Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Cross-cultural early childhood learning'

Since Australia became a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, the importance of recognising, valuing and respecting a child’s family, culture, language and values has been increasingly articulated in education policy. Diversity and inclusion are now central themes guiding the principles and quality measures of early childhood education and care as encompassed by the National Quality Framework, including both the National Quality Standard and the Early Years Learning Framework (Early Childhood Development Steering Committee, 2009). Children’s literature can be a powerful tool for extending children’s knowledge and understandings of themselves and others who may be different culturally, socially or historically (Boutte, Hopkins, & Waklatsi, 2008), thus having the potential to be a valuable resource in promoting diversity and inclusion in early childhood. However, a body of evidence suggests that the use of children’s literature in early childhood settings does not promote principles of diversity, often serving to promote outdated or stereotypical notions of minority groups. This study investigated the factors and relationships influencing the use of children’s literature to support principles relating to cultural diversity in the kindergarten rooms of long day care centres. The study was conducted within an ontological perspective of constructivism and an epistemological perspective of interpretivism informed by sociocultural theory. A mixed methods approach was adopted, and convergent design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018) was employed to synthesise the qualitative and quantitative data and interpret significant relationships and their meanings. Twenty four educators and 110 children from four long day care centres in Western Australia participated. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, video-based observations, field notes, document analysis and a book audit. This study identified four key findings. First, that current book sharing practice in kindergarten rooms of long day care centres promotes monocultural viewpoints and “othering” of minority groups. Second, educators lacked the beliefs, understandings and confidence needed to promote principles of diversity using children’s books. Third, access to books portraying inclusive and authentic cultural diversity was limited. Finally, many children did not have access to the benefits of book sharing and engagement through high quality evidence based practice. These findings have implications for the meeting of principles of diversity articulated in Australian education policy and curriculum and draw attention to the challenges faced by educators when selecting and using books with young children. These findings are significant for what they reveal about the relationships between the nature and availability of books together with the nature and quality of educator practice and the involvement and engagement of the children in book sharing in long day care. Findings highlight a need for measures to address each of these factors in order to meet principles of diversity and equity for all children. The outcomes of this study have implications for educators, policy makers, early childhood organisations and those who provide higher education and training for early childhood educators.

Cultural play songs are a world wide phenomenon in which children participate. The current research explored settings where such cultural play songs occur; both in and outside of pre-schools. Despite the availability of play songs in most cultural contexts, combined with children's natural inclination to be actively involved in playing and singing games, these cultural assets are generally not considered as a pedagogical tool in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the pedagogical significance of cultural play songs found in and outside of pre-schools for ECE. In this study, I investigated how play songs take place in both settings in order to reveal commonalities and differences so that, when taken together, this knowledge would enhance the understanding of how educators could optimally use play songs in ECE contexts. An ethnographic research design was conducted within a qualitative paradigm, incorporating non-participant observation, complete participant observation, video recordings, and face-to-face interviews. For the first part of data collection within pre-school settings, participants included thirty teachers from twenty pre-schools in seven provinces of Zambia. During the second part of data collection in a simulated out of school setting, participants included eighteen pre-school children and an expert on cultural play songs. This resource person facilitated sixteen cultural play song sessions in which the children and I actively participated. Video recordings were made of all cultural play song activities in both settings, supporting non-participant as well as complete participant observasions. This empirical data provided evidence regarding the pedagogical value of play songs as a cultural resource. As a result, play songs were collected in order to be preserved and promoted for future use in ECE, thus defying the simplistic view that they are mere entertainment. By drawing on Vygotsky's socio-cultural learning theory and African traditional education perspectives as theoretical framework, the study equally makes a scholary contribution towards play songs as a valuable indigenous tool for teaching and learning in ECE. The results of the study indicate the following concerning cultural play songs: Firstly, there is limited to non use of these songs in Zambian pre-schools compared to English rhymes and Sunday school songs; secondly, they are not currently considered as valid resources for teaching and learning; and thirdly, their use in ECE depends on the teacher's knowledge, skills and perceptions, as well as on the attitudes of school administration and parents. Recommendations are made for flexible methodologies which nurture linkages between music practice in and outside of school settings. Play songs as cultural resources support teacher and learner interactions in musically and playfully stimulated environments.
Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
Music
DMus
Unrestricted

The Solomon Islands (SI), a small developing nation in the South Pacific, demonstrates an emergent community-based kindergarten model with the potential to promote context and culture relevant early learning and development. SI early childhood education (ECE) particularly rose in prominence with a 2008 national policy enactment requiring all children to attend three years of kindergarten as prerequisite for primary school entry. However, these ECE programs remain severely challenged by faltering community support. Internationally, many ECE programs dramatically resemble a universalized Western-based model, with a decidedly specific discourse for “high quality” programs and practices for children ages 0-8. Often these uncritical international transfers of Euro-American ideologies promote restricted policies and practices. This has resulted in a self-perpetuating set of practices and values, which arguably prevent recognition of, and efforts to reinvent, more culturally-relevant, sustainable programs for the Majority World. Based on the Kahua region (est. pop. 4,500) of Makira-Ulawa Province, this collaborative, ethnographically-inspired, case study explores how community characteristics have affected the cultural and contextual sustainability of community-based ECE in remote villages. The study traces historical and cultural influences to present-day SI ECE. Subsequently, it explores the re-imagined SI approach to formal ECE program design, remaining challenges preventing these programs from being sustained by communities, and potential community-wide transformations arising from these initiatives. To achieve this, the study collaborated with stakeholders from all levels of SI society through extensive participant-observations, interviews, and participatory focus groups. Findings aspire to enlighten regional sustainable developments and resilient behaviors relating to ECE. Key research findings suggest five overarching principles influencing kindergarten sustainability: presence of “champion” for the ECE vision; community ownership-taking, awareness-building, and cooperation-maintenance; and program cultural/contextual sensitivity and relevance. These elements were found to be strongly linked with an intergenerational cultural decay in the Kahua region, as conceptualized through a model of Cyclically-Sustained Kindergarten Mediocrity.

A presente pesquisa dedicou-se ao tema da aprendizagem social por meio de uma abordagem psicológica cultural deste fenômeno, agregando ainda contribuições ao tema advindas da Psicologia Moral. Buscou-se identificar diferenças nas representações de crianças pré-escolares quanto às estratégias que utilizam para resolver conflitos interpessoais, em função das diferentes relações por elas vivenciadas em um ambiente mais democrático e cooperativo e em outro com maior orientação autocrática e coercitiva. Assim, foram entrevistadas 27 crianças, com 4 a 5 anos de idade, provenientes de duas creches públicas que apresentavam as características citadas. As professoras responsáveis pelos grupos de crianças pesquisados também participaram respondendo a um questionário acerca de seus valores, representações e atitudes relacionados a sua mediação em situações de conflitos interpessoais vivenciados por seus alunos. O conjunto de relatos foi analisado de forma fundamentalmente qualitativa, tendo por base a técnica de análise de conteúdo e, no caso das crianças, como categorias, a agressão, a submissão e a assertividade, além de outras categorias ambivalentes. Os resultados obtidos indicaram relação entre o ambiente democrático e habilidades mais sofisticadas e apropriadas socialmente de resolução de conflitos reportadas pelas crianças e, inversamente, uma relação entre o ambiente autocrático e habilidades menos desenvolvidas de resolução de conflitos indicadas pelas crianças
The present work was dedicated to the investigation of the theme social learning by means of a cultural psychological approach of the phenomenon, allied to contributions from Moral Psychology. We attempted to identify differences in preschool children\'s representations with respect to the strategies that they utilize to resolve interpersonal conflicts, as a function of the different relations they experience in a more democratic and cooperative environment compared to a more authoritarian and coercive ambient. To attend this purpose, 27 children aged between 4 and 5 years and attending two public day care centers with the abovementioned characteristics were interviewed. The teachers that were in charge of the investigated groups also participated in the study by answering a questionnaire about their values, representations, and attitudes regarding their mediation of the events of interpersonal conflicts experienced by their pupils. The collected data was basically analyzed from a qualitative approach, on the basis of content analysis and, in the case of the children, on the basis of categories such as aggression, submission, and assertiveness, besides other ambivalent categories. The obtained results indicated that there is a relationship between a more democratic environment and more sophisticated and adequate social skills for the resolution of conflicts, as reported by the children. Conversely, an authoritarian ambient resulted in less developed social skills in terms of conflict resolution, as indicated by children\'s reports

A comparative study between old school which is considered to be boring and out of context by (many student) to new school of teaching where divers IT and ICT gadgets are used and their implications in creating a positive teacher student relationship from the very start to promote emergent literacy within preschool class. This ethnographic study examines how two preschool class teachers incorporate both old and new methods to create interest for learning and meaningfulness among their students in accordance with the national goals for education and lifelong learning. How does IT and ICT promote teaching and learning in preschool class? In what ways do teachers incorporate into classroom experiences? What are the group dynamics between teacher- student, and student- and their peers during a classroom scenario with the conventional paper and pen and technological aid?  With these central questions the study was conducted as an participant observation which resulted in preschool class children find it lot easier to communicate not only with teachers but also with their classmates during classroom activities where IT and ICT is incorporated than when teachers take on the role what they call old school which tends to become one-sided.  The results show that creating meaningfulness among ones students is largely based upon the teachers own interest in the focus group. From a socio-cultural perspective, it is evident that terms such as interaction, meaningfulness, symbols and artifacts become central. Results from the study shows even though many in-service teachers and principals are very much for including IT and ICT as teaching resource. Ambiguity of national norms and goals when we talk of preschool classes in the nation could be one the many reasons why they fail to meet their students expectations and demands. This in turn could be one of the considerable reasons for the depression in high school students failing to meet the national educational standards.
Utgångspunkten i detta examensarbete är en jämförande studie mellan gamla skolan och dess undervisningsätt vilken anses vara tråkig och utan sammanhang bland många elever och nya skolans undervisning med IT och IKT som didaktisk undervisningsmetod. Dess konsekvenser för att skapa en positiv relation mellan lärare och elev från första början för att främja framväxande och skrivkunnighet inom förskoleklass.En etnografisk undersökning av hur två förskoleklasslärare gagnar både de gamla och nya metoderna för att skapa intresse för lärande och meningsskapande bland sina elever i enlighet med nationella målen för ett livslångt lärande och hållbar utveckling. Hur främjar IT och IKT lärandet i förskoleklassen? På vilka sätt införlivar lärare upplevelser i klassrummet. Vad är gruppdynamik mellan lärare och elev, samt gruppdynamik mellan eleverna i ett klassrumsscenario med den konventionella papper/penna och tekniska stöd? Med dessa centrala frågor genomfördes studien som en deltagande observation. Detta resulterade i att förskoleklassbarnen tycker att det är mycket lättare att kommunicera inte bara med lärare utan även med sina klasskamrater under klassrumsaktiviteter där IT och IKT ingår än när lärare tar på sig rollen i den så kallade gamla skolan som tenderar att bli ensidig. Resultaten visar att skapa meningsfullhet bland elever till stor del baseras på lärarnas eget intresse i fokusgruppen. Ur ett sociokulturellt perspektiv är det uppenbart att begrepp som interaktion, meningsfullhet, symboler och artefakter blir central. Resultaten från studien visar att det finns ett stort intresse och ambitioner från rektor och lärare att införa bland annat IT och IKT i undervisningen. På grund av tvetydigheten i de nationella målen och normer när man talar om förskoleklass har detta orsakat många lärare och skolor att misslyckas med att uppfylla elevernas förväntningar och krav, vilket i sin tur kan vara en av de stora orsakerna till det ökande antalet gymnasieelever som inte uppfyller de nationella kunskapsmålen i Sverige.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the current study examined the relationship between early childhood preservice teachers' cultural awareness and their self-efficacy in equitable science education. It further aimed to determine if the relationship between these two constructs was moderated by their race/ethnicity or the number of languages they speak. Finally, it sought to identify preservice teachers' understanding of equity in science education, as well as how they planned to incorporate the equity concept into their future science teaching practices for diverse learners in early childhood classrooms. Data for this study were drawn from 380 preservice teachers who self-enrolled in a science methods course as part of a teacher preparation program. To measure the preservice teachers' cultural awareness and self-efficacy in equitable science education, two Likert-scale instruments, Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory (CDAI) and Self-Efficacy Beliefs about Equitable Science Teaching and Learning (SEBEST), were employed. Qualitative data were collected by administering six open-ended questions. For quantitative results, statistically significant findings indicated that when the participants were more aware of creating a multicultural environment and instruction and/or when they were less biased and were more sensitive/knowledgeable about diversity of students and families, their expectations about science learning of students from diverse backgrounds would be higher. Furthermore, when the participants were more aware of creating a multicultural environment and instruction and/or when they felt more comfortable about confronting students or parents whose cultures and languages were different from their own, they tended to have a stronger sense of efficacy in teaching science to those students. In addition, when the participants were less biased and were also sensitive and knowledgeable about students' and families' diverse backgrounds, they were more likely to have a strong sense of science teaching efficacy. Along with these findings, participants' race/ethnicity was a statistically significant moderator affecting the relationship between their sense of science teaching outcome expectancy and awareness of creating a multicultural environment and instruction. When the awareness of creating a multicultural environment and instruction of both White and non-White participants were increased at an equal level, White participants' expectations for science learning of students from diverse backgrounds were higher than those of non-White participants. Measurement challenges were identified through the analysis process that compromised the validity of the quantitative findings. Thus, they should be interpreted with caution. For qualitative results, three predominant themes related to the participants' conceptualization of equity in science education were identified. First, the participants harbored alternative understandings of the definitions of equity in science education. One third of the participants understood equity as providing appropriate access and support based on the levels of students' needs whereas another one third defined equity as providing identical teaching services and resources to all students regardless of their backgrounds. They also conceptualized equity in science education as an issue independent of their future students' racial/ethnic backgrounds; instead, they regarded it as a subject associated with their students' English proficiency.

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The following study seeks elements for a proposal for the organization of teaching Physical Education to elementary school students based on mechanistic and instrumental models present in the conceptions that base the pedagogical practices relative to corporal movement at this educational level. Starting from the specificity of early childhood education, this research is based on the studies of Vygotsky, Leontiev, Elkonin and on the theory of developmental teaching proposed by Davydov. From a theoretical standpoint, the principal question was: What elements can be extracted in the utilization of the theory of developmental teaching 􀁚􀁌􀁗􀁋􀀃􀁄􀀃􀁆􀁒􀁑􀁗􀁕􀁌􀁅􀁘􀁗􀁌􀁒􀁑􀀃􀁗􀁒􀀃􀁆􀁒􀁑􀁆􀁈􀁓􀁗􀁘􀁄􀁏􀀃􀁏􀁈􀁄􀁕􀁑􀁌􀁑􀁊􀀃􀁒􀁉􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃􀁆􀁒􀁑􀁗􀁈􀁑􀁗􀀃􀁒􀁉􀀃􀂳􀁆􀁒􀁕􀁓􀁒􀁕􀁄􀁏􀀃 􀁐􀁒􀁙􀁈􀁐􀁈􀁑􀁗􀂴􀀃􀁉􀁒􀁕􀀃 􀁆􀁋􀁌ldren of early childhood education? The study also seeks to clarify the following: What actions of learning can be proposed, in the conceptual teaching of corporal movement, considering the phase of formation of concepts and the principal activity in which these children are found? What repercussions will developmental teaching have on the individuals involved? What are the advantages and possible difficulties of the use of this theory for the teaching of the concept of corporal movement in early childhood education? The overall objective was to analyze the practical application of the principles of the theory for teaching of the concept of corporal movement to children of four to five years of age, observing the learning process of the content. The specifics were as follows: 1 􀂱 analyze the utilization of the principal activity of the children in the activity of learning of the concept of corporal movement; 2 􀂱 analyze the repercussions of developmental teaching for the children considering socio-cultural factors in the learning process, and the impressions of the professor of Physical Education; 3 􀂱 identify the advantages and possible difficulties of the use of this theory for teaching the concept of corporal movement in early childhood education. The qualitative research consisted of a didactical experiment performed in the context of an educational institution with the children of factory workers in the municipality of Anápolis. The data was collected through interviews with the mothers of the participating children, with the professor of Physical Education, and in observation of the didactical experiment. The analysis of the data revealed the following: The majority of the children advanced in the comprehension of the concept of corporal movement, varying according to the context of social relations of each; - the activity of play, the principal activity of this age group, should be employed in this learning process because through it one finds the motives of children; - the applicability of developmental teaching depends on favorable conditions linked to the theoretical and practical formation of the professor, and the structural conditions of the ambient in which he works; - 􀂳􀁆􀁒􀁕􀁓􀁒􀁕􀁄􀁏􀀃􀁐􀁒􀁙􀁈􀁐􀁈􀁑􀁗􀂴􀀃􀁌􀁖􀀃􀁇􀁈􀁉􀁌􀁑􀁈􀁇􀀃􀁄􀁖􀀃􀁄􀁑􀀃􀁈􀁏􀁈􀁐􀁈􀁑􀁗􀀃􀁒􀁉􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃􀂳􀁄􀁆􀁗􀁌􀁙􀁌􀁗􀁜􀀃 􀁒􀁉􀀃􀁋􀁘􀁐􀁄􀁑􀀃􀁐􀁒􀁙􀁈􀁐􀁈􀁑􀁗􀂴􀀑The principal contribution of this work is in the reflection of the need for change in the area of Physical Education on the elementary level, as well as in the concept of teaching, since body and mind are inseparable, thus the need for attention to this fact on the part of acting professors of Physical Education, principally in the schools.
O presente estudo buscou elementos para uma proposta de organização do ensino da Educação Física na Educação Infantil frente aos modelos mecanicistas e instrumentais, presentes nas concepções que embasam as práticas pedagógicas relativas ao movimento corporal neste nível de ensino. A partir da especificidade da Educação Física na escola, tendo o movimento corporal como conteúdo desta área para a Educação Infantil, esta pesquisa baseou-se nos estudos de Vygotsky, Leontiev, Elkonin e na teoria do ensino desenvolvimental proposto por Davydov. Com apoio no referencial teórico, a principal questão foi: que elementos podem ser extraídos na utilização da teoria do ensino desenvolvimental como contribuição para a aprendizagem 􀁆􀁒􀁑􀁆􀁈􀁌􀁗􀁘􀁄􀁏􀀃 􀁇􀁒􀀃 􀁆􀁒􀁑􀁗􀁈􀁾􀁇􀁒􀀃 􀂳􀁐􀁒􀁙􀁌􀁐􀁈􀁑􀁗􀁒􀀃 􀁆􀁒􀁕􀁓􀁒􀁕􀁄􀁏􀂴􀀃 􀁓􀁄􀁕􀁄􀀃 􀁆􀁕􀁌􀁄􀁑􀁯􀁄􀁖􀀃 􀁑􀁄􀀃 􀀨􀁇􀁘􀁆􀁄􀁯􀁭􀁒􀀃 􀀬􀁑􀁉􀁄􀁑􀁗􀁌􀁏􀀢􀀃 􀀃 􀀥􀁘􀁖􀁆􀁒􀁘-se também esclarecer: Que ações de aprendizagem podem ser propostas no ensino conceitual do movimento corporal, considerando-se a fase de formação de conceitos e a atividade principal em que se encontram estas crianças? Que repercussões terão o ensino desenvolvimental nos sujeitos envolvidos? Quais as vantagens e possíveis dificuldades no uso desta teoria para o ensino do conceito de movimento corporal na Educação Infantil? O objetivo geral foi analisar a aplicação prática de princípios da teoria para o ensino do conceito de movimento corporal a crianças de quatro e cinco anos, observando o processo de aprendizagem deste conteúdo, por meio de um experimento didático. Os específicos foram: 1- analisar a utilização da atividade principal das crianças na atividade de aprendizagem do conceito de movimento corporal; 2 􀂱 analisar as repercussões do ensino desenvolvimental para as crianças considerando os fatores socioculturais no processo de aprendizagem, e as impressões da professora de Educação Física sobre sua participação no experimento didático, 3- identificar as vantagens e possíveis dificuldades no uso desta teoria para o ensino do conceito de movimento corporal na Educação Infantil. A pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa foi realizada no contexto de uma unidade de ensino com os filhos das funcionárias de uma fábrica na região de Anápolis. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas com as mães das crianças participantes, com a professora de Educação Física e observação do experimento didático. A análise dos dados permitiu observar que: - a maioria das crianças avançou na compreensão do conceito de movimento corporal, variando conforme o contexto das relações sociais de cada uma; - o lúdico, atividade principal nesta idade, deve fazer parte das ações de ensino dentro da atividade de aprendizagem, pois nelas se encontram os motivos das crianças; - a aplicabilidade do ensino desenvolvimental depende de condições favoráveis ligadas à formação teórica e prática do professor, e às condições estruturais do ambiente de trabalho; -􀂳􀁐􀁒􀁙􀁌􀁐􀁈􀁑􀁗􀁒􀀃􀁆􀁒􀁕􀁓􀁒􀁕􀁄􀁏􀂴􀀃configurou-se como um elemento da 􀂳􀁄􀁗􀁌􀁙􀁌􀁇􀁄􀁇􀁈􀀃􀁇􀁈􀀃 􀁐􀁒􀁙􀁌􀁐􀁈􀁑􀁗􀁒􀀃􀁋􀁘􀁐􀁄􀁑􀁒􀂴. A principal contribuição deste trabalho está na reflexão sobre a necessidade de mudança no ensino da Educação Física na Educação Infantil, quanto à concepção de ensinar, uma vez que corpo e pensamento são indissociáveis, fator este que merece atenção por parte dos professores de Educação Física que atuam, sobretudo na escola.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the perceptions of urban parents of two countries concerning standards of selected criteria of high quality standards of early childhood programs developed by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs (NAECP).Two hundred and forty nine parents ( U. S. = 129, Taiwan = 120) participated in the study. The effects of country, sex, and educational background were examined.The study was conducted by using the questionnaire survey. The instrument was constructed by the researcher based on the Accreditation Criteria and Procedures of the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs.A three-way.MANOVA on 10 dependent variables with independent factors of country, sex, and educational background was used to test Hypothesis I at the .05 level of significance. The Hypothesis I was rejected.To test Hypothesis II, a Spearman's Rho rank order correlation coefficient was computed using the mean ranks of the 10 criteria. Significance was examined at the .05 level. The Hypothesis II was accepted.These findings leading to the following conclusions:1. American and Taiwanese parents shared the similar perceptions that supported the quality standards developed by the NAECP. Most of the statistically differences that existed between American and Taiwanese parents were the differences of the degree of acceptance of the quality standards.2. The only criterion that caused parents' selections to lean toward negative responses was the staffing standards.3. Whenever there was a statistically significant difference between American and Taiwanese parents, the Taiwanese parents were always agreed more than the American parents.4. Regardless of factors of sex and educational background, both American and Taiwanese parents shared similar values in that they ranked health-and-safety and teacher-child interactions as the first or second important factors.5. Regardless of the factors of sex and educational background, both American and Taiwanese parents shared the same values in that they ranked administration and evaluations as the two least important factors when selecting an early childhood program for their children.
Department of Elementary Education

A socio-cultural analysis of early childhood educators’ roles in fostering peer relations: Insights from India and England. There is strong evidence that positive peer relations greatly benefit children’s social and intellectual development and hence a case for peer relationships has been made in both theory and research. However, there are growing concerns regarding the worldwide trend of ‘schoolification’ or pre-primary focus in early childhood care and education and its potential negative effects on young children’s peer relationships. These concerns are more pronounced in England and also in India given the contradictory policy and practice contexts of prescriptive curricula with undue focus on school preparation. Given the discourse of early years as restrictive contexts, the research was carried out as a qualitative multi-site case study in the Reception class of a (local) primary school in England characterized by pre-primary focus and at a philosophically ‘different’ independent school in India, based on Jiddu Krishanmurti philosophy that follows social-pedagogy model. The aim was to explore the role of early childhood professionals in fostering peer relations in cross-cultural contexts. Participants were two reception class teachers and two learning support assistants for the class from England and four early childhood practitioners’ from the Indian case study setting. The research took an ethnographic approach using participant observation and semi-structured interviews to understand the perceptions and practice of educators in fostering peer relationships in their socio cultural contexts using the socio-cultural theoretical lens of Rogoff’s three-plane analysis. Findings from both settings conclude that despite of the cultural variations, early childhood educators’ engage in caring pedagogy by mediating a given curriculum; while their overall roles are defined and refined by cultural contexts within and beyond the immediate institutional contexts. In order to recognize and appreciate the wider ecological niche, which is impacting educators’ roles, I have argued for a clear and separate ecological focus to the original personal, inter-personal and institutional planes. Drawing philosophical inspiration from Krishnamurti’s ‘To be is to be related’ and Tagore’s ‘inherent mutuality’ and combining with Fleer’s theoretical concept ‘child embedded-ness’ -the study claims to make a contribution in terms of ‘community embedded relationships’ as opposed to child-centered peer relationships and pro-offers a socio-cultural theoretical framework for conceptualizing educators’ roles in fostering peer relationships by synthesizing all the three planes.

A socio-cultural analysis of early childhood educators’ roles in fostering peer relations: Insights from India and England. There is strong evidence that positive peer relations greatly benefit children’s social and intellectual development and hence a case for peer relationships has been made in both theory and research. However, there are growing concerns regarding the worldwide trend of ‘schoolification’ or pre-primary focus in early childhood care and education and its potential negative effects on young children’s peer relationships. These concerns are more pronounced in England and also in India given the contradictory policy and practice contexts of prescriptive curricula with undue focus on school preparation. Given the discourse of early years as restrictive contexts, the research was carried out as a qualitative multi-site case study in the Reception class of a (local) primary school in England characterized by pre-primary focus and at a philosophically ‘different’ independent school in India, based on Jiddu Krishanmurti philosophy that follows social-pedagogy model. The aim was to explore the role of early childhood professionals in fostering peer relations in cross-cultural contexts. Participants were two reception class teachers and two learning support assistants for the class from England and four early childhood practitioners’ from the Indian case study setting. The research took an ethnographic approach using participant observation and semi-structured interviews to understand the perceptions and practice of educators in fostering peer relationships in their socio cultural contexts using the socio-cultural theoretical lens of Rogoff’s three-plane analysis. Findings from both settings conclude that despite of the cultural variations, early childhood educators’ engage in caring pedagogy by mediating a given curriculum; while their overall roles are defined and refined by cultural contexts within and beyond the immediate institutional contexts. In order to recognize and appreciate the wider ecological niche, which is impacting educators’ roles, I have argued for a clear and separate ecological focus to the original personal, inter-personal and institutional planes. Drawing philosophical inspiration from Krishnamurti’s ‘To be is to be related’ and Tagore’s ‘inherent mutuality’ and combining with Fleer’s theoretical concept ‘child embedded-ness’ -the study claims to make a contribution in terms of ‘community embedded relationships’ as opposed to child-centered peer relationships and pro-offers a socio-cultural theoretical framework for conceptualizing educators’ roles in fostering peer relationships by synthesizing all the three planes.

This study explored preschool teachers' perspectives on caring relationships and their perceptions of how such relationships affect children's autonomy and motivation in preschool in two cultural settings: one city in China and another in the U.S. Data was collected from preschool teachers in both locations using a qualitative interviewing research strategy. The study found that consensus exists among preschool teachers from the two cities about the importance of caring relationships, in which trust, acceptance, equality, and mutual respect were viewed as these relationships' primary characteristics. There were also shared values regarding teachers' roles and their effective strategies for establishing social skills and caring and sharing among children. Nevertheless, some underlying assumptions about caring, especially teachers' understandings of autonomy and motivation, differed somewhat in relation to the social, cultural, philosophical, or practical influences in the two cultural contexts. The results of the study provide opportunities for early childhood teachers and teacher educators in both contexts to reflect on their own assumptions about these values, as well as insights for preparing caring teachers in both cultural settings.

This study is conducted in the global contexts of policy calls for more men to work in early childhood education and care (ECEC) and of concerns over the assumed ‘feminisation’ of ECEC. The overarching aim is to critically interrogate whether men should be encouraged to work in the ECEC workforce in greater numbers in both the UK and China (Mainland China and Hong Kong). Framed by the poststructuralist theoretical framework of gender, this research aims to address four research questions: 1. How do practitioners posit themselves as women/men working with young children in ECEC? 2. How do children view their practitioners’ gender in relation to their daily interactions? 3. What is the nature of interactions between practitioners and children in ECEC settings? How far and to what extent can these interactions be seen to be gendered, and in what ways? 4. How far and to what extent can culturally-specific gender discourses be seen to have an impact on practitioner-child interactions in Scotland, Hong Kong and Mainland China, and in what ways? Qualitative, multiple-method and cross-cultural approaches were adopted. Research methods employed include observations in ECEC settings, interviews with ECEC practitioners, and pictorial activities with children. 17 ECEC settings were recruited from the cities of Edinburgh, Hong Kong, and Tianjin, and 34 ECEC practitioners and 280 children aged 3-6 years old participated in the research. The findings suggest that practitioners’ and children’s constructions of gender subjectivities can be diverse and dynamic processes through which individuals embody and ‘perform’ their gender with references to a variety of cultural and gender discourses that situate them. This study therefore argues that ECEC pedagogies and practices need to enable practitioners and children to interrogate dominant gender discourses and to become gender-sensitive and –flexible performers, in order to achieve gender equality, diversity and inclusion in ECEC. Current political drives in the UK, China and elsewhere to recruit more men to work in ECEC and to achieve a gender-balanced ECEC workforce need to reconsider their theoretical underpinnings and to make sure that such policies will not reinforce binary, hegemonic gender structures. A gender-diverse and –flexible approach to gender and ECEC is preferable for equitable and inclusive ECEC.

Em todo mundo, 10-20% das crianças e adolescentes passam pela experiência de algum transtorno mental. Neste processo, são implicados diferentes fatores: individuais, familiares e socioeconômicos. Apesar de indivíduos que sofreram violência familiar na infância (VFI) parecerem ter maior risco de desenvolver transtornos mentais comuns (TMC), o tema não é consensual. A boa relação entre pais e filhos, por meio das práticas educativas parentais (PEP) positivas, pode funcionar como fator de proteção contra adversidades e VFI. Entretanto, o processo de educação de crianças e adolescentes por seus pais é pouco valorizado em pesquisas de saúde. Esta Tese visa contribuir para este debate com objetivo de investigar se PEP positivas (calor e afeto), que ocorrem concomitantemente às práticas violentas, reduzem a probabilidade de ocorrência de TMC em adolescentes. Fez-se necessário continuar o processo de adaptação transcultural (ATC) do instrumento s-EMBU, que se propõe a aferir PEP. A ATC seguiu modelo universalista, sendo avaliadas primeiramente equivalências conceitual, de itens, semântica e operacional. Para tal, foram feitas revisão da literatura, discussão com especialistas, tradução e retrotradução dos itens. A verificação da equivalência de mensuração se deu pela apreciação da estrutura dimensional do instrumento, por meio de análises fatoriais confirmatórias (AFC) e exploratórias. As relações entre VFI, PEP e TMC foram pesquisadas a partir de abordagem transversal, sendo a população de estudo constituída por 487 alunos de seis escolas da região metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro e participantes do Estudo Longitudinal de Avaliação Nutricional de Adolescentes (ELANA). Para análise de dados, optou-se por regressão linear multivariada, testando-se modificação de efeito das PEP no desenvolvimento de TMC em adolescentes expostos à VFI. Em relação ao s-EMBU, encontraram-se incongruências referentes aos itens da dimensão Superproteção, que culminaram em índices de ajuste de modelo apenas razoáveis na AFC. Todavia, itens que abarcam a dimensão Calor Emocional mapearam de forma adequada o construto subjacente. Todos os tipos de VFI abuso físico ou emocional e negligência física ou emocional mostraram-se importantes fatores de risco para presença de TMC em adolescentes, mesmo após ajuste por variáveis socioeconômicas, sociodemográficas e grau de calor emocional materno ou paterno. O efeito nocivo da negligência física na saúde mental de adolescentes foi maior para aqueles que relataram baixo grau de calor emocional, tanto materno quanto paterno. Esta versão do s-EMBU é recomendada para uso em adolescentes brasileiros, especialmente em relação à dimensão Calor Emocional. Contudo, ajustes ainda são necessários para itens componentes das outras dimensões. Os resultados evidenciam o efeito deletério dos maus tratos na infância na saúde mental de adolescentes, corroborando achados relatados na literatura. Embora se tenha encontrado efeito modificador das PEP positivas apenas nos casos de negligência física, estes resultados sugerem que estas práticas podem funcionar como fatores atenuadores do efeito da VFI no desenvolvimento dos TMC em adolescentes. Mesmo que sejam necessários mais estudos para elucidar o papel da relação entre pais e filhos na proteção à saúde mental, programas de investigação que abrangem efeitos da violência familiar na saúde de adolescentes não devem deixar de considerar as PEP no processo.

Many studies have shown that an overwhelming number of classroom teachers are encountering increasing diversity issues in both the content of what they teach and among the students they are teaching The purpose of this project is to provide elementary teachers with a resource of multicultural literature that can be integrated into any curriculum, whether it is Language Arts, Social Studies, or story time.

Based on the lessons learned from the participating communities, the findings of this study confirm that the Tanzanian Government's aspirations for developing Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policies and programmes that build on the strengths of indigenous child-rearing knowledge and practices are not only viable but achievable. What is required is a serious commitment from government to negotiated policy and programme development processes starting with families and communities. As indicated by the study community members, rural families and communities are eager to work together with government as equal partners in finding local solutions to improving the quality of care and early education of their young children in home and community settings as well as through the local services of clinics and schools.

This thesis provides an analysis of a particular approach to enhancing learning in early childhood within the family. It involves an evaluation of practice and theory in an educationally disadvantaged and multi-cultural community. The Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) has a 30 year history and was inttoduced into Australia in 1998 by the Brotherhood of St Laurence. It is a two-year intensive program with four and five-year-old children and their families. Current understanding of the importance of learning in the early years, and intensive adult-child communication, explain why programs such as HIPPY which engage parents as teachers of their young children can be effective. Early learning experiences are at home. Later programs in school often appear to be inadequate to redress early disadvantage because they intervene too late and lack the resources to provide the necessary adult-to-child input. The research reported here was an evaluation of the second intake of 33 children (32 families) into HIPPY in Australia. A triangulation research method involved (a) participant observation of the program, (b) interviews with stakeholders, and (c) an assessment of children in the program and in a matched comparison group. Direct testing and teacher assessment of children was undertaken in the areas of general development, literacy, numeracy and school behaviour during the children's first and second years of schooling. The research findings indicated that the program was well implemented at a number of different levels and that the overseas model can be successfully implemented in multi-cultural Australian conditions. The approach to the diverse language backgrounds of families was a major area of successful adaptation from the standard model. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis indicated that the program enhanced children's school progress. The study identified lessons for future evaluation studies of the program in Australia. The research findings indicate an encouraging start for HIPPY in Australia. In broader terms, the study points to the potential importance to disadvantaged children of well implemented home-based early childhood education programs.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-11, Section: A, page: 4236. Adviser: Daniel J. Walsh. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-169) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Parents play an integral role in the support of early learning. This study focuses on parent support of learning in an international reception class in Copenhagen, Denmark. This study includes a literature review of parent support of early learning and school facilitation of parent involvement in early learning. A qualitative investigation of parental support of early learning, within the context of global mobility and multi-culturalism, was undertaken in Rygaards School, in particular in its Reception Class. It was established that very little support exists on a global, social and local level, for the globally mobile families whose children attend this particular international school. Furthermore, the school itself does not fully meet the needs of its globally mobile families. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations for introducing comprehensive parent involvement were proposed, amongst others the introduction of an Induction Programme for newcomers to Rygaards, strategies for compensating for the absence of a middle management amongst its teaching staff and the extension of parent participation in curriculum provision.
Educational Studies
M.Ed.

Prevailing research presents evidence that links language proficiency to fundamental literacy acquisition. However, when language and literacy acquisition are simultaneous, as is the case with young (4-6 years) English language learners (ELL’s), who acquire literacy in a language not spoken at home in B.C. Canada, the research is limited. The aim of the study was to explore and compare the language and literacy profiles (LLP) of ELL’s and monolingual learners. The normative processes as elucidated in the theoretical frameworks of Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystemic model, Vygotsky’s sociocultural model and the Critical Theory (CT) model informed the comparative framework. In addition, the second language acquisition (SLA) theoretical frameworks purported by Chomsky, Vygotsky and Krashen are elaborated upon. A causal comparative approach to the mixed model research design and a complementary mixed methods approach is applied to the study. The study interactively investigated the cultural and linguistic diversity (CALD) of ELL’s and sought statistically significant differences between the language and literature profiles (LLP) of 25 ELL’s and his/her parent - whose home language is other than English during first time literacy acquisition - and 25 monolingual learners and his/her parent (selected via a simple, purposive, random sample strategy) when English is the language medium used in the inclusive classroom. The qualitative findings delineated the LLP of the ELL’s with regard to CALD, biographic and background details; the quantitative findings, delineated the at risk educationally vulnerable minority by virtue of their limited English proficiency (LEP) and limited emergent literacy and language profile (LLP). The identification of the at risk educationally vulnerable minority, informed the proposed theoretical framework for the study, namely, namely, LLP - Semiotic Scaffolding-From Theory to Practice and the attendant curriculum. Findings are discussed comparatively with the classic and current theoretical frameworks pertaining to child development, language acquisition for both first and second language acquisition (SLA) in addition to globalisation, inclusive education and social justice. The implication of the findings for policy makers, curriculum planners, schools, teachers, classrooms, parents and the learners are discussed. Opportunities for further research are noted.
Psychology of Education
D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

M.Ed. (Educational Linguistics)
This research project has two primary focuses. The first focus explores home literacy practices of Turkish immigrant children in South Africa, who are learning the English language in the school context to be able to carry on their education in the country, and how congruent these home literacy practices are with the school literacy practices. To be able to discover this, I studied their experiences with family members in their homes, as well their experiences in the school setting. The second focus is the parental involvement of Turkish immigrant parents’ in the schooling of their children and how their being involved can be facilitated for more effective communication between parents and the school. To explore this area, my project is framed by two broad theories of literacy: literacy as social practice and immigrant literacies. In this study two sets of data were collected: the primary data were interviews conducted with immigrant children, their parents and the teachers, while observations made up the secondary component of my data. The data was analysed by using content analysis. This helped me code the data into six manageable themes, which produced a collection of findings regarding immigrant children’s home literacy practices which are different from the school literacy, their experiences at school in their process of adaptation, and parental involvement in the school activities. The acknowledged themes of this research are clearly interrelated: feelings of Turkish immigrant children before coming to South Africa, their experiences regarding language learning, home literacy practices, the school’s view on immigrant children, segregation between local and immigrant children and parental involvement. The results of this research project were stimulating and displayed that how the literacy practices of immigrant children differ in different contexts such as home and school and in what ways the school can build on them to facilitate adaptation and language learning for them, as well as the new ways to promote immigrant parents’ actively partaking in the school activities.