scholarly journals Exploring early childhood educators’ notions about professionalism in Prince Edward Island

2019 ◽  
pp. 20-36
Author(s):  
Alaina Roach O'Keefe ◽  
Sonya Hooper ◽  
Brittany A.E. Jakubiec
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Prince Edward Island ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Curriculum Frameworks ◽  
Negative Impacts

Despite policy changes in a growing number of countries to increase the quality of early years education through the introduction of national curricular frameworks, conceptualizations of early childhood professionals remain distinctly variegated. Early learning curriculum frameworks have become embedded into the 21st-century early learning movement, creating a shift in professional deliverables and system expectations. This study explores how early childhood educators (ECEs) in Prince Edward Island (PEI) understand the concept of professionalism in their everyday practice. The researchers used qualitative methodology and a variety of methods, including workshops, interviews, and field notes, to gain insight into how ECEs understand professionalism. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis and understood through the lens of sociocultural theories of learning that embrace communities of practice as a positive way to promote professional learning. Primary findings explore (1) how ECEs understand professionalism in PEI, (2) positive and negative impacts on their understanding of professionalism in their daily practice, and (3) professional development opportunities that impact professionalism in the early childhood field.

scholarly journals In-between spaces of policy and practice: Voices from Prince Edward Island early childhood educators

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-166
Author(s):  
Gabriela Arias de Sanchez ◽  
Alaina L. Roach O'Keefe ◽  
Bethany Robichaud
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Prince Edward Island ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Canadian Province ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
The Past ◽  
Local Levels

Over the course of the past decades, the discourse, pedagogy, scope, and delivery of early learning and child care (ELCC) has undergone myriad significant changes internationally, nationally, and at local levels. Prince Edward Island (PEI), the smallest Canadian Province, has not been exempt from these transformations. By situating early childhood educators (ECEs) at the centre of ecological multilevel environments (Bronfenbrenner, 2005), this qualitative study explored how a system-wide change implemented through the Prince Edward Island Preschool Excellence Initiative (PEIPEI) has impacted and is being impacted by ECEs over time. Purposive sampling was used to invite seven early childhood educators working on provincially regulated early years centres (EYCs) to participate in individual interviews. Findings indicated that ECEs have been striving to navigate and merge the space in-between policy and practices and that after ten years, they remain in this liminal space where they continue to navigate unravelling transitions as they search for their professional identity.

scholarly journals Animating a Curriculum Framework Through Educator Co-Inquiry: Co-Learning, Co-Researching, and Co-Imagining Possibilities

2019 ◽  
pp. 37-53
Author(s):  
Jane Hewes ◽  
Tricia Lirette ◽  
Lee Makovichuk ◽  
Rebekah McCarron
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Transmission Modes ◽  
Curriculum Frameworks ◽  
Curriculum Framework

The shift toward a pedagogical foundation for professional practice in early childhood along with the introduction of curriculum frameworks in early learning and child care, calls for approaches to professional learning that move beyond transmission modes of learning towards engaged, localized, participatory models that encourage critical reflection and investigation of pedagogy within specific settings. In this paper, we describe ongoing participatory research that explores educator co-inquiry as an approach to animating a curriculum framework. A story of curriculum meaning making that opened a hopeful space for critical pedagogical reflection and changed practice serves as a basis for deeper reflection.

scholarly journals Sexuality education and early childhood educators in Ontario, Canada: A Foucauldian exploration of constraints and possibilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 146394912110607
Author(s):  
Adam WJ Davies ◽  
Alice Simone-Balter ◽  
Tricia van Rhijn
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Sexuality Education ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Gender And Sexuality ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Professional Practices ◽  
Sexual Diversity

Open conversations regarding sexuality education and gender and sexual diversity with young children in early childhood education settings are still highly constrained. Educators report lacking professional training and fearing parental and community pushback when explicitly addressing these topics in their professional practices. As such, gender and sexual diversity and conversations of bodily development are left silenced and, when addressed, filtered through heteronormative and cisnormative frameworks. Through a Foucauldian post-structural lens, this article analyses data from open-ended qualitative questions in a previous research study regarding early childhood educators’ perceptions on discussing the development of sexuality in early learning settings in an Ontario, Canada context. Through this Foucauldian post-structural analysis, the authors discuss forms of surveillance and regulation that early childhood educators experience in early learning settings regarding the open discussion of gender and sexuality. The authors explore how both the lack of explicit curricula addressing gender and sexuality in the early years in Ontario and taken-for-granted notions of developmentally appropriate practice, childhood innocence, and the gender binary – employed in discourses of sexuality education in the early years – regulate early childhood educators’ professional practices. The authors provide recommendations which critique the developmentalist logics – specifically, normative development – that are used to silence non-heterosexual and non-cisgender identities in the early years, while articulating the need for explicit curricula for educators in the early years regarding gender and sexuality in young children.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Model of Children’s Rights and Community-Based Values to Promote Social Justice Through Early Childhood Curriculum Frameworks

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Caplan ◽  
Colleen Loomis ◽  
Aurelia Di Santo
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Children's Rights ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Children’S Rights ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Early Childhood Curriculum ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Curriculum Frameworks ◽  
Learning Frameworks

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>A “rights-integrative approach to early learning” has been </span><span>proposed as a foundation for curriculum frameworks. Building </span><span>on this work we conceptually explored the complementarity </span><span>and compatibility of children’s rights to autonomy, protection, nondiscrimination, and participation, with community-based values of prevention and promotion, empowerment, diversity, and civic participation. We argue that it is necessary to infuse a rights-based approach with community-based values in early childhood curriculum frameworks to promote social justice for children as individuals and as a relational community. </span><span>Our proposed expanded conceptual framework may be useful </span><span>for evaluating early learning frameworks, nationally and internationally, from a rights-based social justice perspective. </span></p></div></div></div></div>

Exploring early childhood educators’ experiences of teaching young children with disability

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 280-291
Author(s):  
Leanne Munchan ◽  
Joseph Agbenyega
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Children With Disability ◽  
Academic Researchers ◽  
The Everyday

This paper argues that whilst inclusive education in early childhood is gaining wider acceptance in the equity and diversity movement, the value and contribution of educators’ voices about what is working and challenging are frequently ignored. This small-scale research explored five early childhood educators’ understandings and experiences of inclusive education in two kindergartens in Victoria, Australia. A thematic analysis of the data highlights inclusion as a right to belong and fully participate; the need for modifications to orchestrate a culture of acceptance, diversity and inclusion; a lack of support and inadequate professional learning; and supporting effective practice through relationship with families, experts and children. The findings draw implications of evidence-based professional learning that is less focused on the interests of academic researchers and policy makers and more on the everyday needs of early childhood educators.

Maximising Advantage in the Preschool Years: Parents' Resources and Strategies

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 65-72
Author(s):  
Ciara Smyth
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Early Learning ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
Concerted Cultivation ◽  
Primary Schooling ◽  
Life Chances ◽  
Downward Shift ◽  
Infancy And Early Childhood

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT HAS GAINED increasing importance in determining life chances. Parents hoping to secure a learning advantage for their offspring are increasingly focused on the preschool years. This downward shift from primary schooling has been prompted by the ‘first three years' movement, with its emphasis on infancy and early childhood as critical periods for development and learning. So what does this mean for early years parenting? Do parents try to secure a learning advantage in the preschool years and how do they do it? This paper highlights the four resource-dependent strategies Australian parents employ, both individually and in combination, to promote their child's early learning: ‘parenting for cognitive development’, outsourcing for cognitive development, ‘concerted cultivation’ and ‘redshirting’. By highlighting these resource-dependent strategies, this study highlights the socioeconomic gap in children's access to opportunities that parents believe give children a learning advantage in the preschool years.

scholarly journals Exploring the Impact of Quality Early Child Education on Special Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 6-21
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Young ◽  
David Philpott ◽  
Emily Butler ◽  
Kimberly Maich ◽  
Sharon Penney
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Pedagogical Strategies ◽  
Effective Pedagogy ◽  
Special Education Needs ◽  
Education Needs ◽  
The Impact

This article examines the research literature to determine whether the provision of quality early childhood education (ECE) lowers the risk of a child developing special education needs (SEN) and mediates the intensity of support for children with an identified exceptionality. Schools play a crucial role in reducing developmental gaps assessed at school entry, but their success comes with great expense in special education and related costs. Research indicates that ECE could narrow these gaps and better prepare children for success in school, and this realization is slowly being reflected in public policy. Based on our literature review, we describe the benefits of quality ECE in lowering special education expenses. Specific play-based learning pedagogical strategies support all children in optimizing academic progress, language development, social skills, and emotional-behavioural regulation. Professional learning for early childhood educators can build capacity to embed effective pedagogy into daily practice. The provision of quality ECE that makes a difference depends on the knowledge and skills of this workforce.

scholarly journals Blogging In A Virtual Learning Community: How Does It Support Continuous Professional Learning For Ontario Registered Early Childhood Educators?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Sveda
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Virtual Learning Community ◽  
Potential Barriers ◽  
It Support

This research study examined the use of blogging as a medium for professional learning for registered early childhood educators (RECEs) in Ontario. Although educators are more frequently turning to blogs, social media, and virtual learning communities for their professional learning, there is a limited amount of previous research which has examined the use and efficacy of these mediums for that purpose. Using grounded theory, and guided by a social constructivist framework, I gathered data from blog posts and comments written by a small group of RECEs practicing in Ontario, and conducted interviews at two intervals to gather their perceptions of the blogging experience. While further study is needed to address potential barriers which may hinder RECEs from using blogging, I found that there were benefits in the use of blogging as a medium for reflection, building a professional community, and professional learning.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document