Papers by Josephine Deguara
Education 3-13, Dec 21, 2023
Journal of early childhood research, Feb 14, 2024
Journal of Early Childhood Research, Dec 17, 2018
Children’s drawings have been analysed in research for several decades, frequently using a narrat... more Children’s drawings have been analysed in research for several decades, frequently using a narrative style.
This article introduces an innovative methodological tool to analyse young children’s drawings. Taking a
social semiotics perspective, the aim of this tool is not to replace narrative analysis but to complement it.
The study was conducted with three 4-year-old children who were encouraged to draw freely at home and
at school. The discussion begins by examining how the form of the drawing, that is, the type and quantity of
the modes children used, was analysed; this is followed by an analysis of the content, that is, the type and
quantity of the themes, the children drew. Consequently, a data cross-grid was developed, where a total of
223 drawings were plotted across three separate data cross-grids – one for each child. Once all the drawings
were plotted, the three grids provided a different way of looking and interpreting the drawings. While noting
the limitations of the study, it is concluded that the data cross-grids provide an instantaneous graphical
impression of each child’s preferred semiotic (modes) and configuration (themes) styles, which reflect each
child’s unique personality and identity as a drawer. Ultimately, such a tool could be used by practitioners and
researchers to understand the children’s preferred ways of drawing. It can also be adapted and modified to
analyse other modes children use such as playing, drawing, and movement.
International Journal of Childhood Education
Through the perspectives of early childhood educators (ECEs) working with under-fives, this artic... more Through the perspectives of early childhood educators (ECEs) working with under-fives, this article explores how play and learning featured when shifted abruptly to online spaces during COVID-19 in Malta. This work draws on Siemens’ connectivism learning theory which sees the integration of technology and social interactions as connections that empower learning in a digital age. The COVID-19 scenario called for immediately available data; consequently, a quantitative methodology was adopted. Two online surveys were held: in 2020 and 2021. Two hundred sixty-three ECEs participated in the first online survey, while seventy-nine the second. Findings locate benefits, challenges, and opportunities for play and learning online, shaped by the development of three key changing patterns in Maltese ECEC: an uneven start for ECEs, e-interactions, and curricula and pedagogies in online spaces – a kaleidoscope of play and learning in COVID-19 times. Implications for pre-service and in-service E...
The COVID-19 and Education in Malta (Cov-EM) Study: Perspectives of Parents with Children in Early and Primary Education - Research Report 4, 2022
The purpose of Research Report 4 was: (i) to explore parents’ perspectives about the impact of CO... more The purpose of Research Report 4 was: (i) to explore parents’ perspectives about the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning on their children in early childhood and primary schools in Malta in view of the pedagogies and strategies adopted by
their educators during the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) to examine issues of availability, accessibility and affordability of online and offline learning spaces found at home and how these influenced the children’s experiences during the pandemic; (iii) to investigate
how the rapid shift to online learning and adhering to COVID-19 mitigation measures have affected their lives and their wellbeing and relationships.
Josephine Deguara is a lecturer in early childhood education at the University of Malta. Graduati... more Josephine Deguara is a lecturer in early childhood education at the University of Malta. Graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Education, Josephine taught young children for several years. In 2009 she graduated with a Master degree at the University of Malta, and in 2015 she graduated with a PhD from the University of Sheffield. Her research interests include early years curriculum, as well as young children's play, learning and communication through multimodal ways with a particular focus on drawings.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid transition from onsite to online learning spaces for initial... more The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid transition from onsite to online learning spaces for initial teacher education (ITE); with Universities even adopting new modes of pedagogy and assessment. This study explores: (1) how Maltese ITE undergraduate early years and postgraduate primary education students dealt with more remote forms of learning during the pandemic in Malta, and (2) the teaching/lecturing modes used, by lecturers, for remote learning, assessment and concerns that tie-in with broader student wellbeing. The data were gathered through an online quantitative survey designed to collect information about ITE students’ views. Student responses strongly suggest that in the eventuality of an ongoing vaccination ‘post-COVID’ era, ITE within HE programmes should consider revisiting the course content and delivery, supporting and fostering, blended and online approaches. A ‘blind spot’ reflecting the struggle for independence, autonomy, and control during COVID-19 in a postcolonia...
International Journal of Early Years Education, 2017
This paper examines the schematic underpinnings in the drawings of a four-year-old girl, Thea. Th... more This paper examines the schematic underpinnings in the drawings of a four-year-old girl, Thea. The paper reviews literature on graphic representations, signs and meaning-making before discussing schematic form in children's drawings, the theoretical background for the study. The paper discusses ethical issues and methodological approaches to the study where data include drawings made at home and school, Thea's recorded talk about drawings, and video recordings of her drawing sessions over a four-month period. These were coded manually and using NVivo to identify schemas. The paper discusses examples of Thea's exploration of enclosure and trajectory schematic form, which are represented by rich content derived from her experiences and imagination. The paper concludes that Thea's drawings included many schematic signifiers with clear evidence of complex thinking around enclosures and of vertical and horizontal trajectories. The paper evidences the importance of listening to children's talk as they draw in order to understand more fully, the meanings they are making. Through signs, symbols and personal narratives, Thea used drawing as a meaningful semiotic space where her persistent schematic concerns were manifest.
Journal of Early Childhood Research, 2018
Children’s drawings have been analysed in research for several decades, frequently using a narrat... more Children’s drawings have been analysed in research for several decades, frequently using a narrative style. This article introduces an innovative methodological tool to analyse young children’s drawings. Taking a social semiotics perspective, the aim of this tool is not to replace narrative analysis but to complement it. The study was conducted with three 4-year-old children who were encouraged to draw freely at home and at school. The discussion begins by examining how the form of the drawing, that is, the type and quantity of the modes children used, was analysed; this is followed by an analysis of the content, that is, the type and quantity of the themes, the children drew. Consequently, a data cross-grid was developed, where a total of 223 drawings were plotted across three separate data cross-grids – one for each child. Once all the drawings were plotted, the three grids provided a different way of looking and interpreting the drawings. While noting the limitations of the study...
The world is currently experiencing the unimaginable impact of a pandemic. From one day to the ot... more The world is currently experiencing the unimaginable impact of a pandemic. From one day to the other, academics at the University of Malta were forced to shift to working remotely as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Maltese islands. This paper uncovers the lived shared experiences of eight female academics (authors of this paper) who, despite the perceived challenges, considered it also as an opportunity to explore how to conduct research together through online collaboration. This paper thus presents a qualitative study grounded in a narrative inquiry of this collective experience. The collaborative work is informed by: social learning theories influenced by Vygostky; elements from feminist thinking; and literature on collaborative research, online collaboration and academic identity. Our recorded views, as participant-researchers and part of the narrative inquiry, focus on the birth and growth of what we now refer to as the ‘Early Childhood and Primary Education (ECPE) research team’...
Educational and Developmental Psychologist
This study investigates the multiple layers of meaning-making young children represent in their d... more This study investigates the multiple layers of meaning-making young children represent in their drawings. Taking a social semiotics theoretical framework to analyse children’s drawings, this study is designed around four main research questions: to examine the modes children use, the themes they illustrate, the meanings they communicate, and the possible influences that affect their drawings. It is developed around three case studies of four-year old children who attended the same school in Malta. The data were collected over four months, where the three children were encouraged to draw in both the home and school settings. During and post drawing conversations were held with the children and their parents, to bring out the meanings conveyed. The observations and conversations were video-recorded and transcribed. In total, the children drew two hundred, twenty-three drawings. The children’s participation was supported throughout the data collection process: they video-recorded thems...
Seventh International Conference on Higher Education Advances , 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid transition from onsite to online learning spaces for initial... more The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid transition from onsite to online learning spaces for initial teacher education (ITE); with Universities adopting new modes of pedagogy and assessment. This study explores: (1) how Maltese ITE undergraduate early years and postgraduate primary education students dealt with remote forms of learning during the early stages of the pandemic in Malta, and (2) the teaching/lecturing modes used, by lecturers, for remote learning, assessment and the impact on student wellbeing. The data were gathered through an online quantitative survey designed to collect information about ITE students' views. Students' responses obtained strongly suggest that in the eventuality of an ongoing 'postvaccination COVID' era, ITE within HE programmes should consider revisiting the course content and delivery, supporting and fostering, blended and online approaches. A 'blind spot' reflecting the struggle for independence, autonomy, and control during COVID-19 in a postcolonial Maltese Higher Education context also emerged. The insights gained highlight how ITE students' views on their experiences of predominantly online pedagogy and assessment, and how the impact on their wellbeing within a Maltese HE context can serve to promote the development of ITE programmes. These results also emphasize the need to promote participatory research amongst university students as key to inform HE policy and practice.
Journal of Early Childhood Research, 2019
Children’s drawings have been analysed in research for several decades, frequently using a narrat... more Children’s drawings have been analysed in research for several decades, frequently using a narrative style.
This article introduces an innovative methodological tool to analyse young children’s drawings. Taking a
social semiotics perspective, the aim of this tool is not to replace narrative analysis but to complement it.
The study was conducted with three 4-year-old children who were encouraged to draw freely at home and
at school. The discussion begins by examining how the form of the drawing, that is, the type and quantity of
the modes children used, was analysed; this is followed by an analysis of the content, that is, the type and
quantity of the themes, the children drew. Consequently, a data cross-grid was developed, where a total of
223 drawings were plotted across three separate data cross-grids – one for each child. Once all the drawings
were plotted, the three grids provided a different way of looking and interpreting the drawings. While noting
the limitations of the study, it is concluded that the data cross-grids provide an instantaneous graphical
impression of each child’s preferred semiotic (modes) and configuration (themes) styles, which reflect each
child’s unique personality and identity as a drawer. Ultimately, such a tool could be used by practitioners and
researchers to understand the children’s preferred ways of drawing. It can also be adapted and modified to
analyse other modes children use such as playing, drawing, and movement.
International Journal of Early Years Education, 2018
This paper examines the schematic underpinnings in the drawings
of a four-year-old girl, Thea. Th... more This paper examines the schematic underpinnings in the drawings
of a four-year-old girl, Thea. The paper reviews literature on
graphic representations, signs and meaning-making before
discussing schematic form in children’s drawings, the theoretical
background for the study. The paper discusses ethical issues and
methodological approaches to the study where data include
drawings made at home and school, Thea’s recorded talk about
drawings, and video recordings of her drawing sessions over a
four-month period. These were coded manually and using NVivo
to identify schemas. The paper discusses examples of Thea’s
exploration of enclosure and trajectory schematic form, which are
represented by rich content derived from her experiences and
imagination. The paper concludes that Thea’s drawings included
many schematic signifiers with clear evidence of complex thinking
around enclosures and of vertical and horizontal trajectories. The
paper evidences the importance of listening to children’s talk as
they draw in order to understand more fully, the meanings they
are making. Through signs, symbols and personal narratives, Thea
used drawing as a meaningful semiotic space where her
persistent schematic concerns were manifest.
Malta Review of Educational Research, 2020
The world is currently experiencing the unimaginable impact of a pandemic. From one day to the ot... more The world is currently experiencing the unimaginable impact of a pandemic. From one day to the other, academics at the University of Malta were forced to shift to working remotely as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Maltese islands. This paper uncovers the lived shared experiences of eight female academics (authors of this paper) who, despite the perceived challenges, considered it also as an opportunity to explore how to conduct research together through online collaboration. This paper thus presents a qualitative study grounded in a narrative inquiry of this collective experience. The collaborative work is informed by: social learning theories influenced by Vygostky; elements from feminist thinking; and literature on collaborative research, online collaboration and academic identity. Our recorded views, as participant-researchers and part of the narrative inquiry, focus on the birth and growth of what we now refer to as the 'Early Childhood and Primary Education (ECPE) research team'. A thematic analysis of the accounts on our experiences have led to the development of a six-tier framework, the 'SKRIPT' framework, for collaborative work in academia. The progressive six concepts identified refer to trust, philosophy, identity, relationships, knowledge and skills. They underpin the inception and course of our online collaborative research experience. The shared stories from which the framework emerged, aim to inspire and encourage other academics to be part of research teams and share their 'SKRIPT' of collaborative experiences within online spaces and beyond. Implications for future research are discussed.
Malta Review of Educational Research, 2020
The world is currently experiencing the unimaginable impact of a pandemic. From one day to the ot... more The world is currently experiencing the unimaginable impact of a pandemic. From one day to the other, academics at the University of Malta were forced to shift to working remotely as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Maltese islands. This paper uncovers the lived shared experiences of eight female academics (authors of this paper) who, despite the perceived challenges, considered it also as an opportunity to explore how to conduct research together through online collaboration. This paper thus presents a qualitative study grounded in a narrative inquiry of this collective experience. The collaborative work is informed by: social learning theories influenced by Vygostky; elements from feminist thinking; and literature on collaborative research, online collaboration and academic identity. Our recorded views, as participant-researchers and part of the narrative inquiry, focus on the birth and growth of what we now refer to as the 'Early Childhood and Primary Education (ECPE) research team'. A thematic analysis of the accounts on our experiences have led to the development of a six-tier framework, the 'SKRIPT' framework, for collaborative work in academia. The progressive six concepts identified refer to trust, philosophy, identity, relationships, knowledge and skills. They underpin the inception and course of our online collaborative research experience. The shared stories from which the framework emerged, aim to inspire and encourage other academics to be part of research teams and share their 'SKRIPT' of collaborative experiences within online spaces and beyond. Implications for future research are discussed.
Books by Josephine Deguara
The content and meaning in young children’s drawings, 2017
This chapter draws on my doctoral study where I investigated the drawings of three, four-year old... more This chapter draws on my doctoral study where I investigated the drawings of three, four-year old children (Deguara 2015). One of the aims of the study was to examine the “ordinariness” (Mavers, 2011, p. 1) in children’s every day drawings. Another aim was to encourage and enable them to articulate the meanings they attributed to their drawings and together with them explore the complexity of their interpretations. Taking a social semiotics theoretical framework, this chapter is designed around two main research questions: to examine the content children illustrate and the meanings they convey through their drawings.
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Papers by Josephine Deguara
This article introduces an innovative methodological tool to analyse young children’s drawings. Taking a
social semiotics perspective, the aim of this tool is not to replace narrative analysis but to complement it.
The study was conducted with three 4-year-old children who were encouraged to draw freely at home and
at school. The discussion begins by examining how the form of the drawing, that is, the type and quantity of
the modes children used, was analysed; this is followed by an analysis of the content, that is, the type and
quantity of the themes, the children drew. Consequently, a data cross-grid was developed, where a total of
223 drawings were plotted across three separate data cross-grids – one for each child. Once all the drawings
were plotted, the three grids provided a different way of looking and interpreting the drawings. While noting
the limitations of the study, it is concluded that the data cross-grids provide an instantaneous graphical
impression of each child’s preferred semiotic (modes) and configuration (themes) styles, which reflect each
child’s unique personality and identity as a drawer. Ultimately, such a tool could be used by practitioners and
researchers to understand the children’s preferred ways of drawing. It can also be adapted and modified to
analyse other modes children use such as playing, drawing, and movement.
their educators during the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) to examine issues of availability, accessibility and affordability of online and offline learning spaces found at home and how these influenced the children’s experiences during the pandemic; (iii) to investigate
how the rapid shift to online learning and adhering to COVID-19 mitigation measures have affected their lives and their wellbeing and relationships.
This article introduces an innovative methodological tool to analyse young children’s drawings. Taking a
social semiotics perspective, the aim of this tool is not to replace narrative analysis but to complement it.
The study was conducted with three 4-year-old children who were encouraged to draw freely at home and
at school. The discussion begins by examining how the form of the drawing, that is, the type and quantity of
the modes children used, was analysed; this is followed by an analysis of the content, that is, the type and
quantity of the themes, the children drew. Consequently, a data cross-grid was developed, where a total of
223 drawings were plotted across three separate data cross-grids – one for each child. Once all the drawings
were plotted, the three grids provided a different way of looking and interpreting the drawings. While noting
the limitations of the study, it is concluded that the data cross-grids provide an instantaneous graphical
impression of each child’s preferred semiotic (modes) and configuration (themes) styles, which reflect each
child’s unique personality and identity as a drawer. Ultimately, such a tool could be used by practitioners and
researchers to understand the children’s preferred ways of drawing. It can also be adapted and modified to
analyse other modes children use such as playing, drawing, and movement.
of a four-year-old girl, Thea. The paper reviews literature on
graphic representations, signs and meaning-making before
discussing schematic form in children’s drawings, the theoretical
background for the study. The paper discusses ethical issues and
methodological approaches to the study where data include
drawings made at home and school, Thea’s recorded talk about
drawings, and video recordings of her drawing sessions over a
four-month period. These were coded manually and using NVivo
to identify schemas. The paper discusses examples of Thea’s
exploration of enclosure and trajectory schematic form, which are
represented by rich content derived from her experiences and
imagination. The paper concludes that Thea’s drawings included
many schematic signifiers with clear evidence of complex thinking
around enclosures and of vertical and horizontal trajectories. The
paper evidences the importance of listening to children’s talk as
they draw in order to understand more fully, the meanings they
are making. Through signs, symbols and personal narratives, Thea
used drawing as a meaningful semiotic space where her
persistent schematic concerns were manifest.
Books by Josephine Deguara
This article introduces an innovative methodological tool to analyse young children’s drawings. Taking a
social semiotics perspective, the aim of this tool is not to replace narrative analysis but to complement it.
The study was conducted with three 4-year-old children who were encouraged to draw freely at home and
at school. The discussion begins by examining how the form of the drawing, that is, the type and quantity of
the modes children used, was analysed; this is followed by an analysis of the content, that is, the type and
quantity of the themes, the children drew. Consequently, a data cross-grid was developed, where a total of
223 drawings were plotted across three separate data cross-grids – one for each child. Once all the drawings
were plotted, the three grids provided a different way of looking and interpreting the drawings. While noting
the limitations of the study, it is concluded that the data cross-grids provide an instantaneous graphical
impression of each child’s preferred semiotic (modes) and configuration (themes) styles, which reflect each
child’s unique personality and identity as a drawer. Ultimately, such a tool could be used by practitioners and
researchers to understand the children’s preferred ways of drawing. It can also be adapted and modified to
analyse other modes children use such as playing, drawing, and movement.
their educators during the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) to examine issues of availability, accessibility and affordability of online and offline learning spaces found at home and how these influenced the children’s experiences during the pandemic; (iii) to investigate
how the rapid shift to online learning and adhering to COVID-19 mitigation measures have affected their lives and their wellbeing and relationships.
This article introduces an innovative methodological tool to analyse young children’s drawings. Taking a
social semiotics perspective, the aim of this tool is not to replace narrative analysis but to complement it.
The study was conducted with three 4-year-old children who were encouraged to draw freely at home and
at school. The discussion begins by examining how the form of the drawing, that is, the type and quantity of
the modes children used, was analysed; this is followed by an analysis of the content, that is, the type and
quantity of the themes, the children drew. Consequently, a data cross-grid was developed, where a total of
223 drawings were plotted across three separate data cross-grids – one for each child. Once all the drawings
were plotted, the three grids provided a different way of looking and interpreting the drawings. While noting
the limitations of the study, it is concluded that the data cross-grids provide an instantaneous graphical
impression of each child’s preferred semiotic (modes) and configuration (themes) styles, which reflect each
child’s unique personality and identity as a drawer. Ultimately, such a tool could be used by practitioners and
researchers to understand the children’s preferred ways of drawing. It can also be adapted and modified to
analyse other modes children use such as playing, drawing, and movement.
of a four-year-old girl, Thea. The paper reviews literature on
graphic representations, signs and meaning-making before
discussing schematic form in children’s drawings, the theoretical
background for the study. The paper discusses ethical issues and
methodological approaches to the study where data include
drawings made at home and school, Thea’s recorded talk about
drawings, and video recordings of her drawing sessions over a
four-month period. These were coded manually and using NVivo
to identify schemas. The paper discusses examples of Thea’s
exploration of enclosure and trajectory schematic form, which are
represented by rich content derived from her experiences and
imagination. The paper concludes that Thea’s drawings included
many schematic signifiers with clear evidence of complex thinking
around enclosures and of vertical and horizontal trajectories. The
paper evidences the importance of listening to children’s talk as
they draw in order to understand more fully, the meanings they
are making. Through signs, symbols and personal narratives, Thea
used drawing as a meaningful semiotic space where her
persistent schematic concerns were manifest.