Pub Date : 2022-01-12DOI: 10.1177/18369391211072582
{"title":"Early Childhood Education and Care: A sustainable system?","authors":"","doi":"10.1177/18369391211072582","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211072582","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2022-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44664064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-23DOI: 10.1177/18369391211061188
S. Howard, C. Neilsen-Hewett, M. de Rosnay, E. Melhuish, Kellie Buckley-Walker
There is need and opportunity for assessments that support quick and playful – yet also accurate, rigorous and developmentally sensitive – appraisals of early numeracy. Ideally, these should be accessible to those who have opportunity to support children’s learning development and ultimately shift children’s trajectories. The iPad-based Early Years Toolbox (EYT) Early Numeracy assessment was developed and evaluated to determine its validity and reliability, and appropriateness of use by researchers and preschool educators. Results from two studies with 246 children aged 3–5 years indicated the following: construct validity and internal consistency, concurrent validity with established measures, developmental sensitivity, test–retest reliability and highly comparable results whether used by a researcher or an educator. This yields a brief and playful assessment of early numeracy and a potential approach to develop broad-use early years assessments.
{"title":"Validity, reliability and viability of pre-school educators’ use of early years toolbox early numeracy","authors":"S. Howard, C. Neilsen-Hewett, M. de Rosnay, E. Melhuish, Kellie Buckley-Walker","doi":"10.1177/18369391211061188","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211061188","url":null,"abstract":"There is need and opportunity for assessments that support quick and playful – yet also accurate, rigorous and developmentally sensitive – appraisals of early numeracy. Ideally, these should be accessible to those who have opportunity to support children’s learning development and ultimately shift children’s trajectories. The iPad-based Early Years Toolbox (EYT) Early Numeracy assessment was developed and evaluated to determine its validity and reliability, and appropriateness of use by researchers and preschool educators. Results from two studies with 246 children aged 3–5 years indicated the following: construct validity and internal consistency, concurrent validity with established measures, developmental sensitivity, test–retest reliability and highly comparable results whether used by a researcher or an educator. This yields a brief and playful assessment of early numeracy and a potential approach to develop broad-use early years assessments.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41801300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-23DOI: 10.1177/18369391211063663
Romany McGuffog, Elloyse Fitzgeraldson, Bronte Lyford, Z. Triandafilidis, Sally Fitzpatrick, G. Hazel
This mixed-methods study explored (1) family day care (FDC) educators’ confidence and capability to support children’s mental health, and (2) assessed their own mental health and wellbeing. Descriptive analysis of the survey (n = 144) highlighted that most participants were in the normal range for mental health and wellbeing; however, identifying mental ill-health in children, access to resources and awareness of support services were areas where participants were less likely to feel confident or capable. In the interviews (n = 14), three themes were identified in the interviews for the first research question (including the central role of the FDC educator, lack of training and resources and limited professional support) and three themes were identified for the second research question (the importance of mental health for educators, being a small business owner and connecting with other educators). The results highlighted a need for additional support and resources for educators specifically targeting the mental health and wellbeing of children.
{"title":"Australian family day care educators’ experiences of supporting children’s mental health, and their own mental health and wellbeing","authors":"Romany McGuffog, Elloyse Fitzgeraldson, Bronte Lyford, Z. Triandafilidis, Sally Fitzpatrick, G. Hazel","doi":"10.1177/18369391211063663","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211063663","url":null,"abstract":"This mixed-methods study explored (1) family day care (FDC) educators’ confidence and capability to support children’s mental health, and (2) assessed their own mental health and wellbeing. Descriptive analysis of the survey (n = 144) highlighted that most participants were in the normal range for mental health and wellbeing; however, identifying mental ill-health in children, access to resources and awareness of support services were areas where participants were less likely to feel confident or capable. In the interviews (n = 14), three themes were identified in the interviews for the first research question (including the central role of the FDC educator, lack of training and resources and limited professional support) and three themes were identified for the second research question (the importance of mental health for educators, being a small business owner and connecting with other educators). The results highlighted a need for additional support and resources for educators specifically targeting the mental health and wellbeing of children.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46321649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-23DOI: 10.1177/18369391211061187
Neal Dreamson, Soyoung Kim
Popular instructional approaches in Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS) are co-construction learning, transformative learning and ecological learning. These rely on constructivism that could challenge human–nature relationships of ECEfS. In this study, we aim to discover and reshape human–nature relationships embedded in the approaches. To do so, we deconstruct the approaches through a metaphysical analysis with ontology, epistemology and axiology. As a result, we confirm that they are likely to view humans and nature as two separate entities. For sustainability, we distinguish an ontological view (‘N’ature) and an epistemological view (‘n’ature) and justify the distinction based on posthumanists’ concepts of non-humans and more-than-humans. We present a metaphysically reshaped human–nature relationship and argue that this new model enables teachers to critically review ‘human-made/observed natures’ and participate in the reconciliation between ‘N’ature and humanity. We also apply the model into a waste-recycle activity to clarify its potential practicality.
{"title":"Human–nature relationships in early childhood education for sustainability: Metaphysical analysis and reshaping","authors":"Neal Dreamson, Soyoung Kim","doi":"10.1177/18369391211061187","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211061187","url":null,"abstract":"Popular instructional approaches in Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS) are co-construction learning, transformative learning and ecological learning. These rely on constructivism that could challenge human–nature relationships of ECEfS. In this study, we aim to discover and reshape human–nature relationships embedded in the approaches. To do so, we deconstruct the approaches through a metaphysical analysis with ontology, epistemology and axiology. As a result, we confirm that they are likely to view humans and nature as two separate entities. For sustainability, we distinguish an ontological view (‘N’ature) and an epistemological view (‘n’ature) and justify the distinction based on posthumanists’ concepts of non-humans and more-than-humans. We present a metaphysically reshaped human–nature relationship and argue that this new model enables teachers to critically review ‘human-made/observed natures’ and participate in the reconciliation between ‘N’ature and humanity. We also apply the model into a waste-recycle activity to clarify its potential practicality.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48259057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-07DOI: 10.1177/18369391211056669
Ginette Pestana
Music is ever-present in early childhood but does not feature strongly in the national curriculum framework – The Early Years Learning Framework in Australia or in the intentional practice of educators in early childhood education and care settings. This is mainly due to a lack of knowledge and confidence or self-efficacy to engage musically with the children. Preservice educator training plays a critical role in the development of effective pedagogical skills, knowledge and understanding. This article explored the music education preparation that preservice educators receive in initial training. A content analysis approach was used to review course content of all approved preservice educator programmes in Australia by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. Interviews with tertiary teachers explored content taught. The findings offer rich insight into the extent of music education provided for preservice early childhood educators and implications for the development for future programmes.
{"title":"Preparing preservice early childhood educators to use music in Australian settings: An audit of programmes","authors":"Ginette Pestana","doi":"10.1177/18369391211056669","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211056669","url":null,"abstract":"Music is ever-present in early childhood but does not feature strongly in the national curriculum framework – The Early Years Learning Framework in Australia or in the intentional practice of educators in early childhood education and care settings. This is mainly due to a lack of knowledge and confidence or self-efficacy to engage musically with the children. Preservice educator training plays a critical role in the development of effective pedagogical skills, knowledge and understanding. This article explored the music education preparation that preservice educators receive in initial training. A content analysis approach was used to review course content of all approved preservice educator programmes in Australia by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. Interviews with tertiary teachers explored content taught. The findings offer rich insight into the extent of music education provided for preservice early childhood educators and implications for the development for future programmes.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48424896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-06DOI: 10.1177/18369391211057292
S. Gide, S. Wong, F. Press, Belinda Davis
This paper reviews current literature and research relevant to the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce in Australia, including data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Australia is a highly multicultural society, with one out of every three people born overseas. Anecdotally, the Australian early childhood sector is reported to have a highly multicultural workforce. Yet there is a noticeable lack of data and research concerning cultural diversity in the Australian ECE workforce. This paper reports on the data from the ABS-Census of Population and Housing (ABS-Census), the small body of literature on the CALD ECE workforce and literature pertaining to CALD in other Australian workforces to argue that more data and research is needed. Developing a richer understanding of the status, experience and contributions of CALD educators would enable the sector to recognise and support the potential benefits of such a workforce for children and families and social cohesion in Australia.
{"title":"Cultural diversity in the Australian early childhood education workforce: What do we know, what don’t we know and why is it important?","authors":"S. Gide, S. Wong, F. Press, Belinda Davis","doi":"10.1177/18369391211057292","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211057292","url":null,"abstract":"This paper reviews current literature and research relevant to the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce in Australia, including data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Australia is a highly multicultural society, with one out of every three people born overseas. Anecdotally, the Australian early childhood sector is reported to have a highly multicultural workforce. Yet there is a noticeable lack of data and research concerning cultural diversity in the Australian ECE workforce. This paper reports on the data from the ABS-Census of Population and Housing (ABS-Census), the small body of literature on the CALD ECE workforce and literature pertaining to CALD in other Australian workforces to argue that more data and research is needed. Developing a richer understanding of the status, experience and contributions of CALD educators would enable the sector to recognise and support the potential benefits of such a workforce for children and families and social cohesion in Australia.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42675868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-12-02DOI: 10.1177/18369391211055864
Fiona Bobongie, Cathy Jackson
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Jarjums (children), the cultural and world views they bring from their home life can be very different to those in school, creating an additional layer of adjustments in the Early Years pathway. We describe an Early Years Transitions Framework that demonstrates how changing transition from a process to move Jarjums as quickly as possible into a Western system to one that acknowledges the beliefs and cultural artefacts Jarjums bring to the Early Years space builds smoother transitions. The Framework is underlain by a mesh of High-Expectations Relationships, which moves the educator from the position of ‘knowledge holder’ to one of deep listening to understand the cultural needs and aspirations of families. By bringing these different world views together and building relationships across the Early Years sectors, educators can create a third cultural space where transition becomes a process of interwoven spaces and incremental learning.
{"title":"Understanding cultural artefacts to ensure seamless transitions in the Early Years","authors":"Fiona Bobongie, Cathy Jackson","doi":"10.1177/18369391211055864","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211055864","url":null,"abstract":"For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Jarjums (children), the cultural and world views they bring from their home life can be very different to those in school, creating an additional layer of adjustments in the Early Years pathway. We describe an Early Years Transitions Framework that demonstrates how changing transition from a process to move Jarjums as quickly as possible into a Western system to one that acknowledges the beliefs and cultural artefacts Jarjums bring to the Early Years space builds smoother transitions. The Framework is underlain by a mesh of High-Expectations Relationships, which moves the educator from the position of ‘knowledge holder’ to one of deep listening to understand the cultural needs and aspirations of families. By bringing these different world views together and building relationships across the Early Years sectors, educators can create a third cultural space where transition becomes a process of interwoven spaces and incremental learning.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43850162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Williams, M. Janus, L. Harrison, S. Wong, Sheena Elwick, L. McFarland
Child observation is a critical component of quality pedagogical practice in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Yet there are very few tools that support educators to systematically undertake observations to better understand the individual experiences of very young children within ECEC services. The ORICL (Observe, Reflect, Improve Children’s Learning) tool was co-designed by ECEC experts, service providers and educators to be used for this purpose by educators working with children aged under three years. It is a unique 117-item educator report across five domains of learning and well-being that rates the experiences of individual children, and the responses of educators and peers to the child’s initiatives, actions and communications. This paper describes the first feasibility study of ORICL in 12 ECEC services across Australia with a focus on the quantitative child data collected, and early psychometric properties of the tool. ORICL records were provided by 21 educators for a total of 66 children. Findings suggest that the ORICL items can be readily observed and rated by educators for children aged under three years, the rating scale is appropriate, and there is early evidence to support the domain structure of the tool. Further research on the ways such a tool can provide useful data for both educators and researchers, and stimulate enhanced practice in infant-toddler ECEC, is warranted.
{"title":"Feasibility and initial psychometric properties of the Observe, Reflect, Improve Children’s Learning Tool (ORICL) for Early Childhood Services: A tool for building capacity in infant and toddler educators","authors":"K. Williams, M. Janus, L. Harrison, S. Wong, Sheena Elwick, L. McFarland","doi":"10.35542/osf.io/64unt","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.35542/osf.io/64unt","url":null,"abstract":"Child observation is a critical component of quality pedagogical practice in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Yet there are very few tools that support educators to systematically undertake observations to better understand the individual experiences of very young children within ECEC services. The ORICL (Observe, Reflect, Improve Children’s Learning) tool was co-designed by ECEC experts, service providers and educators to be used for this purpose by educators working with children aged under three years. It is a unique 117-item educator report across five domains of learning and well-being that rates the experiences of individual children, and the responses of educators and peers to the child’s initiatives, actions and communications. This paper describes the first feasibility study of ORICL in 12 ECEC services across Australia with a focus on the quantitative child data collected, and early psychometric properties of the tool. ORICL records were provided by 21 educators for a total of 66 children. Findings suggest that the ORICL items can be readily observed and rated by educators for children aged under three years, the rating scale is appropriate, and there is early evidence to support the domain structure of the tool. Further research on the ways such a tool can provide useful data for both educators and researchers, and stimulate enhanced practice in infant-toddler ECEC, is warranted.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42901422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-03DOI: 10.1177/18369391211058521
C. Blewitt
An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including early education and care system;leadership;and recognition of children as rights-holders and competent learners.
{"title":"Complexity and change: Contemporary research in early childhood","authors":"C. Blewitt","doi":"10.1177/18369391211058521","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211058521","url":null,"abstract":"An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including early education and care system;leadership;and recognition of children as rights-holders and competent learners.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45806729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1177/18369391211056668
S. Kewalramani, I. Palaiologou, Maria Dardanou, Kelly-Ann Allen, S. Phillipson
This Australian study examines whether and how technologies such as Artificially Intelligent (AI) toys in a home-based setting might socially and emotionally support children with diverse needs through play. Building on the concept of ‘emotional capital', and employing a design-based research approach, parents during the COVID-19 lockdown periods in 2020 intentionally used robotic toys to engage their children with additional diverse needs in home-based play experiences. The data from both parents’ and children’s (n = 5) Zoom interviews, digital observations and children’s drawings demonstrated how children creatively conversed with their AI robots in innovative and empathy-based dialogues that generated happy feelings and a sense of ‘imaginary’ togetherness with their robot during the coding experiences. This study contributes to research by exploring the use of AI robotic toys together with physical and artificial environments and offers a case to build children’s emotional capital in enabling children’s social-emotional literacies.
{"title":"Using robotic toys in early childhood education to support children’s social and emotional competencies","authors":"S. Kewalramani, I. Palaiologou, Maria Dardanou, Kelly-Ann Allen, S. Phillipson","doi":"10.1177/18369391211056668","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211056668","url":null,"abstract":"This Australian study examines whether and how technologies such as Artificially Intelligent (AI) toys in a home-based setting might socially and emotionally support children with diverse needs through play. Building on the concept of ‘emotional capital', and employing a design-based research approach, parents during the COVID-19 lockdown periods in 2020 intentionally used robotic toys to engage their children with additional diverse needs in home-based play experiences. The data from both parents’ and children’s (n = 5) Zoom interviews, digital observations and children’s drawings demonstrated how children creatively conversed with their AI robots in innovative and empathy-based dialogues that generated happy feelings and a sense of ‘imaginary’ togetherness with their robot during the coding experiences. This study contributes to research by exploring the use of AI robotic toys together with physical and artificial environments and offers a case to build children’s emotional capital in enabling children’s social-emotional literacies.","PeriodicalId":46779,"journal":{"name":"Australasian Journal of Early Childhood","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42353031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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