to Puppetry and Theatre 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
MA thesis 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
MA Thesis 10 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 10
Media Culture 3 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Methodology of Kinesiological Activities in Early and Preschool Education 1 4 undergraduate  
Methodology of Kinesiological Activities in Early and Preschool Education 2 5 undergraduate  
Music in Early and Preschool Education 1 4 undergraduate  
Music in Early and Preschool Education 2 5 undergraduate  
Music Practicum 1 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Music Practicum 2 3 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Partnership between Family and Local Community 6 undergraduate  
Pedagogical Concepts and Approaches in Early and Preschool Education 4 undergraduate  
Pedagogy of Early and Preschool Education 1 2 undergraduate  
Pedagogy of Early and Preschool Education 2 3 undergraduate  
Philosophy of Education 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Philosophy of Education 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Physical Education 1 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Physical Education 2 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Physical Education 3 3 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Psychology of Early Learning 3 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Quality and identity of early and pre-school education institution 2 graduate  
Research in Educational Practice 1 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Research in Educational Practice 2 3 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Research in Educational Practice 3 4 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Research in Educational Practice 4 5 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 5
Research in Educational Practice 5 6 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 6
Social Pedagogy 6 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 6
Sociology of Education 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Sociology of Education 10 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 10
Sociology of Science 3 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Support strategies for children with special needs 4 graduate  
Visual Arts 6 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 6
Abused and Neglected Children 4 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Aesthetic gymnastics with practicum 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Alternative Conceptions of Education 1, 3, 5 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3, 5
Art Group as a Form of Extracurricular Activity 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
Basics of dramatisation and adaptations of literary texts for children 3 graduate  
Basics of visual arts 1 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Basics of visual arts 2 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Behavioural disorders in early childhood 3 graduate  
Child and Society 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Child and Society 10, 2, 4, 6, 8 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 10, 2, 4, 6, 8
Children's dance creation with practicum 4 graduate  
Children's drama and puppetry creation with practicum 4 graduate  
Children's musical creativity with practicum 4 graduate  
Communication through performing arts 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Cultural Heritage in Croatia 3 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Dance and Creativity in Motion 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Dance structures with practicum 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Dancing in Kindergarten 5 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 5
Decorative shaping 2 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Developmental psychopathology 3 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Didactics 2 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Drama and theatre for children 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Drama pedagogy education with practicum 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Dramatic literature for children 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Drawing with practicum 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Educational Context of Children's Nurseries 4 undergraduate  
Ethics in Education 1, 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3
Folklore for children with practicum 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Folklore for children with practicum 1 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Folklore for children with practicum 2 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Free Time Pedagogy 1, 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3
Group music making 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Group music making 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Inclusive Kindergarten 6 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 6
Instrumental practicum 1 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Instrumental practicum 2 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Introduction to Literature 1 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1
Kinesiological Culture 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
Law in Everyday Life 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
Music in puppetry 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
National parks of Croatia 2 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Painting with practicum 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Painting with Preschoolers 6 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 6
Parents and children with special needs 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Partnership between Family and Local Community 4 undergraduate  
Pedagogy of Sports and Recreation 2, 4 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2, 4
Prevention of Behavioral Problems 6 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 6
Prevention of Behaviour Disorders 1, 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3
Puppet animation with practicum 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Rhythmics and dance with practicum 1 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3
Rhythmics and dance with practicum 2 4 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Socio-emotional learning in behavioural problems prevention 1 graduate  
Sociology of Nutrition 1, 3 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3
Sociology of Popular Religion 3, 5 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 3, 5
Stage Culture 10, 2, 4, 6, 8 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 10, 2, 4, 6, 8
Theory and Practice of Speaking and Speech Interpretation 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
Three-dimensional modeling and designing with practicum 1 3 graduate  
Three-dimensional modeling and designing with practicum 2 4 graduate  
Traditional games and toys 2 graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 2
Traditional Stories for Children 4 undergraduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 4
Transition of the Child from Kindergarten to Primary School 5 undergraduate  
Visual arts dramaturgy and puppetry technology 4 graduate  
Visual Arts in the Croatian Territory 7 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 7
Work Methods with Children with Special Needs 10, 8 integrated undergraduate and graduate  
Engleski jezik:
Semestri nastave: 10, 8

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