<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Leida Talts</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Airi  Kukk</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">LEARNING AND TEACHING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE VALUE-BASED APPROACH AT THE YOUNGER SCHOOL LEVEL</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">social constructivist and traditional approach to learning</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">value-centeredness</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">views on learning and teaching</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1420057093.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">57</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Discontinuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">This study aims to ascertain primary school teachers’ views on learning and teaching in the context of the value-based approach and to explore the values teachers rely on in their daily work. The theoretical framework of the study draws on the principles of social constructivist approach to learning, which also constitutes the basis of the new National Curriculum for Basic Schools of the Republic of Estonia. The study is based on the survey of 359 primary school teachers. The analysis produced a five-factor model, showing satisfactory factor loadings for each. The study revealed that teachers’ beliefs about traditional and constructivist teaching styles are somewhat contradictory, expressing on the one hand support to the constructivist approach to learning, but admitting at the same time that for both themselves and their students the traditional teaching style is more convenient. However, the majority of teachers believe that adherence to social constructivist learning principles yields better knowledge and practical skills. In primary school teachers’ approach to learning and teaching the most important key point is the acquisition of knowledge and useful skills, implemented through cooperation and favourable learning environment.</style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">142-152</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Airi  Kukk</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">APPLYING THE PRINCIPLE OF SUSTAINABILITY OF EDUCATION TO THE CURRICULA OF THE ELEMENTARY STAGES OF EDUCATION IN ESTONIA</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">educational opportunities</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">sustainable development of a child</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2009</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2009</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1393267053.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">12</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sustainable education is a multi-level process, which bears humanistic values in today’s and tomorrow’s society and which is achieved through a long-term development process, where acquiring practical skills is in compliance with the theoretical self-concept and the concept of the whole surrounding environment. This principle is the basis for the objectives and competences formulated in curricula of pre-school education and primary education. The stronger is the connection between the two stages of education, the more sustainable is transition from kindergarten to school. However, in practical education we often experience something else. Therefore, the following questions need to be answered: To what extent does today’s education take into account regularities of children’s development? How is the sustainability of the objectives of the curricula of pre-school and primary education guaranteed? The aim is to give a survey on school readiness of children at school entry in different counties of Estonia and the children’s achievements at the end of the first stage of their studies. 
Methods. The research data have been collected in the framework of the ETF grant “Efficiency of pre-school education and its sustainable development in basic schools in four counties (Saare, Järva, Võru and East-Viru County)”; in 2005 data were collected in pre-school child care institutions, and in 2006-2008 in grades 1-3. This is a longitudinal study, which analyses the development of the same children from their last year at kindergarten up to the end of the third year at school. Children’s coping was assessed by their teacher in five point scale in nine different target fields.
 The research results showed that according to their teachers, children were well prepared for school in respect to different subjects, but there were several shortcomings in social skills, in their positive self-concept, and in the formation of abilities to learn.</style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">74-87</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Airi  Kukk</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Leida Talts</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Helle Sikka</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">CHILDREN`S SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOL AND AT THE END OF THIRD GRADE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">social skills</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">sustainability</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2008</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1392233708.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The present paper deals with social skills of Estonian preschool and primary school children. The aim is to analyze how teachers evaluate students` social development and what substantial differences occur in the level of social skills at preschool and at the end of third grade. In order to develop children’s perception of themselves as citizens, it is important to emphasize those goals of the curriculum, which promote the main qualities of citizenship: identify, belonging and participation.
 Assessment of social skills based on the questionnaire „Transition from Preschool to School”. The study was carried out in four stages- the same children were evaluated by their teachers at the end of pre-school and at the end of first-, second and third grade. At each stage of the study teachers were asked to evaluate children`s individual achievements in nine target areas relying on curriculum aims: learning skills; social skills; language; mathematics; ethics; health; physical development; art and culture. The nine areas were rated on a scale from one to five. The results showed a very high reliability for the teacher rating (Alpha=.95).
 The mean assessments of teachers demonstrate that social skills as well as appreciating different attitudes and altruism and accepting diversity have received weaker assessments from the teachers than other objectives.
 


</style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">124-135</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Airi  Kukk</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Maia Muldma</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">LANGUAGE IMERSION - AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO THE PRE-SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE CURRICULUM OF ESTONIA</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">child’s readiness for school</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">language immersion</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">June/2008</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1392236656.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">7</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">After becoming a member of the European Union Estonia has started to become more multicultural and this has brought along the need to teach the Estonian language to children with different native languages. Language immersion is a form of study which is applied as a national program in Estonia with the aim of facilitating acquiring Estonian as a second language. Although early language immersion is popular in Estonia, teachers, parents and educational institutions do not have a clear idea of how language immersion influences a child’s coping in different educational stages and which issues should be considered as primary concerns in guiding the development of a non-Estonian child.
 In 2007 kindergarten graduates, who had participated in the language immersion program for at least two years, were studied. Data was collected from the teachers of language immersion groups in 9 kindergartens and the parents of the children, who gave their assessments on the readiness of children concerning nine of the most important learning areas (Framework curriculum (1999) of pre-school education). 
Research results show the effectiveness of the language immersion method. The subject-based (native language, mathematics) skills of the children were especially good. There are some deficiencies concerning the indicators of self-esteem and forming prerequisites for learning. </style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">169-179</style></section></record></records></xml>