International Journal of Technology and Design Education· 2026Q1
Building and construction in preschool – between policy classification and children’s learning
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Swedish preschool policy documents reclassified building and construction activities from practical-aesthetic crafts to science and technology education, creating a tension with pedagogical approaches that favor open, play-based learning.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Swedish preschool policy documents reclassified building and construction activities over time.
- Activities shifted from practical-aesthetic crafts to science and then technology education.
- This reclassification creates a tension with pedagogical approaches supporting open, play-based learning.
- Children's learning, participation, and meaning-making are impacted by this policy-pedagogy gap.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract This article explores the positioning of building and construction activities in Swedish preschool authoritative documents from the 1950s and onwards. Drawing on the concept of classification, the study analyses how these activities have shifted from being situated within the practical-aesthetic domain – closely linked to crafts and creative expression – to becoming increasingly embedded within, first the science domain, and later the technological one. The analysis reveals a recontextualisation, where building and construction activities have retained cross-disciplinary characteristics while gradually being framed as part of preschool technology education. While this shift can be understood as a strengthening of technology as a curriculum area, previous research highlights that construction activities function best as open, process‑oriented practices, where learning emerges through play, exploration, and didactical support. This creates a tension between policy‑level reclassification and the pedagogical conditions that support children’s learning, participation, and meaning‑making in building and construction activities.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Human Factors and Ergonomics
Human Factors and ErgonomicsSocial Sciences