Competence Development in Early Childhood Education: Task-Based Learning and Project-Based Learning in Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic

Abstract

The paper focuses on the development of teachers' competencies in pre-primary education in Task-based Learning (TBL) and Project-based Learning (PBL). It presents the objectives and first results of the project Learning by Doing - Attainment of Basic Competences in ECEC supported by the ERASMUS+ Programme. The project aims to support the theoretical basis of TBL and PBL and their implementation in kindergartens in Slovenia, Slovakia, and Czechia. The paper presents theoretical backgrounds and the analysis of data obtained in the pilot part of the research, which focused on the previous experience of pre-school teachers with experience of TBL and PBL. The research shows that didactic teaching methods still predominate in the practice of teachers from the research sample. The PBL method was mostly used by Slovenian teachers and many respondents showed a misunderstanding about the basis of both methods and their use. Among the obstacles mentioned were insufficient expertise of teachers, size and diversity of the classes, material conditions and lack of time.