Eettisestä osaamisesta yhteiskunnalliseen ymmärrykseen : varhaiskasvatuksen arjen hiljainen tieto ja hiljaisen tiedon siirtäminen

Abstract

This dissertation explores what kind of tacit knowledge early childhood education employees recognize in their work and what the essence of tacit knowledge is in the field of early childhood education. This study also examines what elements are connected to recognizing and sharing tacit knowledge in early childhood education and care work organizations. Furthermore, this study investigates what the content of tacit knowledge could be in the future according to early childhood professionals.

This empirical research connects the field of adult education and learning with early childhood education and operates on a shared interface. It focuses on early childhood education in an early childhood education center. Data were collected by interviewing the personnel of an early childhood education center (ECEC). They were asked to share their descriptions of their own tacit knowledge. The data were then analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis.

The results suggest that the tacit knowledge of early childhood education is diverse, and it consists of multiple layers of knowing. It is important to understand the mutability of such knowledge when it is shared knowledge. Protecting the value of childhood and enabling continuous learning in a work organization were seen as future forms of tacit knowledge. The results show that examining tacit knowledge in organizations is profitable. It helps to identify needs for changes on individual and organizational levels. Tacit knowledge of the future can provide important information about everyday life at workplaces, its weak signals and other important notions that might otherwise remain silenced.