Abstract:

The article reveals the application technique of the free thematic essay as a qualitative research method that enables children to publicize their experiences. The main philosophical methodological provision that is followed while creating the essay application technique is presented: in order to “enter” childhood world and to understand hidden phenomena it is necessary to understand and evaluate them through children’s not adults’ perspective.

The principles of free thematic essay application technique are analyzed in the contexts of children’s leisure culture and research of self-learning social-educational discourse. Children’s leisure and self-learning as a sphere of their everyday life is rather detached from formal self-education and demands not only a new attitude towards the phenomenon, but also the realization of new relationships between adults and children that would give a possibility to represent children’s needs. The child-oriented paradigm of “freedom” self-education transfuses all spheres of children’s self-learning and self-socialization, including leisure. It encourages researchers to explore the meanings of socio-cultural and educational discourse of children’s leisure, perceiving children’s leisure as a phenomenon inherent to their culture.

The article presents main principles of methods of application and realization of an essay: opinion of children and their provided information are very important, a child is an active participant (agent and creator) of everyday research process. It is suggested to encourage children’s curiosity by employing “intrigue” and “provocations” as a stimulus for publicizing of own “invisible/unnoticed” (to adults) life and learning/teaching experiences. Free child’s decision (to take/not take part in the research or to withdraw from it) is important. Such conditions are important as well: when children transmit knowledge about themselves, an interactive dialogue is a must, by applying the linguistic style (attractive) used in (children’s) everyday practice; coherence of communication forms – innovative (interactive/distance – e-mail) and traditional (telephone, “traditional” mail) – is necessary; inspiration of the process of interactions children-adults (researcher-teachers/pedagogues-parents) where all are equal partners.

It should be emphasized that when applying children’s experience/narrative research, in the very research process it is important to allow/provide conditions for children as research participants to implement their choices.

Keywords:

Free thematic essay, qualitative method, children’s leisure culture, children’s self-learning.