Retraining Programme for Preschool Educators on Physical Education and Activity in Early Childhood

As part of a Cooperation Protocol between the University of Patras and the Regional Primary and Secondary Education Directorate of Western Greece, a pilot retraining programme for preschool educators in the 6th and 64th Preschool Education Districts has been underway since February 2018 (Act No. 3/13-12-2017). The focus is on physical education and physical activity in early childhood. The project team includes Vassiliki Riga, Assistant Professor at the Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education, University of Patras; Polyxeni Kotretsou, School Advisor for Physical Education in Achaia; and Zacharoula Voineskou and Vasiliki Tsampazi, School Advisors for Preschool Education in Achaia.

The programme aims to instil in preschool educators a respect for the child’s innate need for constant movement and to create conditions that fulfil this need through the organisation of flexible and open-ended physical education activities within kindergartens. The participating educators are expected to supplement, update, or reassess their knowledge, skills, and professional practices in the area of physical education. This is intended to support both their personal and professional development, as well as to ensure the quality of their educational practice. A key tool for communication and training between the project team and the participating educators is the online classroom Syn-Kinoumai (“Moving Together”) hosted on the educational social network platform Edmodo.

The innovative aspect of the programme lies in its formative design, which is shaped by the internal dynamics of the trainee group, tailored to their specific needs, working conditions, prior knowledge, and preconceptions regarding the subject of the training, as well as incorporating ongoing feedback.