43 research outputs found
The Design of Early Childhood Teacher Education Programs: Australian Employer Perspectives with International Program Comparisons
Provision of quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) supports childrenâs learning with strong agreement that early childhood teachers (ECTs) are central to quality provision. In many countries, it is mandatory that ECEC services employ ECTs. However, Australian ECT employers report that early childhood graduates are not always well-prepared to work in ECEC settings. This may be because what constitutes optimal early childhood initial teacher education programs (EC ITE) is unclear. To investigate the design of EC ITE programs this research reports on (i) design of EC ITE programs across international contexts; and (ii) 19 Australian ECT employersâ perspectives on EC ITE program design. Findings indicate little consensus on the design of EC ITE programs, with inconsistencies across and within countries. Australian employers identified shortcomings in graduates knowledge. This research highlights recommendations to understand how programs prepare ECTs, by conducting research tracking preservice teachers from EC ITE programs into ECEC teaching
De lâadheÌsion aÌ lâexercice d'une responsabiliteÌ syndicale, facteurs dâengagement, de renforcement et obstacles aÌ lâagir syndical
LâeÌtude dont nous rendons compte dans ce rapport traduit une double deÌci- sion : celle de la Direction ReÌgionale du Travail de lâEmploi et de la Formation Professionnelle de Midi-PyreÌneÌes de soutenir les organisations syndicales dans leurs fonctions dâaccueil, dâaccompagnement et de formation des futurs acteurs du dialogue social; et celle de lâInstitut reÌgional du travail de Midi- PyreÌneÌes dâinaugurer une deÌmarche de recherche sur les militants-es syndi- caux, en lâoccurrence celles et ceux qui ont pris reÌcemment une responsabi- liteÌ syndicale. Dans cette optique, lâIrt a proposeÌ une dynamique de travail associant au pro- tocole de la recherche et plus particulieÌrement dans ses moments cruciaux, des repreÌsentants des trois organisations syndicales.Lâobjet du questionnement initial est celui de la prise de responsabiliteÌ syndicales et de son exercice : quelles en sont ses modaliteÌs, quels sont les facteurs deÌterminants qui influent sur la deÌcision de passer dâune situation dâadheÌrent-e ou de salarieÌ-e sensibiliseÌ-e au fait syndical aÌ celle de responsable syndicale? Existe-t-il des conditions favorables ou deÌfavorables
High quality educatorsâ conceptualisation of childrenâs risk-taking in early childhood education: provoking educators to think more broadly
Childrenâs risk-taking is increasingly acknowledged as an important part of early childhood education. Previous research has predominantly focussed on childrenâs engagement with, and educatorsâ perspectives on, childrenâs risk-taking in outdoor physical play. However, little attention has been paid to how educators conceptualise childrenâs risk-taking more broadly. Our study addresses this research gap. A three-site case study, the research gathered data from educators in high quality early childhood services through observations and interviews. Findings show that educators predominantly framed childrenâs risk-taking as taking place in physical and outdoor play. However, with minimal provocation, educators extended their conceptualisations of risk to encompass a broader range of childrenâs experiences. Data suggests that participation in the research provoked many participants to think more broadly about childrenâs risk-taking
Innovative Methods for Researching Leadership Emergence
There is a growing understanding, internationally, that effective leadership has an influence on the quality of early childhood education programs. The leadership research agenda has expanded accordingly but despite this expansion there is little empirical research on the emergence and development of leadership in early childhood education. The article focuses primarily on the methodological challenge of studying the phenomena of emerging and developing leadership. We describe the innovative methods for data generation that were used to address these challenges for an Australian study of leading within early childhood education sites. We explain in detail two of the methodsâa field observation tool and the Dialogic CafĂ©. Some findings, that serve to highlight the benefits of the method, are shared. We conclude by advocating for the use of innovative methods to understand the phenomenon of emerging leadership and development in early childhood education sites
Cultural diversity in the Australian early childhood education workforce: What do we know, what donât we know and why is it important?
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
The life history and ecology of the Pink-tailed Worm-lizard Aprasia parapulchella Kluge a review
This review synthesises research on the Pink-tailed Worm-lizard Aprasia parapukhella - a threatened species with life-history traits and habitat and dietary preferences that make it particularly vulnerable to decline. Further information on the ecology of A. parapukhella is required in order to develop effective approaches to conservation and management, particularly given the conservation status of the species. Aprasia parapukhella is a dietary specialist living in the burrows of small ants, the eggs and larvae of which it preys upon. It is late maturing (adult size probably attained in the third or fourth year of life), has a small clutch, is thought to be longlived and has specific habitat preferences. It has a strong association with landscapes that are characterised by outcroppings of lightly-embedded surface rocks.The lizard is associated with a particular suite of ant species and ground cover tending towards open native vegetation (grasses and shrubs) at most sites, but with regional differences. Although the highest densities have been recorded in areas without tree cover, the species has also been found in open-forest and woodland.The relative density of populations and the snout-vent length and weight of specimens reveal regional differences, suggesting that further analysis of the genetic status of the population across its range is warranted. There is still much to learn about the ecology of the species, in particular with respect to movement, breeding, dispersal and the relationship between lizards and ants. Further survey for new populations remains a key priority
Towards a re-conceptualisation of risk in early childhood education
© The Author(s) 2019. Childrenâs engagement in risk-taking has been on the agenda for early childhood education for the past 10â15 years. At a time when some say the minority world has become overly risk averse, early childhood education aims to support confident, competent and resilient children through the inclusion of beneficial risk in early childhood education. The concept of risk is a complex phenomenon. Beneficial risk is engaging in experiences that take a person outside of their comfort zone and include outcomes that may be beneficial to learning, development and life satisfaction. To date, research on beneficial risk in early childhood has focused on childrenâs risk-taking in outdoor play. This focus has led to a predominant conceptualisation of beneficial risk in early childhood as an outdoor physical play activity for children. In this article, the authors problematise this conceptualisation. Drawing on both broad and early childhood education specific literature, the authors explore the current discourse on risk in both childhood and early childhood education. The authors identify the development of the current conceptualisation of risk as an experience for children within play, outdoors and as a physical activity, and highlight the limitations of this conceptualisation. The authors argue that for risk-taking to be in line with the predominantly holistic approach of early childhood education, a broad view of risk is needed. To achieve this broad view, the authors argue for a re-conceptualisation of risk that encompasses a wide range of risk experiences for both children and educators. The authors suggest further research is needed to expand our understanding of beneficial risk in early childhood education. They propose further research will offer a significant contribution to the early childhood sector
Familial, social and cultural contexts for child development
Children do not grow up in isolation. Their development and learning reflect the complex interplay between their inbuilt tendencies and their engagement with the world. In order to provide nuturing and responsive care-giving environments, early childhood practitioners require a sound understanding of the dynamic ways children's contexts influence their development (NICHD, 2000). In this chapter, we aim to 'set the scene' in which child development occurs by placing the child within familial, community, sociopolitical and historical contexts
Tales from the frontline: The experiences of early childhood practitioners working with an [`]embedded' research team
In late 2006, SDN Children's Services, an Australian not-for-profit provider of services for children, families and communities, engaged a research team that was [`]embedded' within the organisation for 1 year. This action represented a significant investment of resources, such as staff time and organisational funds, and demonstrates SDN's strong commitment to research and evaluation as a means of supporting organisational learning and development. This paper highlights the innovative nature of the approach by positioning the role of the embedded researcher within the current theoretical and socio-political context. It also provides evidence of the success of the approach by reporting on the findings of a study that investigated staff's experiences of being involved in this type of collaborative investigation of their work. I argue that the employment of an embedded researcher can have positive benefits both for the organisation and the practitioners--but who the researchers are really matters.Embedded research Early childhood education Collaborative investigation