The aim of this action research study was to develop and test a Video Observation of Self and Col... more The aim of this action research study was to develop and test a Video Observation of Self and Colleague(s) (VOoSC) intervention to support reflective thinking development for early years’ pedagogues. This is the first implementation of VOoSC and recommendations shall be made at the end. A mixed methods approach was taken that used video to record two pedagogues at work and later present vignettes back to them for video observation. There were 5 video recording sessions and 5 video observation sessions. The video observation sessions were supported by the facilitator/researcher using Mezirow’s ten phases of transformative learning to guide the sessions. The results of this research show that VOoSC is a powerful instrument in supporting early year pedagogues develop higher levels of reflective thinking; an exciting prospect going forward in the development of early years’ education in Ireland.
The aim of this action research study was to develop and test a Video Observation of Self and Col... more The aim of this action research study was to develop and test a Video Observation of Self and Colleague(s) (VOoSC) intervention to support reflective thinking development for early years’ pedagogues. This is the first implementation of VOoSC and recommendations shall be made at the end.
A mixed methods approach was taken that used video to record two pedagogues at work and later present vignettes back to them for video observation. There were 5 video recording sessions and 5 video observation sessions. The video observation sessions were supported by the facilitator/researcher using Mezirow’s ten phases of transformative learning to guide the sessions.
The results of this research show that VOoSC is a powerful instrument in supporting early year pedagogues develop higher levels of reflective thinking; an exciting prospect going forward in the development of early years’ education in Ireland.
Reflective practice is recognised as being central to improving quality in early years services. ... more Reflective practice is recognised as being central to improving quality in early years services. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of Early Year Professionals’ (EYPs’) perspectives on reflective practice, including prevalence and means of reflection, the influence reflection plays on practice, challenges to reflection and what EYPs would like to improve to better facilitate reflective practice. The study drew upon several theories including Larrivee’s (2008) levels of reflection; pre-reflective, surface, pedagogical and critical, Dewey’s (1991) in depth understanding of critical thinking and Schön’s (1983) work on reflection-in- and -on-action. A phenomenological research design was chosen to explore the EYPs’ perspectives. Information was gathered individually from each participant using a semi-structured interview. This qualitative approach allowed for a comprehensive understanding of each EYP’s personal beliefs on reflective practice. The study found that informal reflection is the most common form of reflection and organisational structures that facilitate non-contact time and supervision greatly influence the quality and prevalence of reflective practice. It was found that reflective practice and self-awareness benefit one another and a deeper understanding of one can facilitate a deeper understanding of the other. An individual’s ability to communicate diplomatically and openness to critique were seen as important tools for engaging in quality reflective practice. The implications of this study are it brings an additional awareness of how reflective practice assists in the development of early years services and it highlights areas where further research might be of benefit, for example, action research as part of a quality mentoring system.
This essay explores what the goals of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) are from contradi... more This essay explores what the goals of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) are from contradictory and complementary, statutory and academic, points of view. First, a brief explanation of ECEC will be given. Then the “goals of education”, particularly from an ECEC viewpoint, will be explored from both a policy perspective and an academic perspective. The main questions asked are: What are the current goals of education in Ireland? What informs the goals of ECEC in Ireland? What other perspectives are there? These questions will form the basis of exploration for this essay.
Finally, an alternate proposal for the goals of education will be given; offering what might be seen as a holistic, ecological or cosmic approach for ECEC that would benefit not only human beings but emphasise the importance of respecting all life universally. The crucial proposition offered here is, could this alternate perspective provide all stakeholders with the most universally prosperous starting point for what the goals of, not only ECEC, but, any curriculum or education framework could be?
But now, after decades of research, we have come to see that children are human beings whose lives have been warped by those who have given them their life and substance and by the society of adults around them. (Maria Montessori, 1972, p. 1)
While it might be presumed that the above quote was that of a modern day 21st century researcher dwelling on the current economically driven world we live in, it was in fact made by Maria Montessori almost seventy years ago in her seminal work, The Secret of Childhood. It must be asked, as an international society has the world progressed as much as it would like to think?
Prompted by what is seen as central to all concepts involved in what teaching is, this essay atte... more Prompted by what is seen as central to all concepts involved in what teaching is, this essay attempts to explore the power relationship between student and teacher. Teaching is traditionally seen as the knowledgeable, as teacher, teaching the learners, as students. There are innumerable aspects that make up what teaching is considered to be and how it comes about. To name but a few, knowledge transfer, opening of the mind, communication, emancipation, creating valuable members of society, reproducing the status and so on. While some of these goals or attributes of teaching may be complementary, others may be considered antithetical. Arguably, many aspects of teaching may be considered equally relevant to assisting in looking for what “a sense of teaching” is, however, an exploration of the power relationship between teacher and student, highlighting the centrality of the relationship to teaching and learning, shall be the focus of this essay. Some of the perspectives drawn shall be taken from interpretations of Sidorkin, Adorno, Rancière, Dewey, Wittgenstein, Kant, Heidegger, Castoriadis, and Lee.
Keywords: Relationships, power, seduction, truth, education, teaching, learning, love.
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1984)
The aim of this action research study was to develop and test a Video Observation of Self and Col... more The aim of this action research study was to develop and test a Video Observation of Self and Colleague(s) (VOoSC) intervention to support reflective thinking development for early years’ pedagogues. This is the first implementation of VOoSC and recommendations shall be made at the end. A mixed methods approach was taken that used video to record two pedagogues at work and later present vignettes back to them for video observation. There were 5 video recording sessions and 5 video observation sessions. The video observation sessions were supported by the facilitator/researcher using Mezirow’s ten phases of transformative learning to guide the sessions. The results of this research show that VOoSC is a powerful instrument in supporting early year pedagogues develop higher levels of reflective thinking; an exciting prospect going forward in the development of early years’ education in Ireland.
The aim of this action research study was to develop and test a Video Observation of Self and Col... more The aim of this action research study was to develop and test a Video Observation of Self and Colleague(s) (VOoSC) intervention to support reflective thinking development for early years’ pedagogues. This is the first implementation of VOoSC and recommendations shall be made at the end.
A mixed methods approach was taken that used video to record two pedagogues at work and later present vignettes back to them for video observation. There were 5 video recording sessions and 5 video observation sessions. The video observation sessions were supported by the facilitator/researcher using Mezirow’s ten phases of transformative learning to guide the sessions.
The results of this research show that VOoSC is a powerful instrument in supporting early year pedagogues develop higher levels of reflective thinking; an exciting prospect going forward in the development of early years’ education in Ireland.
Reflective practice is recognised as being central to improving quality in early years services. ... more Reflective practice is recognised as being central to improving quality in early years services. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of Early Year Professionals’ (EYPs’) perspectives on reflective practice, including prevalence and means of reflection, the influence reflection plays on practice, challenges to reflection and what EYPs would like to improve to better facilitate reflective practice. The study drew upon several theories including Larrivee’s (2008) levels of reflection; pre-reflective, surface, pedagogical and critical, Dewey’s (1991) in depth understanding of critical thinking and Schön’s (1983) work on reflection-in- and -on-action. A phenomenological research design was chosen to explore the EYPs’ perspectives. Information was gathered individually from each participant using a semi-structured interview. This qualitative approach allowed for a comprehensive understanding of each EYP’s personal beliefs on reflective practice. The study found that informal reflection is the most common form of reflection and organisational structures that facilitate non-contact time and supervision greatly influence the quality and prevalence of reflective practice. It was found that reflective practice and self-awareness benefit one another and a deeper understanding of one can facilitate a deeper understanding of the other. An individual’s ability to communicate diplomatically and openness to critique were seen as important tools for engaging in quality reflective practice. The implications of this study are it brings an additional awareness of how reflective practice assists in the development of early years services and it highlights areas where further research might be of benefit, for example, action research as part of a quality mentoring system.
This essay explores what the goals of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) are from contradi... more This essay explores what the goals of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) are from contradictory and complementary, statutory and academic, points of view. First, a brief explanation of ECEC will be given. Then the “goals of education”, particularly from an ECEC viewpoint, will be explored from both a policy perspective and an academic perspective. The main questions asked are: What are the current goals of education in Ireland? What informs the goals of ECEC in Ireland? What other perspectives are there? These questions will form the basis of exploration for this essay.
Finally, an alternate proposal for the goals of education will be given; offering what might be seen as a holistic, ecological or cosmic approach for ECEC that would benefit not only human beings but emphasise the importance of respecting all life universally. The crucial proposition offered here is, could this alternate perspective provide all stakeholders with the most universally prosperous starting point for what the goals of, not only ECEC, but, any curriculum or education framework could be?
But now, after decades of research, we have come to see that children are human beings whose lives have been warped by those who have given them their life and substance and by the society of adults around them. (Maria Montessori, 1972, p. 1)
While it might be presumed that the above quote was that of a modern day 21st century researcher dwelling on the current economically driven world we live in, it was in fact made by Maria Montessori almost seventy years ago in her seminal work, The Secret of Childhood. It must be asked, as an international society has the world progressed as much as it would like to think?
Prompted by what is seen as central to all concepts involved in what teaching is, this essay atte... more Prompted by what is seen as central to all concepts involved in what teaching is, this essay attempts to explore the power relationship between student and teacher. Teaching is traditionally seen as the knowledgeable, as teacher, teaching the learners, as students. There are innumerable aspects that make up what teaching is considered to be and how it comes about. To name but a few, knowledge transfer, opening of the mind, communication, emancipation, creating valuable members of society, reproducing the status and so on. While some of these goals or attributes of teaching may be complementary, others may be considered antithetical. Arguably, many aspects of teaching may be considered equally relevant to assisting in looking for what “a sense of teaching” is, however, an exploration of the power relationship between teacher and student, highlighting the centrality of the relationship to teaching and learning, shall be the focus of this essay. Some of the perspectives drawn shall be taken from interpretations of Sidorkin, Adorno, Rancière, Dewey, Wittgenstein, Kant, Heidegger, Castoriadis, and Lee.
Keywords: Relationships, power, seduction, truth, education, teaching, learning, love.
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1984)
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A mixed methods approach was taken that used video to record two pedagogues at work and later present vignettes back to them for video observation. There were 5 video recording sessions and 5 video observation sessions. The video observation sessions were supported by the facilitator/researcher using Mezirow’s ten phases of transformative learning to guide the sessions.
The results of this research show that VOoSC is a powerful instrument in supporting early year pedagogues develop higher levels of reflective thinking; an exciting prospect going forward in the development of early years’ education in Ireland.
Finally, an alternate proposal for the goals of education will be given; offering what might be seen as a holistic, ecological or cosmic approach for ECEC that would benefit not only human beings but emphasise the importance of respecting all life universally. The crucial proposition offered here is, could this alternate perspective provide all stakeholders with the most universally prosperous starting point for what the goals of, not only ECEC, but, any curriculum or education framework could be?
But now, after decades of research, we have come to see that children are human beings whose lives have been warped by those who have given them their life and substance and by the society of adults around them. (Maria Montessori, 1972, p. 1)
While it might be presumed that the above quote was that of a modern day 21st century researcher dwelling on the current economically driven world we live in, it was in fact made by Maria Montessori almost seventy years ago in her seminal work, The Secret of Childhood. It must be asked, as an international society has the world progressed as much as it would like to think?
Keywords: Relationships, power, seduction, truth, education, teaching, learning, love.
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1984)
A mixed methods approach was taken that used video to record two pedagogues at work and later present vignettes back to them for video observation. There were 5 video recording sessions and 5 video observation sessions. The video observation sessions were supported by the facilitator/researcher using Mezirow’s ten phases of transformative learning to guide the sessions.
The results of this research show that VOoSC is a powerful instrument in supporting early year pedagogues develop higher levels of reflective thinking; an exciting prospect going forward in the development of early years’ education in Ireland.
Finally, an alternate proposal for the goals of education will be given; offering what might be seen as a holistic, ecological or cosmic approach for ECEC that would benefit not only human beings but emphasise the importance of respecting all life universally. The crucial proposition offered here is, could this alternate perspective provide all stakeholders with the most universally prosperous starting point for what the goals of, not only ECEC, but, any curriculum or education framework could be?
But now, after decades of research, we have come to see that children are human beings whose lives have been warped by those who have given them their life and substance and by the society of adults around them. (Maria Montessori, 1972, p. 1)
While it might be presumed that the above quote was that of a modern day 21st century researcher dwelling on the current economically driven world we live in, it was in fact made by Maria Montessori almost seventy years ago in her seminal work, The Secret of Childhood. It must be asked, as an international society has the world progressed as much as it would like to think?
Keywords: Relationships, power, seduction, truth, education, teaching, learning, love.
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1984)