What is Happening in International Research

Learning about what is happening in Early Childhood Education (ECE) around the world has become an interesting topic for me. The website that I chose to look at to see what is happening in ECE research internationally is the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (http://www.eecera.org/journal). This website publishes a research journal that looks at many topics that affect early childhood education throughout Europe. The topics listed for the most recent issues are: technology, policy & practice, outdoor environments, parent partnerships, curriculum and play based instruction, attachment, and how the quality of the ECE environment affects children’s cortisol levels. These are topics that are also of interest here in the United States. I was curious to see what the trends and issues were surrounding early childhood research in Europe and I found four articles that gave me some good insight about this topic.

   1. The authors of the first article talked about the challenges of doing research with children, and what the best tools are to get children’s perspectives on things. They questioned whether or not participatory research methods work. They also talked about the importance of considering the research design and the ethics behind the research. (Waller & Bitou, 2011)

 

    2. The second article used several words that I was unfamiliar with, and I had to look up their meaning. The basis of the article was that researching ECE practices alone is not enough. There needs to be a reflection of the research, an awareness of the concerns of those in power-especially political power, and a more authentic participation model. Their recommendations also included looking at ECE visibility, status, and progress.   (Pascal & Bertram, 2012). 

   3. Article three was a lighter paper that looked at research conversations with children about their experiences. The premise for this article was to consider the understandings of childhood and adulthood through the eyes of a child (Harcourt, 2011).

  4. The fourth article, although it was a bit outdated, was an interesting research piece on the disconnect between those who are providing care and education in preschool settings, and those that want to make decisions and changes about what is best for children. I found this research interesting because it parallels the sentiments of ECE providers in the United States too (Brown, 2004).

My greatest insight is that the research shows that ECE in Europe and ECE in the United States are both experiencing similar trends in research. This is an excellent website and I will continue to use it as a resource as I do my studies.

Brown, S. (2004). Celebrating childhood: Research to inform   

  improvement in provision.European Early Childhood Education 

  Research Journal, 12(1), 5-14. doi:10.1080/13502930485209271. 

  Retrieved (July 29, 2013) from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/

  abs/10.1080/13502930485209271

Harcourt, D. (2011). An encounter with children: Seeking meaning

   and understanding about children. European Early Childhood 

   Education Research Journal, 19(3), 331-343. doi:

   10.1080/1350293X.2011.597965. Retrieved (July 29, 2013) from 

   http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1/1350293X.2011.597965

Pascal, C., & Bertram, T. (2012). Praxis, ethics and power:   

   Developing praxeology as a participatory paradigm for early 

   childhood research. European Early Childhood Education

   Research Journal, 20(4), 477-492. doi:10.1080/1350293X.2012.

   737236. Retrieved (July 29, 2013) from http://www.tandfonline.

   com/doi/abs/10.1080/1350293X.2012.737236

 

Waller, T., & Bitou, A. (2011). Research with children: Three 

   challenges for participatory research in early childhood.   

   European Early Childhood Education Research Journal,

   19(1), 5-20. doi: 10.1080/1350293X.2011.548964. Retrieved 

   (July 29, 2013) from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs

   /10.1080/1350293X.2011.548964