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Corrigendum to “Complexifying quality in early childhood contexts through a theory of quality ecologies” Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2024-03-27
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Supporting the health, education and wellbeing of children and families: A priority-setting study with the service system in Logan, Queensland Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2024-03-27 Michelle A. Krahe, Jaimee Stuart, Sara Branch, Mandy Gibson
Priority-setting is a collective responsibility centred around inclusive engagement and alignment with the needs and desired outcomes of the community. In this study, we leveraged the collective expertise of stakeholders from the child and family service system, to identify priorities for supporting the health, education and wellbeing of children and families living in Logan, Queensland. A pragmatic
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‘We love sharing your land’: Children’s understandings of Acknowledgement to Country practices and Aboriginal knowledges in early learning centres Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Cris Townley, Kerry Staples, Christine Woodrow, Elise Baker, Michelle Lea Locke, Rebekah Grace, Catherine Kaplun
This paper explores children’s understandings of Acknowledgement to Country practices and Aboriginal knowledges. Guided by the relational lenses of respect, responsibility and reciprocity, we conducted focus groups with children across five Australian early education centres. We found that Acknowledgement practices were evident through recitation of their Acknowledgement to Country, engaging with artefacts
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Using community-based participatory research to support the development of a co-located intergenerational program Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2024-03-08 Charlotte Kamrudeen, Harriet Star, Desma-Ann van Rosendal
This paper presents the findings of a ten-week research project exploring the intricacies of a co-located intergenerational program in Southeast Queensland. The research involved an early learning centre, North Early Learning, operated by a large not-for-profit organisation, Queensland Child Learning, and an aged care residence, Aged Care Living (pseudonyms). The research question underpinning this
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Australian early childhood educators’ perspectives on digital teaching of geometry: The pedagogical enablers and barriers Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2024-02-19 Xuenan Zhao, Steven Roberts
Although studies have investigated the enablers and barriers of digital teaching and learning of STEM, the integration of digital technologies into teaching geometry – one of the main mathematical concepts, is frequently ignored and does not garner much scholarly attention. To fill this specific gap, this small-scale qualitative study explored the perspectives of four early childhood educators who
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Associations of gross motor skills with self-regulation and executive function in preschool-aged children Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2023-05-11 Sanne LC Veldman, Megan L Hammersley, Steven J Howard, Rebecca M Stanley, Anthony D Okely, Rachel A Jones
This study aimed to examine associations between gross motor skills and executive functions (EF) in a large sample of Australian preschool-aged children. Of 566 children (mean age = 3.2 ± 0.4 years...
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Educator perspectives on embedding Acknowledgement to Country practices in early learning centres in Australia Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2023-04-25 Cris Townley, Rebekah Grace, Christine Woodrow, Elise Baker, Kerry Staples, Michelle Lea Locke, Catherine Kaplun, Catherine Kaplun
This article explores the practices of ‘Acknowledgement to Country’ in Australian early childhood education contexts. Acknowledgement is a process of seeking out and honouring local Aboriginal Coun...
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The state of play-based learning in Queensland schools Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2023-03-07 Belinda Whitlock, Areana Eivers, Susan Walker
The literature on play and learning attests many developmental benefits for children. The Australian curriculum endorses play-based learning (PBL) as an age-appropriate teaching pedagogy. However, ...
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‘I can’t draw, sing or dance to save my life!’: Educator and parent implicit theories of creativity Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2023-02-23 Katie Fielding, Kimberly Maslin, Karen Murcia
Creativity is recognised as a key facet of the suite of 21st century skills driving education worldwide. Understanding its existence outside of The Arts is vital for recognising young children’s cr...
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Generating program theories for a trauma consultancy service in early learning settings: Insights on using realist methodology Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2023-01-16 Claire Blewitt, Rachael Bajayo, Lee Cameron, Yihan Sun, Heather Morris, Helen Skouteris
Realist research is increasingly used to evaluate complex interventions. However, it can be challenging to codify and implement, with few examples to guide the process. This article describes how a...
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‘We’re not useless, we know stuff!’ Gathering children’s voices to inform policy Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-11-18 Lennie Barblett, Francis Bobongie-Harris, Jennifer Cartmel, Fay Hadley, Linda Harrison, Susan Irvine, Leanne Lavina
‘We’re not useless, we know stuff!’, said a four-year-old when asked why adults should ask him what he thinks about his experiences at his early learning centre. This paper describes the literature...
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Playgroup Families’ Experiences of Play-Based Remote Learning Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-11-12 Victoria Minson, Karen McLean
This qualitative study aimed to investigate enablers and barriers facing community-playgroup families in the provision of play opportunities for children throughout periods of lockdown restrictions...
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Charting developmental trajectories from 12 to 36 months and associated early risk and protective factors Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-10-10 Elizabeth Roe, Lynn Jensen, Amy Finlay-Jones, Scott W White, Kingsley Wong, Helen Leonard, Leon Straker, Jenny Downs
AimTo investigate developmental trajectories in early childhood and predictors of class assignment.MethodsData were available for Gen2 infants at 12 (n = 2275), 24 (n = 1845) and 36 (n = 2110) mont...
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The role of early childhood pedagogical leaders in schools: Leading change for ongoing improvement Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-10-03 Amie Fabry, Lennie Barblett, Marianne Knaus
Early childhood pedagogical practice in primary schools is often challenged by academic demands, debate about best practice and ongoing change through new policy initiatives. This paper reports an ...
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Perspectives of play and play-based learning: What do adults think play is? Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-10-02 Karen McLean, Gillian Lake, Mary Wild, Ulla Licandro, Maria Evangelou
Adults, including early childhood teachers and caregivers (i.e., parents, carers, kinship members), have an important role in supporting young children’s learning through play in early childhood. H...
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An exploration into early childhood physical literacy programs: A systematic literature review Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-09-30 Joanne E. Porter, Elissa Dabkowski, Val Prokopiv, Karen Missen, Michael Barbagallo, Michelle James
This review explored the impact of physical literacy programs designed to engage two- to five-year-old preschool children. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PR...
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The Effectiveness of a Formative Play-Based Mathematics Assessment in Supporting the Early Childhood Intentional Pedagogue Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-09-30 Joanne Grimmond, Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett, Steven J Howard
Recent research suggests there is a lacking presence of assessment and its role in informing intentional teaching in the practice of play-based pedagogy. Formative assessment can be effectively emb...
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Educators and child health nurses: Working together to support responsive infant and young child feeding practices in early childhood education and care Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-09-29 Rebecca A Byrne, Kimberley A Baxter, Sue Irvine, Helen Vidgen, Kamila Davidson, Danielle Gallegos
The NOURISH:ECE project explored the role of maternal and child health nurses (MCHNs) in early childhood education and care (ECEC) through the design and pilot of professional learning (PL) regardi...
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Factors predicting kindergarten teachers’ integration of science into their teaching in indigenous areas Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-08-17 Ching-Ting Hsin, Hsin-Kai Wu, Jyh-Chong Liang, Di Tam Luu
Past studies have shown that kindergarten teachers find it challenging to integrate science into their instruction, but little is understood about factors that influence their science teaching in I...
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Using a multidisciplinary, multi-method and collaborative research design to investigate the health communication power of the early childhood sector Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-08-15 Sheila Degotardi, Manjula Waniganayake, Rebecca Bull, Sandie Wong, Maria R Dahm, Fay Hadley, Linda Harrison, Lauren Sadow, Janaki Amin, Michael Donovan, Dung Tran, Yvonne Zurynski
This paper details the research design of a multidisciplinary, multi-method, collaborative research project investigating health communication from the experiences of the early childhood education ...
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Promoting Safety and Belonging for Children, Families and Early Childhood Professionals During Times of Uncertainty Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-08-10
There is no doubt that the last few years have been permeated by uncertainty, not only in the Early Childhood sector, but also in global society. COVID-19, global warming and climate crises have been but a few issues that seem to have thrown the world into chaos. In Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) specifically, the pandemic, workforce issues, staff shortages and working in complex and diverse
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Who is studying what in Early Childhood Education and Care? Composite narratives of Australian educators engaging in further study Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Sharon McKinlay, Susan Irvine, Jo Lunn Brownlee, Chrystal Whiteford, Ann Farrell
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Australia is facing a workforce crisis. A knowledge gap around educators studying to pursue a career in ECEC, particularly in long day care (LDC), has p...
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Intentional Teaching for Risky Play: Practitioner Researchers Move Beyond Their Comfort Zones Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-07-08 Kate Higginbottom, Linda Newman, Kelly West-Sooby, April Wood
Risky play promotes learning for children but can be challenging for adults who may then avoid providing these opportunities for children. Research about educators’ intentional teaching for risky p...
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Diverse Practices of Early Childhood Educators Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-06-05 Wendy Boyd
The diversity of approaches to early childhood education and care research has been highlighted in recent Australasian Journal of Early Childhood editorials (Blewitt, 2022; de Rosnay, 2021; Edwards, 2021). These editorials have highlighted how knowledge and values are socially constructed and in doing so shape research in practice. Like diversity in research, the beliefs and values that educators bring
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Encouraging diversity in the early childhood education and care workforce Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-05-29 Yan Qi, Marilyn Campbell
Early childhood education and care is recognised as extremely important for the health, education and welfare of all children. As Australia is a multicultural society then the early childhood educa...
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Early childhood leadership: Risk and protective factors during the COVID-19 pandemic Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-05-19 Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett, Gai Lindsay, Jane Warren, Karen Tonge, Lyn Cronin
COVID-19 has impacted Early Childhood Education (ECE) globally. The cancellation of a final year leadership practicum presented an opportunity to partner with pre-service teachers as co-researchers...
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Revisiting the home learning environment: Introducing the home learning ecosystem Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-05-09 Athanasios Gregoriadis, Maria Evangelou
This commentary paper offers a broader definition of the construct of the home learning environment and an updated conceptual framework. Recent empirical research has burgeoned on the home learning...
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Supporting Infants and Toddlers in Low Socio-Economic Early Childhood Settings in Australia Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-05-05 Belinda Davis, Rosemary Dunn
Research shows that high quality programs can support positive outcomes for all children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Little research has examined the perspectives of directors working with infants and toddlers in families who are experiencing low socio-economic status (SES) in early childhood settings. This qualitative research addresses this gap by exploring directors’ understandings
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Children’s memories of starting school: Building and sharing transitions capital Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-05-01 Maja Højslet Schürer, Sue Dockett, Bob Perry
This paper explores memories of children in the upper years of primary school about their transition into the first year of school and the ways in which this transition impacted on their ongoing relationship with primary school. The insights shared by eleven Year four and five students (aged 10–11 years; five boys and six girls) in an Australian primary school contribute to understandings of the strategies
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The role and influence of educational leaders in centres rated as providing high quality early childhood educational programs Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-04-21 Ashley Zhou, Marianne Fenech
Despite the role pedagogical leadership plays in quality early childhood education and care services, limited research to date has explored the appointment and enactment of educational leaders in Australia. This qualitative study explored the role and influence of two educational leaders in a high-quality rated service. Findings revealed that these educational leaders’ exercising of distributed and
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Understanding relationships between epistemic cognition and executive functioning: Implications for measurement and practice in early childhood Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-04-18 Sue Walker, Jo Lunn Brownlee, Laura Scholes, Clare Harris
Research shows that epistemic cognition can support reasoning about the inclusion of diverse children. We argue that, to engage in such reasoning, children need the capacity to consider and evaluate competing knowledge perspectives (epistemic cognition) and to be cognitively flexible. Cognitive flexibility involves a subset of skills within the suite of self-regulation skills known as executive functions
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Early Childhood Education and Care: A sustainable system? Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2022-01-12
In the last issue of AJEC Dr Claire Blewitt’s editorial (2021, p. 293) highlighted the ideas that complexity and change characterise early childhood settings, and that engaging with this complexity “is an ongoing concern” for all of those involved in young children’s lives. Recognising and naming complexity as a key feature of early childhood settings is a political act. This is especially so at a
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Human–nature relationships in early childhood education for sustainability: Metaphysical analysis and reshaping Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-12-23 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
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Validity, reliability and viability of pre-school educators’ use of early years toolbox early numeracy Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-12-23 Steven J Howard, Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett, Marc de Rosnay, Edward C 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
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Australian family day care educators’ experiences of supporting children’s mental health, and their own mental health and wellbeing Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-12-23 Romany McGuffog, Elloyse Fitzgeraldson, Bronte Lyford, Zoi Triandafilidis, Sally Fitzpatrick, Gavin 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
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Preparing preservice early childhood educators to use music in Australian settings: An audit of programmes Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-12-07 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
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Cultural diversity in the Australian early childhood education workforce: What do we know, what don’t we know and why is it important? Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-12-06 Sene Gide, Sandie Wong, Frances 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
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Understanding cultural artefacts to ensure seamless transitions in the Early Years Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-12-02 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
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Complexity and change: Contemporary research in early childhood Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-11-03 Claire Blewitt
This special issue celebrates selected papers from the 2021 AJEC Symposium, Complexity and Change: Contemporary Research in Early Childhood, held in the second year of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The stressors caused by the pandemic have been felt across the early childhood sector and a growing body of research explores the challenges facing young children and the ways in which families, educators
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Using robotic toys in early childhood education to support children’s social and emotional competencies Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-11-01 Sarika Kewalramani, Ioanna Palaiologou, Maria Dardanou, Kelly-Ann Allen, Sivanes 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
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Early childhood educators’ solidarity and struggles for recognition Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-10-29 Gloria Quinones, Melissa Barnes, Emily Berger
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators’ well-being and emotional demands during COVID require careful attention. This article explores the emotional demands experienced by ECEC educators in Australia during ongoing periods of lockdown. A survey was designed to gather quantitative and qualitative data and participants were asked to participate in in-depth interviews. Thirty participants
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‘When we sat together, it just worked’: Supporting individual and collaborative reflective practice in a team of early childhood educators Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-10-20 Naomi Ruming, Laura McFarland
Educator reflective practice is fundamental to quality early childhood education with robust practice benefitting pedagogy and improving outcomes for children. Yet, examination of individual and collaborative reflective practice in experienced professional early childhood teams is scarce. This qualitative case study used an action research design to examine this gap in the literature. Previous research
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In whose best interests? Regulating childcare environments in Australia Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-10-09 Anne-Marie Morrissey, Deborah Moore
This conceptual model paper uses systems theory to explain how key elements in the Australian policy and regulatory context lead to three issues of concern in childcare centre physical environments: siting of centres on busy roads; lack of outdoor space; and, emergency evacuation in high-rise buildings. Drawing on evidence from prior studies and policy documents through desktop research, as well as
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Leading through complexity in early childhood education and care Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-10-08 Leanne Gibbs
Effective leadership influences the process quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs and therefore the academic, health and socio-emotional outcomes for children. Yet, the cultivation of leadership is impacted by the complex nature of ECEC environments and the persistent challenges therein. Complex workforce issues, inadequate preparation for positional leadership roles and few
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The risk of being researched: Re-envisioning educator research participation for high-quality early childhood education Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-09-22 Mandy Cooke
The participation of educators in research contributes to understanding and developing high-quality early childhood education. Consequently, increasing educator participation in research is beneficial. To increase educator research participation, it is important to understand educators’ experiences of research. This article draws on findings from a qualitative multisite case study that explored educators
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Being clear on what we value in early childhood research: A response to Edwards (2021) Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-09-11 Marc de Rosnay
Edwards (2021) presents us with a conundrum: how should we – a diverse community of researchers, scholars, and practitioners concerned with early childhood – proceed to create or establish knowledge that has some value when we differ on how we think knowledge is constituted or created and, indeed, how we understand value? Central to this conundrum is the idea that knowledge is contested, and that this
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From Birth to Three: Exploring Educators’ Understandings of Agency Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-09-02 Tanya Burr, Sheila Degotardi
The Early Years Learning Framework promotes the need to recognise children’s participation rights and for educators to be responsive to and promote child agency. This study explored how infant and toddler educators understand agency, and what role they ascribe to themselves in infants’ and toddlers’ realisation of agency. Research was undertaken in early childhood settings in Brisbane, Australia. Interviews
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Supporting educator well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of leadership in early childhood education and care organisations Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-08-26 Helen Logan, Laura McFarland, and Tamara Cumming, Sandie Wong
The goal of this qualitative study was to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood educators’ well-being in Australia and to identify strategies for supporting educator well-being throughout this crisis. Data were gathered using a multi-site case study with five Senior Managers or CEOs of early childhood education and care organisations. Using elite interviews, participants
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Empowering Aboriginal Families as Their Children’s First Teachers of Cultural Knowledge, Languages and Identity at Galiwin’ku FaFT Playgroup Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-08-20 Dorothy Gapany, Marilyn Murukun, Jessica Goveas, Jonica Dhurrkay, Verity Burarrwanga, Jane Page
Embracing and embedding the rich cultural knowledge, languages, concepts and skills that Aboriginal families and children bring to playgroup is key to empowering families as their children’s first teachers and strengthening young children’s self-esteem, pride, confidence and identities. In this article, we share our story of how we have explored and upheld the strengths of Yolŋu identity, cultural
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Considering Form and Function: A Commentary on the Review of the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-05-07 Caroline Cohrssen
An important milestone in early childhood education and care is reached in 2021 as Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia is reviewed. The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) was groundbreaking. It has been influential in providing national guidelines around pedagogical principles, practice and learning outcomes for children. This commentary is intended to
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Developing and Validating a Tool to Assess Young Children’s Early Literacy Engagement Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-05-03 Janet Scull, Jane Page, Megan L Cock, Cuc Nguyen, Lisa Murray, Patricia Eadie, Joseph Sparling
There is growing recognition that literacy learning takes place in the years prior to formal schooling and that young children develop literacy-like behaviours through exposure to interactions in shared contexts in which literacy is a component. Despite this, there are few assessments that measure the very early literacy skills that children develop before 36 months of age. This article reports on
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Ethnography and Bush Kinder Research: A Review of the Literature Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-05-03 Christopher Speldewinde, Anna Kilderry, Coral Campbell
Bush kindergarten programmes (known as bush kinders), where preschool children learn in, about and with nature, are proliferating in Australian early childhood education. This scoping review reports on, and analyses, the research literature pertaining to how ethnography has been applied to the bush kinder context. We included studies conducted in related contexts, such as forest schools, and other
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Editorial Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-04-30 Susan Edwards
It is well-established in early childhood research that knowledge may be considered a contestable construct. From a period of developmentalism into sociocultural thinking, postmodernism, post-foundationalism and now post-humanism, the literature is increasingly clear that how research is conceived, constructed and interpreted shapes how knowledge ‘about’, ‘with’ and ‘for’ young children is positioned
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Toward a conceptualization of the internet of toys Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-04-28 Li Ling, Nicola Yelland, Maria Hatzigianni, Camille Dickson-Deane
The Internet of Things is reshaping many households’ digital landscape and influencing children’s play and learning, especially in the form of toys that are named the Internet of Toys (IoToys). IoToys may generate a significant influence on children’s growth. While increasing attention is drawn to the IoToys, confusion around their conceptualization and use is evident. Without a thorough understanding
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‘Unpacking our thinking in front of each other’: A case study in knowledge flow within an early childhood teaching team Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-04-21 Sue Stover, Kiri Gould, Sandy Farquhar, Marek Tesar, Andrew Gibbons, Sonja Arndt
The complex and fluid nature of knowledge is a key dimension of the early childhood curriculum and of early childhood teaching and learning. Such complexity adds to the already complex and dynamic work of an early childhood teacher. With a dynamic view of knowledge in mind, this article reports on research with a team of early childhood teachers to explore the ways in which knowledge is experienced
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Finnish early childhood education and care leaders’ perceptions of pedagogical leadership and assessment of the implementation of the National Core Curriculum in times of change Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-04-21 Raisa Ahtiainen, Elina Fonsén, Laura Kiuru
Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) experienced system-wide changes in legislation, curriculum, and teachers’ and centre leaders’ qualification requirements between 2013 and 2018. Through these changes, the Finnish ECEC follows the global trends shifting the focus of ECEC from care towards education. The data are leaders’ (N = 41) written responses to three open-ended questions in a survey
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Invisible transitions: Transitions to school following different paths Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-04-16 Sue Dockett, Bob Perry
Most children starting primary school in Australia do so after attending early childhood education and participating in a transition to school programme. While this has become the expected pathway, it is not the one followed by all children and their families. In this article, we describe visible transitions as those that are known, understood and planned – that is, they follow the expected path. In
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Monitoring children’s development in early childhood education settings to promote early detection of autism Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-03-31 Beth Mozolic-Staunton, Josephine Barbaro, Jacqui Yoxall, Michelle Donelly
Autism is a developmental condition that can be detected in early childhood. Early intervention can improve outcomes, though many children are not identified until they reach primary school. Early childhood educators are well placed to monitor children’s development and identify those who may benefit from additional supports, though implementation of standardised tools and processes is limited. The
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Gender stereotypes and biases in early childhood: A systematic review Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-03-31 Tania L King, Anna J Scovelle, Anneke Meehl, Allison J Milner, Naomi Priest
This review aimed to synthesise studies examining the presence of gender stereotypes and biases expressed by young children aged 3–5 years, with a focus on informing early childhood settings. Our review located only 21 separate studies in 16 articles, highlighting a dearth of research in this area. There was substantial heterogeneity in the operationalisation of gender stereotypes and biases. There
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Honouring Nancy Barnes, nee Brumbie (1927–2012), South Australia’s first qualified Aboriginal Kindergarten Director Australas. J. Early Child. (IF 1.238) Pub Date : 2021-03-26 Kay Whitehead, Belinda MacGill, Sam Schulz
To date, the work of Aboriginal early childhood educators in the mid-twentieth century has not been widely acknowledged. Nancy Barnes, nee Brumbie (1927–2012), exemplifies the strength and tenacity of Aboriginal Australians who had to negotiate their lives and work in white institutions and a society which denied them fundamental human rights. Nancy graduated from the Adelaide Kindergarten Training