scholarly journals (Meta)Theoretical gateways in studies on assessment and documentation in preschool – a research review with a Scandinavian focus

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann-Christine Vallberg Roth
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Research Review ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Pedagogical Documentation ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Search Results ◽  
Evaluation Task ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Professional Assessment ◽  
Potential Benefits

 The purpose of this article is to describe and collate search results and analysis of research with a focus on (meta)theoretical gateways in assessment and documentation in Scandinavian preschools between 2006 and 2014, supplemented by delimited international research mainly from 2013-2014. The intention is also to highlight what the research indicates about assessment competence in relation to the (meta)theoretical gateways.  The final search results include 153 national and international studies from sources including the Nordic Base of Early Childhood Education and Care (NB-ECEC, 2006-2012). The results indicate that research into assessment in preschool is still a relatively young and undeveloped field, while the field of documentation, and pedagogical documentation in particular, has a significantly higher standing. As more and more different forms of assessment and documentation assume their place in preschools, it becomes increasingly important to gain knowledge and awareness of the potential benefits, limitations and consequences of various forms and practices for assessment and documentation. Theoretical gateways vary, as do the forms of assessment and documentation used. The analysis indicates that assessment competence can include professional assessment based on a variety of scientific grounds. Regarding the expanded documentation and evaluation task and the preschool’s complex assessment and documentation practices, there is a need for both expanded research and expanded competence, which can focus on a multi-voiced assessment competence. 

Early childhood education and care in the app generation: Digital documentation, assessment for learning and parent communication

2020 ◽  
pp. 183693912097906
Author(s):  
Tina Stratigos ◽  
Marianne Fenech
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Parent Engagement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Parent Communication ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Digital Documentation ◽  
The Impact

While early childhood educators’ use of digital applications (apps) to document children’s experiences and support parent communication is increasing, there is limited empirical research about the impact of these applications on children’s experiences and educators’ practices. This article provides a critical analysis of the findings from this body of research with a focus on affordances and challenges. While the research supports potential benefits for parent engagement and pedagogy, a range of challenges relating to content, access, equity, workload and ethics are highlighted. Features of the neoliberal contextual that may enable the increasing use of apps and shape the way they are used are considered, and opportunities for future research to further critique, enhance understandings and inform practice proposed.

scholarly journals The potential role of pedagocial documentation in Italian early education during the Coronavirus pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Antonietti ◽  
Monica Guerra ◽  
Elena Luciano
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Pedagogical Documentation ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Inclusive Processes

The practice of pedagogical documentation in the field of early childhood education and care in Italy has a long and significant tradition, starting in 1991 up to the most recent documents. The pandemic emergency and recent lockdowns in Italy are an invitation to focus attention on this theme for two main reasons: the documentation practice is indicated as functional to inclusive processes; the documenting practices of teachers and educators are changing. This paper discusses the results emerging from an explorative study carried out on the experience of distance education during the lockdown in Italy in in the context of 0-6 years early childhood education and care services collecting the opinion of 412 teachers, educators and coordinators through a questionnaire. In particular, the focus of this study will be on documentation practices through a descriptive analysis of closed answers and a content analysis of open questions. This allows to make the resilient beauty

scholarly journals Outlining play and playful learning in Finland and Brazil: A content analysis of early childhood education policy documents

2020 ◽  
pp. 146394912096610
Author(s):  
Jonna Kangas ◽  
Heidi Harju-Luukkainen ◽  
Annu Brotherus ◽  
Liam Francis Gearon ◽  
Arniika Kuusisto
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Early Childhood Education Policy ◽  
Education And Care

Early childhood education and care is a current interest in many countries. Many international studies have highlighted the importance of high-quality early education environments where learning and play are integrated. Studies show that these types of learning environments have a positive impact on children’s future prospects and overall development. Critical curriculum steering documents from Finland and Brazil form the basis of this study and can similarly be shown to define the quality of these environments, as well as providing definitions of playful learning in these differing cultural contexts. A content analysis explores patterns of the cultural and pedagogical difference of definition. This descriptive comparison permitted similarities and differences between the countries with regard to play to emerge. In this article, the authors explore what these different cultural and pedagogical definitions of play and playful learning are and what they might mean. The article thus makes a methodological contribution to a broader discussion of comparative studies of national curricula in early childhood education with specific regard to children’s engagement, learning and development in and through play. The theoretical conclusions are, however, more tentative, but the authors suggest some innovative ways to conceptualise cultural and pedagogical differences in play by making an analogy with Wittgenstein’s analysis of games in his Philosophical Investigations.

scholarly journals The ‘Value of Locality’ in Early Childhood Settings: Pedagogical Documentation in the Reggio Emilia Educational Project

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-10
Author(s):  
Stefania Giamminuti
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Time History ◽  
Reggio Emilia ◽  
Pablo Neruda ◽  
Pedagogical Documentation ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
A Value ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Early Childhood Settings

This article engages with the notions of locality and community in early childhood settings. Locality is conceptualized as a ‘value’ in the context of the experience of the municipal infant-toddler centers and ‘schools of childhood’ (scuole d’infanzia) of Reggio Emilia, Italy. The article is drawn from a recent study (Giamminuti, 2009) which engages with questions of quality, values and relationships in early childhood education and care. Participants in the study include educators, families, and children that were part of the learning communities of Arcobaleno Infant-Toddler Center and Pablo Neruda School. This article focuses on the value of locality as experienced in Reggio Emilia, and offers an invitation to early childhood settings internationally to consider: the importance of positioning oneself in time, history, and place; the significance of constructing a collective sense of locality; and the value of conceptualizing and living early childhood settings as places that belong to children.

Interactive acculturation of Turkish-Belgian parents and children in Flanders: A case study of Beringen

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-428
Author(s):  
Özgün Ünver ◽  
Ides Nicaise
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Maternal Employment ◽  
Domain Specificity ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Town

This article tackles the relationship between Turkish-Belgian families with the Flemish society, within the specific context of their experiences with early childhood education and care (ECEC) system in Flanders. Our findings are based on a focus group with mothers in the town of Beringen. The intercultural dimension of the relationships between these families and ECEC services is discussed using the Interactive Acculturation Model (IAM). The acculturation patterns are discussed under three main headlines: language acquisition, social interaction and maternal employment. Within the context of IAM, our findings point to some degree of separationism of Turkish-Belgian families, while they perceive the Flemish majority to have an assimilationist attitude. This combination suggests a conflictual type of interaction. However, both parties also display some traits of integrationism, which points to the domain-specificity of interactive acculturation.

EFFECTS OF PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES and PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: A RESEARCH REVIEW

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (26) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pushpita Rajawat
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
National Level ◽  
The Other ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Research Review ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

The relative effectiveness of different pedagogical approaches and pedagogies in early childhood has raised substantial debate. While the other are associated with the acquisition of basic skills and knowledge and some of them are associated with socio-emotional development and problem-solving abilities. In general, research revealed both positive and negative effects of pedagogical approaches, without favouring specific pedagogical approaches over mainstream ones. However, it is important to note that research evidence and studies considering the same approaches in the same context are very limited. On the other hand, specific pedagogical practices are found to enhance child development, including high-quality interactions involving sustained-shared thinking methods, play-based learning, scaffolding, as well as a combination of staff- and child initiated activities. Research impacts pedagogy and pedagogical practices in the sense that research findings can inform policy makers and practitioners on best practices and what works best in enhancing staff performance, process quality and child development. Research on pedagogy and practices is usually not conducted at the national level, but focuses on particular programmes. So, research review has been used as a guide or manual to provide pedagogical guidance for Early Childhood Education (ECE) staff not only in India but also worldwide. The main focus of the study is that how of the best pedagogical practices and approaches across the country can be useful and implemented in early childhood education

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