”Lärarstuderande kommer in med nytt” – om samarbete mellan småbarnspedagogik och universitet

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to increase the understanding of cooperation between early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the municipality and the university. The research questions are based on how leaders in (ECEC) describe the development of cooperation with the university and how the third space become visible in cooperation between ECEC and the university.

The focus is on teacher students' practical studies which are carried out through different models of cooperation with ECEC centers. An inductive approach permeates the study. The study data consists of 21 semi-structured interviews with leaders in ECEC. The interviews have been analyzed through thematic analysis and the phenomenon has since been linked to the theory of the third space. The theory highlights an ideal that means that new knowledge arises when teacher students are welcomed to ECEC centers during their practical studies.

The results show that there is an interest in the field, represented by the leaders in ECEC, for teacher education and to meet student teachers. The leaders' interest lies mainly in how the cooperation can contribute to the development of attractive pedagogical units. As we work together towards a third space between the field and the university, new knowledge can be developed, which contributes to strengthening everyone's professionalism and takes advantage of both academic and practical knowledge.