EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE PROGRAM DECISION-MAKING: A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON PROGRAM CHOICES AND SELECTION MECHANISMS

Understanding parental ECEC choices and selection mechanisms receives increased attention at the research and policy level as ECEC decision-making has important implications both for policy development and program design. The present study aimed at exploring the processes and mechanisms adopted by parents in Cyprus and in the Netherlands while deciding on and selecting an ECEC program for their child. Research results revealed that participants have opted to enroll their child for professional, socialization, learning and development reasons. Social networks and the internet were the primary sources of information about available programs. Turning to the criteria that matter most, instructional and structural characteristics received higher ratings. Most of the aspects of the decision-making process have been affected by whether parents were natives or immigrants. Results highlight that the decision-making process is a complex phenomenon and that parents need to tradeoff intrinsic or extrinsic characteristics while selecting an ECEC program.  Article visualizations

Professional occupational activities and functions of Greek infant-toddler educators: Roles and responsibilities

During the last years, infant and toddler practice is receiving increased attention at the policy level. Yet, little is known about what infant/toddler practice entails and how educators working with children of this age group view their role and professional identity. The present mixed methods study aims at filling the research gap on what the professional identity and the work of infant and toddler educators entails, what are the characteristics that constitute an infant/toddler educator professionally and on the extent to which they are well prepared to perform their multi-dimensional role. 51 Greek infant/toddler educators responded to an online questionnaire which included close and open-ended questions. Results reveal that the role of infant/toddler educators is complex and multi-faceted and that infant/toddler educators spent most of their time in education and care practices rather than managerial practices. In addition, results highlight that care moves beyond narrow definitions that include routines, to a broader image of care which involves educational and relational aspects. Divergences between practices adopted in infant and toddler classrooms have also been revealed. The results highlight the need to further explore infant and toddler educators’ voices about their role, professional identity and work

Fathers’ Role, Involvement and Cultural Expectations

Introduction to Volume 6 no 1 of Global Education Review: Fathers’ Role, Involvement and Cultural Expectations.  The present themed issue aims at delineating the importance, roles, and diverse practices of fathers in different cultures. Special attention is given into how existing policies in various countries may affect fathers’ role and involvement. A collection of articles from around th world that discuss  the differences in paternal roles as  grounded culturally in that fathers may be expected to play roles different from that of mothers in different cultures, and what constitutes a good father may be highly dependent on cultural, historical and familial ideologies The present themed issue aims at delineating the importance, roles, and diverse practices of fathers in different cultures. Special attention is given into how existing policies in various countries may affect fathers’ role and involvement

Are We Ready for integrated ECEC Systems? Greek In-Service Early Childhood Educators Level of Preparation for Implementing Educare Systems

Greece is one of the many countries, which still utilize a split Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system. In fact, this dichotomy characterizes not only preschool programs, but also higher education institutions which train pre-service ECEC educators. Recently, Greek government’s Organization for ECEC organized an open debate for the adoption of a “Unified National Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care”. Although this initiative was greeted enthusiastically by the association of childcare workers, the coordinating body of kindergarten teachers and university departments reacted negatively and openly debated childcare workers’ pedagogical competence to assume the educational aspects of integrated ECEC systems. In addition, relevant announcements indicate kindergarten teachers’ effort to refuse any connection with care. In the context of the present study a questionnaire was administered to 233 ECEC professionals representing all professional groups working in the Greek ECEC sector to explore their attitudes about the content and the effectiveness of their training in terms of implementing systems that combine education and care. Results showed that professional groups believe that they are well prepared in most aspects of ECEC theory and practice and revealed significant differences among groups. Further, weaknesses in initial education courses were revealed regarding preparation for implementing integrated ECEC practices. Research results when interpreted in conjunction with reaction to the public debate suggest that Greece is not ready to implement an integrated ECEC system due to various impediments (political, corporate, discursive etc.) and to the unawareness of what integrated ECEC i

Προφορική ιστορία και μουσειακές εκθέσεις. Προσεγγίζοντας τα εκθέματα με πολυφωνία και συμμετοχικότητα

Η διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται τη σχέση της προφορικής ιστορίας με τα μουσεία και επιχειρεί την ανάδειξη μεθόδων αξιοποίησης αυτής στην ερμηνευτική προσέγγιση των μουσειακών εκθέσεων, με σκοπό την ενίσχυση της πολυφωνίας, της συμμετοχικότητας και του διαλόγου. Τη δεκαετία του 1970 η προφορική ιστορία ταυτίστηκε με την ιστορία «από τα κάτω» ∙ με αντι-αφηγήσεις οι οποίες προέρχονται από φωνές που αποσιωπώνται στην επίσημη ιστορική αφήγηση και από υποκείμενα, κοινωνικές ομάδες και συλλογικότητες που απουσιάζουν από τη δημόσια μνήμη. Για το λόγο αυτό, η προφορική ιστορία συνδέθηκε με μια προσπάθεια εκδημοκρατισμού της ιστορίας, χωρίς να λείπει ο προβληματισμός και η αμφιβολία για την αξιοπιστία των μαρτυριών αυτών. Με αφετηρία την πρόσληψη της προφορικής ιστορίας κατά τη δεκαετία του 1970, και παρακολουθώντας τις διαφοροποιήσεις και τις εξελίξεις στην πρόσληψη αυτή μέχρι σήμερα, η εργασία φιλοδοξεί να προβάλλει την αξία της υποκειμενικότητας, της διάδρασης, της πολυφωνίας και της συμμετοχικότητας στην προσέγγιση των μουσειακών εκθέσεων. Τα μουσεία σήμερα καλούνται να διαδραματίσουν έναν ρόλο κοινωνικά ενεργό, προωθώντας τον διάλογο εντός των κοινοτήτων. Η αξιοποίηση της προφορικής ιστορίας με τη χρήση των νέων μέσων ψηφιακής τεχνολογίας, δύναται να προσφέρει νέους τρόπους προσέγγισης των συλλογών, οι οποίοι να στοχεύουν στην ενεργό εμπλοκή του επισκέπτη, στη διαμόρφωση νέων νοημάτων και ερωτημάτων σχετικά με τις συλλογές, αλλά και στη συν-δημιουργία νέων εκθεμάτων, βασισμένων στις εμπειρίες των επισκεπτών. Ιδιαίτερα σημαντική κρίνεται η συμβολή των προφορικών μαρτυριών στον σχεδιασμό εκθέσεων, δομημένων σε θεματικούς άξονες της σύγχρονης ιστορίας που συνδέονται με τραυματικές μνήμες ( εμφύλιος, εξορία, ολοκαύτωμα, κ.ά). Πιο αναλυτικά, η διπλωματική εργασία διαρθρώνεται σε τέσσερα κεφάλαια. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο, η εργασία επικεντρώνεται στη θεωρητική προσέγγιση της προφορικής ιστορίας, ξεκινώντας από τις απαρχές της και φτάνοντας μέχρι την αναγνώρισή της σε διακριτό επιστημονικό πεδίο, με σκοπό να επιτρέψει την κατανόηση των δυνατοτήτων αλλά και των προκλήσεων που συνεπιφέρει η χρήση των προφορικών αφηγήσεων στα μουσεία. Στο πλαίσιο αυτής της προσέγγισης, περιγράφεται η «συμπόρευση» της προφορικής ιστορίας με τα κοινωνικά κινήματα του τελευταίου τετάρτου του 20ού αιώνα, ο διάλογός της με άλλες επιστημονικές πειθαρχίες και η σχέση της με τη μνήμη (ατομική και συλλογική). Στη συνέχεια, στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο, παρουσιάζονται οι μετασχηματισμοί και οι ιδεολογικές μετατοπίσεις που συντελέστηκαν την τελευταία τριακονταετία σε ό, τι αφορά αφενός τον ρόλο και την αποστολή των μουσείων στη σύγχρονη μετανεωτερική πραγματικότητα και αφετέρου τις μουσειακές πρακτικές σε επίπεδο σχεδιασμού μουσειακών αφηγήσεων κατά τη μετάβαση στην ψηφιακή εποχή. Αυτές οι δύο θεωρητικές αναλύσεις της προφορικής ιστορίας και της νέας μουσειολογίας, σκιαγραφούν δύο ξεχωριστές πορείες που διασταυρώνονται στο σημείο στο οποίο παράγεται και διαχέεται η δημόσια ιστορία. Από την οπτική αυτή, στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο, εξετάζεται η επίδραση της προφορικής αφήγησης στον μουσειακό χώρο σε περιπτώσεις όπου γίνεται επανάχρηση του μουσειακού κελύφους, μέσα από την εξέταση μουσείων, από τον διεθνή χώρο και την Ελλάδα. Ο μουσειακός χώρος παραμένει κεντρική παράμετρος στο τέταρτο κεφάλαιο, όπου παρουσιάζονται προτάσεις αξιοποίησης της προφορικής ιστορίας με τη συμβολή των ΤΠΕ (Τεχνολογίες Πληροφορίας και Επικοινωνίας) και τη χρήση ψηφιακής αφήγησης, σε δύο μελέτες περίπτωσης, το Βιομηχανικό Μουσείο Φωταερίου και το Εθνικό Μουσείο Σύγχρονης Τέχνης. Στη συνέχεια, η εργασία παρουσιάζει τα συμπεράσματα της έρευνας.The MA thesis deals with the relationship of oral history with museums and attempts to highlight methods of utilizing it in the interpretive approach of museum collections, in order to enhance pluralism, participation and dialogue. In the 1970s, oral history became synonymous with ''bottom-up'' history; with counter- narratives derived from voices silenced in official historical narrative and from subjects, social groups, and collectives that are absent from public memory. For this reason, the oral history was associated with an attempt to democratize history, without missing the reflection and doubt about the credibility of these testimonies. Starting with the perception of oral history in the 1970s and following the differences and developments in this perception today, the study aims to highlight the value of subjectivity, interaction, pluralism and participation in the approach of museum collections. Museums today are facing the challenge of playing a more active role socially, promoting dialogue among the communities. Using oral history, with the combination of new digital media, can offer new ways of approaching the museum collections, which will aim at the active engagement of the visitor, in the formation of new meanings and questions about the collections, but also in the co-creation of new exhibits, based on visitor experience. The contribution of oral testimonies in the design of museum exhibitions, structured on thematic axes of modern history associated with traumatic memories such as civil war, exile and the holocaust are considered particularly important. More specifically, this MA thesis is structured in four chapters. In the first chapter the study focuses on the theoretical approach of oral history, starting from its beginning and reaching its recognition in a distinct scientific field, in order to enhance the understanding of the possibilities and challenges of the integration of oral narration in museums. In this approach, the study describes the ''coexistence'' of oral history with the social movements of the last quarter of the 20th century, its dialogue with other scientific disciplines and its relationship with memory (individual and collective). In the second chapter, the research focuses on the transformations and ideological shifts that have taken place in the last thirty years in terms of the role and mission of museums in the post-modern reality and on the other hand the museum practices in terms of designing museum narratives during the transition to the digital era. These two theoretical approaches of oral history and new museology outline two separate paths that intersect at the point where public history is produced and disseminated. From this point of view, in the third chapter, the study focuses on the effect of the oral narrative in the museum space, especially in cases of adaptive reuse, through relevant examples from Greece and other counties. The museum space remains a central parameter in the fourth chapter. In this chapter, the study seeks to suggest new ways to integrate the oral history in museums combined with the contribution of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) and the use of digital storytelling, in two case studies, the Industrial Gas Museum and the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Subsequently, the study presents the conclusions of the research

Exploring Paternal Involvement from Greek, Greek - Cypriot and Turkish Fathers’ and Mothers’ Perspectives: Cross-National Differences and Similarities

Although European fatherhood is “in the process of reconstruction and transformation” (O’Brien 2004, as cited in Lero, Ashbourne and Whitehead 2006, 5) and there is a need to create a clear picture about paternal involvement, few studies have explored perceptions on the actual father involvement as well as the factors predicting and relating to father involvement, especially in Southeastern European countries. The present study aims at exploring the role of the father and the types of paternal involvement in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey both from mother’s and fathers’ perspectives. Research results revealed statistically significant differences in terms of the role of the father and the parental styles adopted in a country level and in the way fathers are involved in a parent level. Further, results confirm the hypothesis that father involvement is a multidimensional concept since statistically significant correlations were revealed among scales and subscales

Exploring Paternal Involvement from Greek, Greek - Cypriot and Turkish Fathers’ and Mothers’ Perspectives: Cross-National Differences and Similarities

Although European fatherhood is “in the process of reconstruction and transformation” (O’Brien 2004, as cited in Lero, Ashbourne and Whitehead 2006, 5) and there is a need to create a clear picture about paternal involvement, few studies have explored perceptions on the actual father involvement as well as the factors predicting and relating to father involvement, especially in Southeastern European countries. The present study aims at exploring the role of the father and the types of paternal involvement in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey both from mother’s and fathers’ perspectives. Research results revealed statistically significant differences in terms of the role of the father and the parental styles adopted in a country level and in the way fathers are involved in a parent level. Further, results confirm the hypothesis that father involvement is a multidimensional concept since statistically significant correlations were revealed among scales and subscales

A review of research on the effects of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) upon child development. CARE project; Curriculum Quality Analysis and Impact Review of European Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)

This report considers the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) curriculum throughout Europe. It explores the official curriculum, specified by national or regional governments, along with the implemented curriculum that is provided ‘on the ground’ by staff to enhance children’s development. The official curriculum documents at national or regional level are often called ‘steering documents’. Moreover, the implemented curriculum is sometimes called the ‘experienced’ or the ‘realised’ curriculum, i.e., what the staff realise in their daily practice and what the children experience day by day. The CARE project has studied European curriculum in three ways: (1) by developing a template according to which the 11 partners in the CARE Consortium described the curriculum in their own countries; (2) by analysing the responses of our partners across 11 countries to the CARE curriculum template, with the aim of identifying commonalities and differences in the broadly representative sample that comprises the CARE consortium; (3) by considering information from the templates in light of selected research literature on effectiveness - NOT through a formal literature review which is the task of another Work Package in the CARE project (Melhuish et al., forthcoming) - but by comparing the template findings with widely cited, key studies. The analytic template originated as a series of questions at a curriculum conference held in Oxford (March 2014). This template was further refined as members of the CARE consortium provided information about ECEC in their home countries. The conclusions and recommendations presented in this report are based on analysis of the completed country templates (i.e. the survey of countries represented in the CARE Consortium), but also on recent EU reports and selected international literature

Information Asymmetries between Parents and Educators in German Childcare Institutions

Economic theory predicts market failure in the market for early childhood education and care (ECEC) due to information asymmetries. We empirically investigate information asymmetries between parents and ECEC professionals in Germany, making use of a unique extension of the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP). It allows us to compare quality perceptions by parents and pedagogic staff of 734 ECEC institutions which were attended by children in SOEP households. Parents and staff were asked to rate the same quality measures. We detect considerable information asymmetries between these groups which differ across quality measures but little by parental socio-economic background or center characteristics. Our findings imply that information is not readily available to parents, an issue that should be addressed by policy-makers