| Abstract [eng] |
The relevance of the study and the research problem. The availability of support for children in early childhood education settings is uneven as a result of differences in inclusive education culture, practices, and specialist resources. There is a lack of research on how educators practically seek to ensure the participation of all children in the educational process. It is therefore important to study educators’ experiences in implementing inclusive education in order to improve the practical application of its principles. This problem raises the following questions: What are educators’ experiences in teaching preschool-aged children in the context of inclusive education? How do they assess their readiness to implement inclusive education? How do they encourage preschool-aged children to participate in joint group activities? What challenges do educators encounter and what positive outcomes do they experience when implementing inclusive education in early childhood education activities? Novelty of the results. The study’s findings reveal not only early childhood educators’ attitudes and perspectives on inclusive education but also their professional readiness and personal experiences in implementing inclusive education in early childhood education settings. The object of the study is early childhood educators’ experiences in implementing inclusive education. The master’s thesis includes a theoretical analysis of the implementation of inclusive education in early childhood settings, highlighting the role of educators in creating an inclusive learning environment. The aim of the study is to explore early childhood educators’ experiences in implementing inclusive education. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: to analyse the scholarly literature on the concept and principles of inclusive education and the role of educators in implementing inclusion in early childhood education settings; to investigate, through a qualitative study using interviews, educators’ readiness to implement inclusive education, assessing their competencies and professional capacities; to explore educators’ perspectives on the possibilities and conditions for implementing inclusive education in early childhood education settings; to examine educators’ experiences in applying tools and methods that promote children’s participation in group activities, highlighting changes in the educational process in inclusive education practice; and, using qualitative content analysis, to identify the challenges educators encounter and positive outcomes they experience in implementing inclusive education in early childhood education activities. The study is grounded in the ecological systems approach, which views the child as an active participant in the educational process within the context of multiple interacting environments, while inclusive education is understood as a responsibility of the entire system, oriented towards the child’s needs, abilities, and participation in the educational process. Methods of the study: analysis of scholarly literature, semi-structured interviews, and qualitative content analysis. Study sample: the study involved 10 early childhood educators who shared their professional experiences in implementing inclusive education. |
