scholarly journals Exploring schemas in the Welsh curriculum: A coming to know for practitioners and children

2020 ◽  
pp. 1476718X2096975
Author(s):  
Amanda Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Construction ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Learning Journey ◽  
Coming To Know ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

This paper explores one child’s use of their schema to construct their knowledge and understanding within the early years curriculum for Wales – the Foundation Phase (FP). It considers how a knowledge of schemas can facilitate practitioners in supporting children along their learning continuum and inform classroom pedagogy. This paper explores and defines what schemas are and examines prior research into schemas. It examines FP practitioners’ lack of knowledge and understanding of schemas within the chosen setting, thus providing the rationale for the research. Lastly, it charts Harri’s learning journey over two terms and how a coming to know about Harri’s trajectory schema facilitated a different understanding of his actions by practitioners and helped shape classroom pedagogy. The paper highlights how an informed knowledge of schemas supported Harri’s engagement in tasks and fostered his collaboration with others. This paper is useful for policy makers, practitioners and researchers, particularly in Wales, in understanding how nurturing and nourishing a child’s schema supports knowledge construction within a play-based curriculum such as the Foundation phase.

scholarly journals Making Nautical Tourism Greener in the Mediterranean

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6693
Author(s):  
Ani Trstenjak ◽  
Saša Žiković ◽  
Hoda Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Costs ◽  
Financial Instruments ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

We analyze the elements determining the sustainability of nautical tourism in selected Mediterranean countries (Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, Italy and Turkey). The purpose of our research is to investigate the main obstacles to greater application of renewable energy sources (RES) as the basis for the sustainability of nautical tourism. The obtained results provide valuable information that can help companies and policy makers choose appropriate strategies to achieve the EU 2030 sustainability goals in this sector. Our survey among charter companies was conducted during 2018 on a sample of 51 respondents. We conclude that there is a serious lack of knowledge among nautical tourism respondents regarding the availability of financial instruments from EU funds intended for increasing energy efficiency and adoption of RES. Respondents were familiar with general measures to reduce energy costs but are not familiar with the measures and opportunities provided by available European funds. Our results confirm previous research indicating that significant savings in energy consumption can be achieved by using RES (especially photovoltaic (PV) modules) and that insufficient financial resources and lack of knowledge are the main obstacles to achieving higher adoption rates of RES and increasing energy efficiency in nautical tourism.

Coordination Points: A Hidden Factor in Reconciling Work and Family Life

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTINE SKINNER
Keyword(s):  
Family Life ◽  
Maternal Employment ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Working Parents ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Fully Integrated ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Depth Interviews

Despite improvements in childcare provision since the implementation of the National Childcare Strategy in England in 1998, little is known about the practicalities of managing childcare and employment from a parental perspective. It is not recognised that dependent children have to be physically transported from home to the place of care-education, and if transported by the parent the latter usually also has to travel to their workplace in a different location. This article discusses the complexity involved in coordinating these events, the barriers posed to maternal employment, and the strategies used by working parents to overcome the difficulties. It presents an analysis of qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 40 mothers in a middle-sized city in England. The analysis exposes the additional work involved in temporally, spatially and physically coordinating childcare, education and work. It indicates that early education related to children's ages might have a greater influence on coordination difficulties, and therefore maternal employment, than the numbers of children in a family per se. The article argues that policy makers need to have a greater regard for the time and space dimensions attached to coordination, the coordination support provided by fathers and others (as opposed to childcare), transport issues and the need for fully integrated early years provision in all neighbourhoods.

scholarly journals Analysis of relations between “equality of life chances” and “early childhood care and education”, as foundations for social justice and human development: a case study of Mauritius

Afrika Focus ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Morabito
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Life Chances ◽  
Early Childhood Care ◽  
Childhood Care ◽  
Qualitative Focus Groups ◽  
Quantitative Analyses

In this research, we have analysed the relations between equality of life chances and early childhood care and education (ECCE). During the last decades we have seen a constant growth in socio-economic inequalities world-wide. Yet, in the same period, we have acknowledged an increasing attention, among scholars and policy makers, to early childhood education as a prominent (and consensual) equalizing policy. We critically reviewed this claim, by using a mixed method research, including a theoretical analysis through a critical literature review, quantitative analyses of a longitudinal database, and qualitative focus groups with parents in Mauritius. Findings suggest ECCE can only be an equaliser if accompanied by a change in the educational and social structures. Conclusions highlight the need of focusing further research on detecting complex mechanisms of accumulation of disadvantage in specific groups, and assessing the equalising effects of diverse interventions during early years, including income redistribution. Key words: equality, education, early childhood, Mauritius 

A Silver Age? The German Economy since Reunification

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 74-94
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Silvia
Keyword(s):  
Current Account ◽  
Automobile Industry ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
German Economy ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Silver Age ◽  
Financial Transfers ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Positive Performance ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis

Since German unification, assessments of the German economy have swung from “sick man of the euro” in the early years to dominant hegemon of late. I argue that the German economy appears strong because of its recent positive performance in two politically salient areas: unemployment and the current account. A deeper assessment reveals, however, that German economic performance cannot be considered a second economic miracle, but is at best a mini miracle. The reduction in unemployment is an important achievement. That said, it was not the product of faster growth, but of sharing the same volume of work among more individuals. Germany’s current account surpluses are as much the result of weak domestic demand as of export prowess. Germany has also logged middling performances in recent years regarding growth, investment, productivity, and compensation. The article also reviews seven challenges Germany has faced since unification: financial transfers from west to east, the global financial crisis, the euro crisis, internal and external migration, demographics, climate change, and upheavals in the automobile industry. German policy-makers managed the first four challenges largely successfully. The latter three will be more difficult to tackle in the future.

scholarly journals Language at preschool in Europe: Early years professionals in the spotlight

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marije C. Michel ◽  
Folkert Kuiken
Keyword(s):  
Early Years ◽  
First Century ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Language Support ◽  
Introductory Article ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Future Work

AbstractOver the past few decades early years education throughout Europe has experienced many changes due to higher numbers of children attending centres for early childhood education and care (ECEC), a growing linguistic and cultural diversity in society and a shift from care to education with the focus on preparing children for entry to primary school. These changes have brought with them an expectation from policy makers, researchers and parents for better ECEC. Language support for children is often named as one of the key aspects of high-quality childcare because of its importance in successful entry to and progression within the future educational career of a child. However, rather little is known about how early years professionals meet the linguistic demands of twenty-first century multilingual Europe. The present special issue tries to fill this gap by giving a platform to five European investigations into language at preschool in Europe with a focus on early years educators’ competences, knowledge, skills, beliefs and needs. This introductory article aims to prepare the reader for the contributions that follow in this special issue. We first describe current policy and practice of language support in European ECEC with regard to children’s and educators’ needs. Then, we review all the contributions and provide a summary focusing on the diversity as well as the commonalities of the five investigations, before formulating an outlook for future work.

scholarly journals Parents’ Beliefs and Attitudes on Their Children’s Distance Education Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greek Preschool Settings

2021 ◽  
pp. 62-76
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Karavida ◽  
Eleni Tympa
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Online Classroom ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
New Era ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Education Performance

Background: Current research and the bibliography suggest that both synchronous and asynchronous distance education in the early years of education is a new era to explore the teaching of young children. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the extent of use of online classroom platforms in early years, both in the private and public sector, and to correlate parents' attitudes towards children’s behavioral changes during the pandemic lockdown in Greece. Methodology: The participants were 216 parents with preschool-aged children (between 2:6 to 4:0 years) in Greek pre-school settings in two cities of North and West Greece. A questionnaire on the use of ICT during the pandemic Covid -19 and its’ outcomes was distributed online to all parents. The parents' perception was generally negative and was not preferred to frontal teaching, while they were not satisfied with the results. Results: A remarkable percentage of children did not participate in online education due to their parents' attitude on the appropriateness of their age to participate in online education. However, the deterrent attitude of parents was not related to their level of education and willingness to help their children. The parents' perception was generally negative and was not preferred to frontal teaching, while they were not satisfied with the results. As far as the implementation of distance education is concerned, private broadcasters have introduced more synchronous distance education compared to public ones. Finally, there were positive correlations between asynchronous distance learning of 1-3 hours per day and children's irritability, as well as feelings of stress and anxiety and asynchronous distance learning of more than 6 hours per day. The correlation between children's distraction and asynchronous distance learning for 1-3 hours per day was negative. Conclusion: Further discussions for policy makers and teachers are planned.

scholarly journals Teaching computational thinking in primary schools: Worldwide trends and teachers’ attitudes

2021 ◽  
pp. 33-33
Author(s):  
Valentina Dagienė ◽  
Tatjana Jevsikova ◽  
Gabrielė Stupurienė ◽  
Anita Juskevicienė
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Teachers Attitudes

Computational thinking (CT) as one of the 21st century skills enters early years education. This paper aims to study the worldwide tendencies of teaching CT through computing in primary education and primary school teachers? understanding of CT. A survey of 52 countries has been performed and complemented by a qualitative study of 15 countries. In order to identify teachers? understanding-level of CT and its integration approach in the class activities, a case study of 110 in-service teachers from 6 countries has been performed. The implications of the research results may be useful for primary school educators, educational initiatives, government authorities, policy makers, e-learning system and content developers dealing with support for teachers aiming to improve their CT professional development qualification.

Coming To Know Caring: A Teaching-Learning Journey

1998 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Me Lebold, ◽  
Margaret Re Douglas,
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Strategies ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Learning Journey ◽  
Caring Communities ◽  
Nursing Courses ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Patterns Of Knowing ◽  
Graduate Nursing ◽  
Coming To Know

Caring is at the center of nursing. Nevertheless, nurses seek to learn more about the meanings and common practices of caring as well as how to teach and enhance these practices. This article describes undergraduate and graduate nursing courses in caring that the authors developed and taught for more than eight years. Course foundations, organizational themes, structural patterns, and teaching strategies are presented. A phenomenological worldview that is consistent with Diekelmann’s “Concernful Practices of Teaching and Learning” undergirds course design. Emphasis is given to personal, aesthetic, ethical, and spiritual patterns of knowing and being, although empirical patterns are included. The structure of the courses focuses sequentially on care of self, care of others, and the creation of caring communities. Each class session is organized to include opportunities for reflection, lecture, discussion, and experiential exercises. Various expressions and interpretations of caring such as story, play, meditation, music, literature, and other art forms are used as teaching strategies. Journal writing is done regularly to encourage the habit of reflective practice.

A Small Festival for Small People

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 64-82
Author(s):  
Heather Fitzsimmons Frey
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Urban Life ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Very Young Children ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Structure Programming

The WeeFestival, English Canada’s first performance festival dedicated to children from ages 0 to 5, acts as an advocate for the early years demographic and for the artists who create for them through three key elements of festival structure: programming, space, and creative/artistic exchange. Engaging with research by Ben Fletcher-Watson, Lise Hovik, Matthew Reason, and Adele Senior, this article uses company archives, artist interviews, and the writer’s personal experiences to analyze how the WeeFestival temporarily establishes an alternative public sphere that challenges policy-makers, funders, and artists to rethink relationships between arts, very young citizens, and urban life. Even though very young citizens may not initially know that they want to experience art, the festival attends to the interests and responses of young people, demonstrates respect for their capacity to be emotionally and intellectually engaged by artful and thoughtful productions, and establishes festivalized spaces that put an alternative public sphere into action, gesturing to the possibility of real social change. Taking into account the significance of programming for artists, educators, and policy-makers alongside the significance of meaningful audience-artist exchange, the analysis suggests that events like the WeeFestival have the capacity to gently shift how urban dwellers perceive very young children and the way they interact with the arts in daily life.

scholarly journals Acknowledging and interrogating multiplicities: Towards a generous approach in evaluations of early literacy innovation and intervention

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 522-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Burnett
Keyword(s):  
Early Literacy ◽  
Evaluation Studies ◽  
Literacy Learning ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Literacy Intervention ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Literacy Interventions ◽  
Hard Evidence ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Book Sharing

At a time of increasing calls from policy makers for the use of ‘hard evidence’ in driving decision-making at national and local levels in educational contexts, this article contributes to debates about evidence-based practice in early literacy research. It proposes that a reliance on studies designed to generate ‘hard’ evidence limits understanding about innovations and interventions, arguing that such reliance is not just problematic because interventions and innovations are interpreted differently in diverse sites, or because programmes need to be locally relevant, but because they are constituted differently through different evaluation studies. The article draws on Law’s notion of ‘method assemblage’ to consider how different studies produce different assemblages that have implications for how innovations are conceived. These ideas are exemplified using studies scrutinised through a systematic literature review of one kind of literacy intervention, early years book-gifting, which aims to promote book-sharing in the home. The discussion focuses specifically on how books as mediating objects are instantiated in various ways through different studies, with different implications for how book-sharing, book-gifting and, ultimately, reading are understood. When considered together, these studies construct book-gifting in multiple ways, problematising and complicating the causal relations assumed in methodologies driving for ‘hard’ evidence. Drawing on the book-gifting example, this article explores what might be gained by embracing ‘multiplicities’, the multiple ways in which things – such as objects, activities, principles and indeed literacy interventions – are constituted through method assemblage. It argues that literacy evaluations can best serve children and their families, and the organisations, agencies and groups working alongside them, by seeking fluid, open and ‘generous’ accounts of innovations and interventions. Such accounts, it is argued, are more likely to acknowledge the complex relationships and practices associated with early literacy and to generate new understandings and productive possibilities for early literacy learning.

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