Research Methods for Early Childhood Education

Description

Research Methods for Early Childhood Education takes an international perspective on research design, and illustrates how research methods are inextricably linked to cultural and theoretical understandings of early childhood, young children’s competences and the purposes of education. The book offers a critical and reflective approach to established and innovative research methods in early childhood education, making links between diverse methodologies, methods and theory, with illustrative examples of research in practice. Each chapter addresses a specific methodological approach, linking the methodology to early childhood education with vignettes as examples of research practice in the global north, south, east and west, offering practical examples and critical thinking around new theoretical understandings of early childhood across geographical and cultural contexts. The book critically examines: - the role of the researcher - conceptualisations of how research is undertaken; - the often sensitive nature of conducting research with young children; - how early childhood education is understood; - how young children can be included as active research participants. Throughout, the book emphasises ethical and methodological issues that arise from undertaking research in mono-cultural and cross-cultural contexts. Annotated further reading lists provide a selection of seminal and recent studies that have adopted each methodological approach Title Page Copyright Page Contents Figures About the Authors Series Editor's Preface Glossary of Research Methods and Approaches Acknowledgements Introduction Part 1: Cross-Cutting Themes Chapter 1: Conceptualizing Early Childhood Education in a Global Context Early childhood education: A global phenomenon Origins: Early child development research Studying childhood in diverse worlds Researching children and early childhood education in the global context Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Chapter 2: Ethics and Early Childhood Research A framework for research ethics Establishing trusting relationships Finding shared meanings and informing initial and ongoing consent Negotiating anonymity and confidentiality Ethics and data interpretation Planning your approach to ethics Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Chapter 3: Reviewing Literature as a Methodology The literature review The traditional literature review Rapid evidence assessment Systematic reviews Systematic reviews of reviews Choices and challenges when undertaking reviews Further debates about research reviews Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Part 2: Early Childhood Education Research Methods in Context Chapter 4: Participatory Research with Young Children Shifting from research on children to research with and by children Children’s participation in different research stages Role of the researcher and building trusting research relationships Conceptualizing child competence Problematizing child voice Building influence into the impact of participatory research Critiques of participatory research Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Chapter 5: Participatory Research Approaches with Adults Participatory research as transformative Participatory action research (PAR) Participatory practices with adults in early childhood research Problematizing participatory research with adults Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Chapter 6: Ethnographic Research in Early Childhood Education What is ethnography? What does ethnography offer to early childhood research? What makes ethnography ethnographic? Finding a position in children’s worlds Ethnography, reflexivity and dialogue Writing ethnography Critiques of ethnographic research Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Chapter 7: Multimodal Perspectives on Early Childhood Education What is multimodality? What does multimodality offer to early childhood education research? Multimodality and theory Multimodality in early childhood education research practice Representing multimodal data Researching young children’s digital lives Critiques of multimodality What makes a study multimodal? Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Chapter 8: Mixed Methods in Early Childhood Education Research Mixed methods research: Bridging the qualitative and quantitative divide Designing mixed methods research Choices and challenges Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Chapter 9: Experimental Research and Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) What are experimental research and RCTs? Experimental research, natural sciences and ‘the paradigm wars’ Experimental research in early childhood education – a journey over time RCTs as the ‘gold-standard’ for evidence-based education policy Neuroscience and early childhood education Qualitative experimental research Critiques of the ‘scientific approach’ Concluding thoughts Suggestions for further reading Conclusion: Connecting Past, Present and Future Early Childhood Education Research Methods Concluding thoughts References Index