The CREANET network aims to create a European forum for discussing, researching, and exchanging best practices around creativity in preschool education. It involves 12 partner organizations from 10 countries and 40 associated partners. The network will investigate creativity and contexts/materials as well as creativity and expressive languages through research, workshops, and annual conferences over its 3-year duration to improve early education across Europe.

1. CREANET
The Network on Creativity
in pre-school education
www.creativityinpreschool.eu
Twitter hashtag #Creaconf2

2. The CREANETnetwork aims at
developing a european forum for
discussion research and exchange of
best practices on creativity in
preschool education from a
multidisciplinary and cross-
institutional perspective.
TWO SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF
INVESTIGATION:
▪ CREATIVITY AND CONTEXTS
(SPACES/MATERIALS/RELATIONS)
▪ CREATIVITY AND EXPRESSIVE
LANGUAGES
(AESTHETIC MEANS OF EXPRESSION)

3. THE NETWORK
→ 12 PARTNERS (10 countries)
→ 40 ASSOCIATED PARTNERS

4. PROJECT LENGTH

5. PROJECT PARTNERS
• MUNICIPALITY OF SCANDIANO, REGGIO EMILIA – ITALY
(LEAD APPLICANT)
• SERN (MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR) ITALY
• UNIVERSITY OF MODENA AND REGGIO EMILIA –
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION - ITALY
• LANDRATSAMT ENZKREIS - GERMANY
• UNIVERSITY OF JYVASKYLA - INSTITUTE FOR
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH – JYVASKYLA - FINLAND
• MUNICIPALITY OF NORRKOPING – SWEDEN
• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LILLEBELT - ODENSE –
DENMARK
• INSTITUTO POLITECNICO DE BEJA – BEJA - PORTUGAL
• KLAIPEDA UNIVERSITY - FACULTY OF PEDAGOGY –
KLAIPEDA - LITHUANIA
• LIEPAJA UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF PEADGOGY – LIEPAJA
- LATVIA
• MURCIA UNIVERSITY – FACULTY OF EDUCATIONAL

6. AIMS OF THE NETWORK
1. TO CREATE A EUROPEN FORUM FOR
DISCUSSION AMONGST PRACTITIONERS
AND ACADEMICS
2. TO IDENTIFY COMPARE AND EXCHANGE
METHODOLOGIES APPROACHES AND
EXPERIENCES THAT PROMOTE CREATIVITY
3. TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE
EDUCATIONAL OFFER AND IMPROVE THE
COMPETENCES/SKILLS OF THE TEACHING
STAFF
4. TO USE CREATIVITY AS A MEANS TO BOOST
THE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BELONGING TO
MINORITIES AND/OR DISADVANTAGED
GROUPS
5. TO STRENGTHEN THE EUROPEAN

7. NETWORKING STRATEGY
1. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AIMED AT
DEVELOPING A EUROPEAN APPROACH
TO CREATIVITY IN PRESCHOOL
THROUGH LITTERATURE REVIEWS
FIELDWORK AND ACTION-RESEARCH
2. EXCHANGE OF BEST PRACTICES
STRUCTURED IN TWO WORKING
GROUPS DEALING RESPECTIVELY WITH
CREATIVITY AND “CONTEXTS” AND
“EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGES”
3. ANNUAL CONFERENCES AIMED AT
EXCHANGING BEST PRACTICES AND AT

8. AIMS OF RESEARCH
→ To provide an overview of the academic
work on creativity and ECEC in Europe
→ to identify the perspective of the
teachers on creativity
→ to identify activities and methodologies
that promote creativity in preschool
settings and in different socio-cultural
contexts

9. ANNUAL CONFERENCES
Year 1 – Beja - portugal 5-7 may 2011
a) presentation of results of investigation
b)set up of working groups
c) contact seminar for project development

10. ANNUAL CONFERENCES
YEAR 2 – KLAIPEDA LITHUANIA 23-25 May 2012
a) presentation of work carried out in the working
groups
b) presentation of findings of comparative research
carriedout

11. ANNUAL CONFERENCES
YEAR 3 – SCANDIANO – ITALY 12-14 JUNE 2013
a)presentation of the final results of research
b)presentation of best practices identified
c)presentation of draft document addressed to policy
makers

12. ANNUAL CONFERENCES
YEAR 3 – SCANDIANO – ITALY 12-14
JUNE 2013
A)Presentation of the final results of
research
B)Presentation of best practices
identified
C)Presentation of draft document
addressed to policy makers
D)Contact sessions for project
development

13. CREANET working groups
Methodology
1) Identification of the key charateristics of creativity
2) Identification of specific aspects related to subthemes
- Contexts (spaces and materials, technology and
media/relations, outdoor spaces)
- Expressive languages (Story telling and language learning,
aesthetic expressions, expressive language in outdoor
environment)
3) Reading the daily practices about the themes in the
light of the keywords
Preparation of a description sheet
for the practice identified

15. Discussion on the themes in
working groups
1) Presentations
2) Discussion in groups
- Identification of common elements
- Possible aspects to deepen
1) Reporting in plenary
Project development/ follow-up session
- Problem/needs
- Identification of objectives /expected results
- Definition of possible activities
- Time plan

16. Dissemination seminars
Activities carried out in local seminars:
1) Reporting of the research results presented
at the annual conferences
2) Lectures on creativity given by academics or
professionals
3) Workshops on the theme of creativity

17. Dissemination seminars

18. EXPECTED IMPACT
• 80 ACADEMICS IN THE FIELD OF
EDUCATION
→1400 THROUGH DISSEMINATION
• 280 TEACHERS, EDUCATORS,
PEDAGOGICAL COORDINATORS,
PRESCHOOL MANAGERS
→7000 THROUGH DISSEMINATION

19. EXPECTED IMPACT
• 200 DECISION MAKERS AND
CIVIL SERVANTS
→1700 THROUGH DISSEMINATION
• 4.000 FAMILIES FOR WHOM
PRESCHOOL SERVICES ARE
PROVIDED WITHIN THIS
PARTNERSHIP
• CHILDREN ATTENDING THE
PRESCHOOLS INVOLVED

20. Dissemination strategy
Organizations reached by dissemination:
- 179 Pre-schools
- 51 Municipalities
- 22 Universities
Professional profiles involved
- 28 Associations
in Creanet activities:
- 26 Primary schools
-443 preschools teachers,
- 2 Trade unions
-238 civil servants
-79 academics
-53 preschools managers
- 43 students
-8 trade union representatives.

21. Dissemination results
2862 People reached by dissemination tools
1) Dissemination seminar at local level
750 people attended local seminars
1) Internet website/ online platform
166 member of Creanet online community
22.578 Visits to public website and online platform
3) Newsletter
650 copies of the e-newsletter distributed through
Creanet and SERN contact lists

22. HOW TO BE LINKED TO
CREANET
• VISIT THE SITE OF THE PROJECT
www.creativityinpreschool.eu
(presentations can be downloaded)
• SUBSCRIBE TO THE PROJECT’ S
NEWSLETTER
• ATTEND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCES
(SCANDIANO ITALY JUNE 2013)
• GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR NATIONAL
COORDINATOR
• IF YOUR COUNTRY IS NOT INVOLVED IN
THE NETWORK SERN CAN PROVIDE
NECESSARY INFORMATION/CONTACTS

23. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION !
Dr Nicola Catellani
Project Coordinator
info@sern.eu