THE DISCOURSES CONTEXTUALISING SOCIAL-EDUCATIONAL MEANINGS OF CHILDREN’S LEISURE TIME

Abstract

Children’s leisure time has nowadays become a problem of political discussions in Lithuania. The emphasis is put on children’s occupation (especially during summer vacation) but not on the social, educational, cultural significance of leisure time for children. Despite the fact that the problem of leisure time has become the sphere of interest of politicians, educators, parents, the number of scientific researches in this area has not increased. However, the increased scientific and practical interest in children’s leisure time is witnessed by the abundance of competitions, programmes devoted to children’s non-formal (self)education, socialisation that are announced by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania [1] . Still children’s leisure time (at school as well as outside it) in the mentioned documents is questioned as environment but not as a social, educational, cultural phenomenon. All this presupposes the problem issue of the research – what social-educational meanings contextualise children’s leisure time? The aim – to reveal social-educational discourse contextualising children’s leisure time referring to anti-positivistic attitude. The object of the research – social-educational discourse contextualising children’s leisure time. Methods: theoretical analysis of scientific literature, meta-analysis. KEYWORDS: children, leisure time, socialisation, (self)education, culture. [1] Conception of Non-formal Education of Children (approved by the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania, December 30, 2005, by the order No. ISAK-2695, Official Gazette, 2006, No. 4-115); The Law on Education of the Republic of Lithuania (adopted by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, June 17, 2003, No. IX-1630, Official Gazette, 2003, No. 63-2853); Programme of Youth and Children Socialisation (approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, February 23, 2004, upon the decision No. 209, Official Gazette, 2004, No. 30-995); Provisions of National Education Strategy 2003–2012 (approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, July 4, 2003 m. upon the decision No. IX-1700, Official Gazette, 2003, No. 71-3216); The Note of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania Regarding Organisation of Children Non-formal Education and Leisure Time (approved September 25, 2001, No. 24-06-06-116); ·       Purchase of implementation of summer educational programmes of children in regions [http://www.tapk.lt/lt/pirkimai/vaiku-vasaros-edukaciniu-258y.html]; ·       Purchase of services for implementation of programmes of non-formal children education in municipalities [http://www.tapk.lt/lt/pirkimai/neformaliojo-vaiku-svietimo-whd7.html]; ·       Purchase of implementation of summer educational programmes for the children in social exclusion groups [http://www.tapk.lt/lt/pirkimai/supaprastintas-atviras-socialines-z7vb.html] et al.