Okul Öncesi Eğitim Ortamının Kalitesinin Çocukların Yaratıcılığına Etkisi

Abstract

This research aims to explore the effect of early childhood environment quality of preschools served under Ministry of National Education on children’s creativity. Population of this research consist of preschools which are located in Ankara, Capital of Turkey, and served under Ministry of National Education and 5-6 years old children who are attended these preschools in 2015-2016 school year. The sample of the study involves 6 preschool classrooms in 6 preschools under served Ministry of National Education, each of the classrooms in different preschools, and 117 children who are enrolled these preschools. In this research, Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale(ECERS) is used in order to evaluate the quality of preschool environment. Also, Creative Behaviour Observation Form is used to assess creativity of children. Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM) was applied to analyse the data obtained during the research. In the analysis of the research, student version of SPSS based HLM 7.00 was used. In addition to this, SPSS 20 was used in order to conduct descriptive statistics and transfer organized data to HLM 7.00. At the result of the research, it was found that the creative behaviours of the preschool children in terms of flexibility, fluency, originality, and elaboration significantly predicted by variables of total quality level of preschool. In detail, it was seen that children who enrolled in the preschools which have higher environment quality, achieved higher results in the sub-dimensions of creativity which are flexibility, fluency, originality and elaboration. Beside this, it was seen that total quality level of preschool effects elaboration most between sub-dimensions of creativity. Then originality, fluency and flexibility come after elaboration respectively. Also it was found that socio-economic levels of families significantly predict creative behaviours of children in terms of flexibility, fluency, originality and elaboration. In spite of this, attendance time, sex and age have no effect on creative behaviours of children in terms of flexibility, fluency, originality and elaboration. In the light of the research results, some recommendations for research and implementation have been developed to contribute to the development of children's creativity.