The partnership between preschool institutions and the local community from the parents’ perspective
Abstract
The main goal of this research is to examine parents’ perceptions of the partnership between preschool institutions and the local community. The paper emphasizes the importance of familiarizing children with their immediate local environment and various forms of partnership, such as visits, joint actions, and events, present in preschool education practices. In addition to existing forms of partnership, attention is given to the potential of the local community for the learning of preschool children and establishing a foundation for preserving the culture, traditions, and customs of the community they grow up in. The research used a descriptive method, and the primary research instrument was a Likert-type assessment scale. The research sample consists of parents whose children attend state preschool institutions. Data were collected directly, in collaboration with educators and with the consent of the institution directtors. The results of the research partially confirmed the hypotheses that preschool institutions and the local community engage in partnerships in diverse activities to support the quality of educational work. There were also statistically significant differences in parents’ attitudes regarding the characteristics of the sample. The most important implications of our research findings relate to contributing to the improvement of existing educational practices, considering that the treated problem is viewed from the perspective of parents who are a key factor in successful collaboration at all levels.
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