"This should be essential reading for anyone involved in the training and professional development of early years practitioners... It is an impressive analysis of the historical and contemporary 'big ideas' that have influenced societies ' and practitioners' views of children and the nature of the curriculum. There are powerful sections on parents and communities ... I particularly liked the stimulating 'ideas galleries' with their statements from researchers, policy-makers and practitioners around the world." Nursery World, October 2004
 This key textbook introduces students and practitioners to a wide range of different approaches to early childhood. It provides practical strategies for developing and implementing early learning experiences that promote excellence and equity for children.
 The book presents the latest research and thinking about good practice, discusses how various philosophies and beliefs influence decisions in early childhood education, and identifies the key thinkers behind each approach. By examining different perspectives, the book helps early childhood practitioners to navigate their way through competing views, make informed choices, and be critically reflective in their work.
 In an accessible, lively and user-friendly way, it explores issues such as: 
<ul>
<li>What constitutes an appropriate early childhood curriculum</li> <li>How best to study and assess children</li> <li>Involving parents and children in early childhood learning</li>
</ul> The book features a range of pedagogical devices to inspire early childhood workers to reflect critically on their work and the ideas underpinning it, including: <ul>
<li>Boxed definitions of key terms</li> <li>Ideas summary charts and ideas galleries</li> <li>Clarification exercises</li> <li>Case studies</li> <li>Further reading lists</li>
</ul> This essential textbook is ideal for students undertaking early childhood qualifications at degree level, Masters courses in early childhood education, and for practitioners who work with children from birth to eight in early childhood settings.

Shaping early childhood: learners, curriculum and contexts

Politics & Social Sciences

MACNAUGHTON

Sociology

Open University Press

"This is a very useful and practical resource that will help the reader create the structured approach essential to any successful action research project." Early Years Update <ul>
<li>Are you worried about doing your early years action research project? </li>
<li>Does the thought of choosing the right research question feel daunting? </li>
<li>Are you concerned about the challenges you might face?</li>
</ul> If you answer 'yes' to any of these questions, then this is the book for you! Written in a lively and accessible style, this is the essential step-by-step guide to conducting your own action research project. The book introduces and evaluates different approaches to action research and explores how they can be applied in early childhood settings to create positive change and to improve practice.
 Using varied illustrations and case studies of contemporary projects in diverse early childhood contexts, the book addresses specific issues and challenges that you might face when conducting action research in such settings.
 Each chapter offers gentle guidance and support at a specific stage of the research process, from choosing your initial topic to formulating your research question, through to sharing the lessons of your project.
 The book's key features include:
<ul>
<li>16 'Steps' that walk you through the process of conducting your action research project </li>
<li>References to real life research projects to illustrate key ideas, themes, practices and debates </li>
<li>Advice on creating an action research journal, with sample extracts </li>
<li>'Thinking Boxes' in each chapter to encourage you to review and reflect on the chapter's contents as you plan your research project </li>
<li>Checklists in each chapter of key concepts, processes and themes, together with further resources</li>
</ul> The authors explore some difficult issues associated with action research, including ethics, rigour, validity, critical reflection, and social and professional change. They show that there is more than one 'right' way to perform an action research project and advise you how to choose an approach that is appropriate for your particular interests and circumstances. Doing Action Research in Early Childhood Studies is an essential resource for students and practitioners of early childhood studies.

Doing action research in early childhood studies: a step-by-step guide: a step-by-step guide

Education & Teaching

Schools & Teaching

"It is rare for any research methodology book to cover so much ground, and contain so many different kinds of resources between two covers." Journal of Education for Teaching "As a guide for new and inexperienced researchers, it is second to none." British Journal of Educational Studies 
 Doing Early Childhood Research demystifies the research process. An international team of experienced researchers shows how to select methods which are appropriate for working with young children in early childhood settings or at home.
 They provide a thorough introduction to the most common research methods used in the early childhood context. Reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of much early childhood research, they cover a wide range of conventional and newer methods including observation, small surveys, interviews with adults and children, action research, ethnography and quasi-experimental approaches. 
 They explain clearly how to set up research projects which are theoretically grounded, well-designed, rigorously analysed, feasible and ethically based. Each chapter is illustrated with examples. 
 Widely used by early childhood researchers in many countries, this second edition of Doing Early Childhood Research has been fully revised. It includes new chapters on beginning research, mixed methods research, interviewing children, and working with Indigenous children, and also new case study chapters. It is essential reading for novice, initial career and experienced researchers.
 Contributors Maria Assunção Folque, Sue Atkinson-Lopez, Mindy Blaise, Liane Brow, Margaret Coady, Audrey D’Souza Juma, Anne Edwards, Sue Emmett, Susan Grieshaber, Linda Harrison, Alan Hayes, Patrick Hughes, Glenda Mac Naughton, Karen Martin, Sharne A. Rolfe, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, John Siraj-Blatchford, Louise Taylor, Teresa Vasconcelos

Doing early childhood research

Parents and Professionals in Early Childhood Settings addresses the complex and sometimes controversial issues that emerge from the care and education of young children. Staff and parents in early childhood settings can find ample advice about how to promote good communication, but much of that advice has no grounding in their daily lives. Instead, it prescribes an established set menu of communication tools, such as newsletters, notebooks and message boards that rarely respond to what staff and families say about relationships between them. Drawing on the authors' research with hundreds of parents, staff and students, the book explores relationships between staff and families through a series of 'issue stories'. Each story features the voices and perspectives of 'real' staff and families and captures their various understandings, desires and feelings about a complex, difficult and/or controversial issue.
 The authors support each 'issue story' with snippets from relevant international research, 'Fairness Alerts' that highlight unfair thinking habits and show how to challenge them, and some 'points to ponder' and 'points to discuss' that encourage readers to extend their thinking about the issue/s in the story.
 Parents and Professionals in Early Childhood Settings is written for the diverse people in the international field of early childhood education and care. They include staff, students, academics, trainers, curriculum advisors, policy officers and managers, together with the parents and other carers of young children.

Parents and professionals in early childhood settings

Parenting & Relationships

Parenting

Women And Print - A Contemporary View

Mary Davis

Etal

Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College

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