Creativity in pre-school education

The Creanet Network aims at developing a European forum for discussion, research, 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

THE NETWORK

→ 12 partners

→ 40 associated partners

PROJECT LENGTH

Project partners (12 partners)

• Municipality of Scandiano, Reggio Emilia – Italy (lead applicant)• SERN (Management cordinator)• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - Science of Education

Department - Reggio Emilia, Italy• Landratsamt Enzkreis - Germany• University of Jyvaskyla (Istitute for Educational Research & Ago) –

Finland• Norrkopings Kommun – Sweden• University College Lillebaelt, Odense – Denmark• Instituto Politecnico de Beja – Portugal• Klaipeda University, Faculty of Pedagogy – Lithuania • Liepaja University, Faculty of Pedagogy - Latvia• Murcia University – Educational psychology - Spain• Municipality of Verteneglio - Croatia

• 80 ACADEMIC SCHOLARS in the field of education

→1400 through dissemination

• 280 TEACHERS, EDUCATORS, PEDAGOGICAL COORDINATORS, PRESCHOOL MANAGERS

→7000 through dissemination

Expected impact

• 200 DECISION MAKERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS at different institutional levels

→1700 through dissemination

• 4.000 FAMILIES OF CHILDREN attending preschool services (through dissemination)

• (Indirectly) CHILDREN attending the preschool services involved.

Aims of the project

1. To create a European forum for discussion open to those interested in preschool issues;

2. To identify, compare and exchange the metodologies, approaches and environments that encourage the development of creativity;

3. To increase the quality of the educational offer by improving the competences/skills of the preschool teaching staff;

4. To use creativity as a mean to boost the educational and social inclusion of children and families belonging to minorities and/or disadvantaged groups;

5. To strenghten the European dimension, in particular within the frame of the Lifelong Learning Programme, and to stimulate creativity from the earlier stages of the pupils’ personal development.

Main types of activities

1.The research activities aimed at developing a European approach to creativity in preschool throught literature review, fieldwork and action-research;

2. The exchange of best practies among pre-schools, structured in two working groups dealing respectively with “contexts” and “expressive languages”;

3. Annual conferences to develop new projects, presenting the results of the reserch and to exchange best practices.