The meanings of space in early childhood education and care centers: the point of view of adults and children in Italy, Belgium and Lithuania

The last few decades have seen a growing interest in the role of physical environment in early childhood education and care (ECEC). In addition to who implements the educational activities and what the contents of education are, it has become increasingly important where education takes place. Alongside staff (who) and programs (what), the physical environment of a service (where) is in fact recognized as a critical aspect through which early childhood education and care (ECEC) quality could be implemented (Edwards & Gandini, 2018; Guo, Justice, Kaderavek, & McGinty, 2012; Malaguzzi, 1987; Melhuish, 2016). According to a constructivist theoretical model, consistent with the idea that space is co-constructed through the meanings and the behaviors of all those who inhabit it (Strong-Wilson & Ellis, 2014; Vuorisalo et al., 2015), the current research project takes into account the specific points of view through which the space and the environment are experienced, distinguishing adults’ and children’s perspective in order to compare and integrate the different emerging meanings. In addition to the exploration of such meanings in the Italian context, the project extended the investigation to other countries belonging to the wider European context: Belgium and Lithuania. The first study explored the meanings given by adults, so far not systematized in scientific research, through a preliminary study using group interview and focus groups (n=36 total participants) and a main study using questionnaires (n=1091 participants). Since only few empirical contributions took parents’ and coordinators’ perceptions into account and no studies included assistants’ voice, in the investigation of adult’s meanings, the point of view of these actors have been included in addition to that of teachers and coordinators. The second study explored the point of view of children through a preliminary study using two types of drawings and a tridimensional model (n=48 total participants) and a main study using drawings and interviews (n=262 participants). It was aimed to investigate the meanings that children express about their educational spaces, trying to overcome the approaches of the studies carried out so far with children which have mainly focused on defining which spaces they prefer. The third study investigated the meanings given to space by both adults and children in three European countries, Italy, Belgium and Lithuania, in order to identify similarities and differences that may help to broaden personal visions and stimulate thoughts on the educational potential of the physical environment. Data were collected using group interviews (n=36 total participants in Italy; n=24 total participants in Belgium; n=24 total participants in Lithuania) and questionnaires (n=1091 participants in Italy; n=166 participants in Belgium; n=166 participants in Lithuania) with adults, and drawings and interviews with children (n=29 participants in Italy; n=26 participants in Belgium; n=31 participants in Lithuania). The findings of the different studies highlighted the complexity of space issues, which include different levels of meanings related to the opportunities given by space in terms of experiences, relationships, thoughts and connections, besides the mere physical aspects. The preferences about ECEC spaces were similar among the countries for both adults and children: outdoor spaces were the most appreciated at all, then class was the second choice and common spaces like hall and corridor were other popular choices. Although outdoor space was the first choice for all participants, differences were found in their use among countries: Belgium was the most likely to use them for risky play and in all climatic conditions, while Italy and Lithuania were less likely. Moreover, although the favorite spaces were similar in all countries, the reasons for preferences were different: Italian participants referred mainly to children’s emotional experience of children, Lithuanian participants underlined the learning experience and Belgian participants referred to both. Differences were also found depending on the role of participants: in all countries coordinators seem to pay more attention to the beauty of the environment, compared with other participants, and assistants seem to give more importance to the possibility to enjoy nice moments with children, while parents and teachers seem to dedicate special attention to the emotional and learning experience offered by space. These differences underline different visions on the value of ECEC physical environment that influence the educational actions and arrangement of space. Interesting considerations about eating, sleeping and toilet spaces also emerged in relation to their great but often underestimated educational value, besides their caring value. Although slight differences were found among the involved countries, a common vision about the characteristics that such space should provide emerged: for all participants it seemed important that the eating space is organized in small groups and prepared with care, the sleeping space has a soft atmosphere and the toilet space has an adequate light level. Innovative reflections were also provided on spaces for families and for educational professionals, that are often absent or inadequate but seem to have important roles in ECEC adults’ experience. The main findings emerging from the studies allowed reflections that may help teachers, researchers and policymakers in co-design processes aimed at creating ECEC environments that meet the real needs of all actors involved and that support holistic development for children.