Socially Innovative Reconstruction of Preschool Premises

Abstract

Despite the prominent role of norms and values in public education policy and practice social innovation studies have rarely investigated how these are converted into practical transformations in the educational sector. The study therefore aims to provide further insight into the impact of contextualized and materialized norms and values in educational social innovation, using a remodeling process of preschool facilities in a Swedish municipality as an illustrating case study. Seeking to ensure equal and inclusive play, learning and development, the studied process exposes the impact of materialized norms and values on enabling and disabling rooms, furniture and materials in the preschool facilities. As such norms and values impact social transformation process regardless of the contextual specificities, the results may be useful also in other preschools in Sweden and internationally.

Keywords

• gender
• norms
• preschools
• social innovation