Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia

Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia

PDF Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia Download

  • Author: Joanne Ailwood
  • Publisher: Routledge
  • ISBN: 1000248275
  • Category : Education
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 343

In order to effectively practise as an early childhood educator it is essential to understand the theories, policies and pedagogy that shape the discipline. Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia provides core foundational knowledge that is critical for best practice. Part One looks at concepts of childhood and the development of mass education before examining influential theories including developmental psychology, sociology, feminisms and critical theory. Specific approaches are also analysed including Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Multiple Intelligences and HighScope. Part Two focuses on the guiding frameworks and policies in Australia and explores in depth issues affecting Indigenous children and provisions for recognising diversity and the practice of inclusion. The final section examines teaching and leadership and considers curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, building relationships between staff and families, the care of babies and infants, the environment in which early childhood education takes place and the responsibilities and professional development of teachers. This essential reference will ensure pre-service teachers develop a sophisticated understanding of how theory underpins effective practice in early childhood education.


Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia

Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia

PDF Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia Download

  • Author: Joanne Ailwood
  • Publisher:
  • ISBN: 9781458734228
  • Category :
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 606

In order to effectively practise as an early childhood educator it is essential to understand the theories, policies and pedagogy that shape the discipline. Understanding Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia provides core foundational knowledge that is critical for best practice. Part One looks at concepts of childhood and the development of mass education before examining influential theories including developmental psychology, sociology, feminisms and critical theory. Specific approaches are also analysed including Reggio Emilia, Montessori, Multiple Intelligences and HighScope. Part Two focuses on the guiding frameworks and policies in Australia and explores in depth issues affecting Indigenous children and provisions for recognising diversity and the practice of inclusion. The final section examines teaching and leadership and considers curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, building relationships between staff and families, the care of babies and infants, the environment in which early childhood education takes place and the responsibilities and professional development of teachers. This essential reference will ensure pre - service teachers develop a sophisticated understanding of how theory underpins effective practice in early childhood education.


An Interdisciplinary Approach to Early Childhood Education and Care

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Early Childhood Education and Care

PDF An Interdisciplinary Approach to Early Childhood Education and Care Download

  • Author: Susanne Garvis
  • Publisher: Routledge
  • ISBN: 1317373294
  • Category : Education
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 142

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Early Childhood Education and Care explores early childhood education and care in Australia from a variety of perspectives, highlighting the complexity of working within the field and the need for a truly interdisciplinary approach. It argues that only a holistic understanding of each perspective will allow a clear future for early childhood education within Australia, and that all government parties should provide better outcomes around policy and provision to ensure the support and development of the sector. Chapters offer insights into how children and families are positioned in educational reform by examining current government policy, as well as individual and collective initiatives. Key paradigms considered include positivist, behavioural, developmental, economic, sociocultural, and postmodern models. Garvis and Manning identify challenges to the field and propose improvements needed to develop an interdisciplinary approach to help close the disadvantage gap on educational outcomes. With recommendations aimed at stakeholders within different disciplines, it is hoped that this book will encourage significant improvements to early childhood education and care within Australia. Providing important insights into the landscape of early childhood education and care, this book will promote new ways of thinking of policy and provision development for the future. As such, it will be of interest to researchers, academics, and postgraduate students in the fields of early years education, education policy and politics, and sociology of education, as well as those studying childcare alongside economics, criminology and sociology.


Progress, Change and Development in Early Childhood Education and Care

Progress, Change and Development in Early Childhood Education and Care

PDF Progress, Change and Development in Early Childhood Education and Care Download

  • Author: Elizabeth Coates
  • Publisher: Routledge
  • ISBN: 1317245482
  • Category : Education
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 224

In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals set out targets aimed at creating a safer, more prosperous, and more equitable world. If these goals were to be achieved, children’s lives would indeed be transformed. In this collection, achievements against these targets are identified, with each contributor examining the progress made in early years provision in Australia, China, England, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, and Sweden. They highlight the priorities and agendas of their respective governments, and focus on the trends and issues which are particularly relevant to each situation, thereby revealing the social and educational inequalities that persist across countries. A common theme running through this volume concerns the political tensions that arise when governments and educators hold fundamentally different views about the nature and purpose of early years education and the needs of children and families. It is clear that although the past two decades have seen many changes in attitude towards the importance of the early years of life; politically, economically, and environmentally, much still remains to be done if the Millennium Development Goals for young children and their families are to be fully met. Despite this, this volume demonstrates that those who work in this area continue to experience a deep concern for the well-being of young children, which transcends cultures, frontiers, and political and sectarian divides. This book was originally published as a special issue of the International Journal of Early Years Education.


Kids Count

Kids Count

PDF Kids Count Download

  • Author: Elizabeth Hill
  • Publisher: Sydney University Press
  • ISBN: 1743322097
  • Category : Family & Relationships
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 308

A comprehensive set of policy principles that would deliver a better early childhood education and care regime for Australian children and their families.


Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education

PDF Early Childhood Education Download

  • Author: Alison Elliott
  • Publisher: Australian Council for Educational Research
  • ISBN: 9780864317179
  • Category : Early childhood education
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 64

Early childhood education in Australia has been a rapidly growing part of the education sector for the past two decades and, while complex and often controversial, has, until very recently, generated limited discussion in mainstream educational policy arenas and relatively little investment in research and development. Most sector growth and investment has been in services and fee subsidies to provide care for young children while their parents work. There has been less focus on developmental issues and outcomes for children, little emphasis on strengthening early development and education components in child care, and a widening gulf between preschool and kindergarten programs and childcare programs for children in the year or so before school. Furthermore, despite seemingly bipartisan political and social commitment to the benefits of strong early childhood development and education programs, there are diverse administrative and legislative arrangements for early childhood services, limited intergovernmental agreement on policy and little concerted or coordinated effort to assure quality programs and outcomes or to close the achievement gap in the early years. Worst of all, many Australian children miss out on early childhood development and education opportunities.


Quality Improvement in Early Childhood Education

Quality Improvement in Early Childhood Education

PDF Quality Improvement in Early Childhood Education Download

  • Author: Susanne Garvis
  • Publisher: Springer Nature
  • ISBN: 3030731820
  • Category : Education
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 246

This book explores international perspectives on quality improvement within the field of early childhood education and care. Many countries and governments are focusing on preschool quality as a way to improve entrenched inequalities and reduce social disadvantage and segregation: this book draws together various global case studies to showcase how different countries tackle aspects of quality improvement. The concept of quality is understood in different ways both culturally and contextually, and the implementation of measures to improve quality will differ from country to country. The book draws together case studies from numerous contexts to showcase various ways of working with aspects of quality improvement. Sharing important insights into policy and practice, this book guides a shared understanding of the complex nature of quality improvement within early childhood education and care.


The Early Advantage 1—Early Childhood Systems That Lead by Example

The Early Advantage 1—Early Childhood Systems That Lead by Example

PDF The Early Advantage 1—Early Childhood Systems That Lead by Example Download

  • Author: Sharon Lynn Kagan
  • Publisher: Teachers College Press
  • ISBN: 0807777153
  • Category : Education
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 252

Learn how exemplary countries are dealing with the challenges and joys of advancing the development of their youngest citizens. In this book, Sharon Lynn Kagan and her contributors systematically examine how six diverse countries go about envisioning, designing, and implementing their services to young children and their families. The Early Advantage 1 sheds light on new and exciting approaches to early childhood education and care (ECEC) that are contributing to the quality, equity, efficiency, and sustainability of services for young children. Brimming with fresh insights, the text provides concrete examples of successfully implemented strategies and methods that warrant attention from other countries wishing to improve their early childhood services. The 2-year comparative analysis upon which this volume is based was made possible with funding and support from the National Center on Education and the Economy’s (NCEE) Center on International Education Benchmarking. “Kagan and her team describe a field at a very important inflection point, and they provide a framework for pushing on to the next stage.” —From the Foreword by Marc Tucker, National Center on Education and the Economy “Pushes the early childhood field far beyond its traditional focus on services toward understanding systems, culture, governance, and sustainability.” —Hirokazu Yoshikawa, New York University “A must-read for all those seeking to meet the joys and challenges of advancing the development of their youngest citizens.” —Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford University Contributors: Alfredo Bautista (Singapore), Rebecca Bull (Singapore), Lily Fritz (England), Bridget Healey (Australia), Sharon Lynn Kagan (U.S), Kristiina Kumpulainen (Finland), Eva Landsberg (U.S.), Carrie Lau (Hong Kong), Mugyeong Moon (Republic of Korea), Grace Murkett (England), Tom Peachey (Australia), Nirmala Rao (Hong Kong), Kathy Sylva (England), Collette Tayler (Australia)


Comparative Perspectives on Early Childhood Education Reforms in Australia and China

Comparative Perspectives on Early Childhood Education Reforms in Australia and China

PDF Comparative Perspectives on Early Childhood Education Reforms in Australia and China Download

  • Author: Josephine Ng
  • Publisher: Springer Nature
  • ISBN: 3030534758
  • Category : Education
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 194

This book has been designed to add to the study and experience of early childhood ideas and experience in an international context. The focus is Australia and China with three research projects explored to provide insights into the history and development of early childhood education in each country. The work offers a consideration of the complexity of early childhood education in local and global contexts, at a time when global relationships can benefit from moving beyond better cultural understandings to greater connections and reciprocity. Each study has accompanying empirical data to support the interpretations offered. The first part of the book presents historical context and examines policy issues, the growth of the early childhood education workforce and the development of curriculum approaches in each country. The two projects that follow describe teachers’ perspectives of children’s learning and an in-depth study of a collaborative higher education program that details stakeholder experiences. By studying participant attitudes and ideas in each country we have been able to share early childhood knowledge and discuss perspectives through early childhood languages, like perspectives on the role, importance and nature of play and learning.


Researching Leadership in Early Childhood Education

Researching Leadership in Early Childhood Education

PDF Researching Leadership in Early Childhood Education Download

  • Author: Eeva Hujala, Manjula Waniganayake & Jillian Rodd
  • Publisher: University of Tampere
  • ISBN: 9514491726
  • Category : Early childhood education
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 277

Researching Leadership in Early Childhood Education focuses on leadership research in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings in seven countries from different parts of the world: Australia, Azerbaijan, England, Finland, Norway, Taiwan and Trinidad and Tobago. This publication emerged through conversations that began at the inaugural &‘International Leadership Research Forum' (ILRF) held in Finland in 2011. It introduces theoretical perspectives and the history of leadership research as well studies on management practices in different countries. This publication responds to the challenges of developing further research into early childhood leadership in a rapidly changing world where young children and families continue to gather at ECEC settings. Effective leadership from early childhood educators can make a difference in ensuring every child enjoys high quality ECEC programs that nurture their wellbeing and developmental potential to the fullest.