Abstract
Strong Foundations. Evidence informing practice in early childhood education and care is a timely publication. At its core, it is a celebration of the importance of early childhood education and care (ECEC) and the crucial role that early childhood educators play in advancing young children’s learning and development and creating equitable pathways for children in the years prior to preschool and school. It also recognises the challenges that early childhood educators face in navigating these imperatives and implementing contemporary evidence informed practices that enhance young children’s learning and wellbeing. Kilderry and Raban have deftly responded to these challenges by curating a text that explores the rich intersections between research, policy and practice and inspires early childhood educators to reflect on the value and importance of their everyday interactions with young children.
Kilderry and Raban have brought together a range of lead researchers to contribute to the four sections of the book: (1) The early childhood years: context, (2) Identity, wellbeing and children contributing to their world, (3) Children as confident and involved learners and (4) Children and society: building positive futures. The exploration of key issues through the lenses of ‘awareness’, ‘engagement’ and ‘use of evidence’ – throughout the text allows for a coherent and integrated emphasis on what evidence-informed practice looks like and how it intersects with the key policy documents that Australian early childhood educators use to guide their educational programs and practices. In addition, evidence-informed insights and knowledges across a range of disciplines are included throughout the text to ensure a multifaceted and nuanced exploration of key issues.
Section one provides a useful overview of the changing Australian ECEC context, discusses the evolving nature of professional identities, showcases the findings of the large scale Australian E4Kids research study and the implications of this research for practice. It also explores inclusive education as a core human right for all Australian children. These chapters collectively set the scene for the importance of ECEC programs in building strong foundations for young children’s learning and development, especially young children experiencing disadvantage. Importantly the chapters in this section also set up another key theme driving this book, namely the importance of building understandings of and engaging respectfully with Indigenous peoples and knowledges and of engaging inclusively and respectfully with diverse families so as to create optimal outcomes for young children.
Section two draws on international research evidence on how to support young children’s identities, wellbeing and contribution to their worlds (Learning Outcomes 1, 2 & 3 of the Early Years Learning Framework, EYLF). The five chapters in this section provide guidance on a wide range of issues such as creating quality outdoor play-based learning environments and spaces for young children and enhancing young children’s safety, health and wellbeing, social and emotional development and agency. These chapters include research highlights/case studies and reflective questions to support readers to explore the rich intersections between research, policy and practice.
Section three foregrounds the evidence informed practices that support young children to be confident and involved learners with an additional exploration of children are effective communicators (Learning Outcomes 4 & 5 of the EYLF). The eight chapters in this section draw on the international research evidence on promoting young children’s learning in nature, fostering young children’s creativity, imaginations, creativity, language development, early literacy learning, digital and multimodal learning and learning through STEM, mathematics and the arts. Attention is also paid to setting up inclusive play-based learning environments and spaces and the role of assessment of children’s learning, documentation and reflective practice in understanding the effectiveness and impact of evidence informed practices on young children’s learning and development. Throughout these chapters, the importance of respectful collaboration with families to advance young children’s learning and development is emphasised.
Section four encourages educators to reflect on the broader contexts and factors that shape and impact on their roles as early childhood educators. It asks the reader to consider the intersections between research evidence and practice and the implications that these have for their educational programs and daily interactions with young children. The five chapters within this section explore a wide range of topics including supporting children’s and families’ transitions within and to early years settings, building respectful and positive relationships with families and communities, exploring the role of leadership and leading pedagogical practices in early childhood settings, research and meaning making and how to draw on research to make a difference in early childhood programs and practices.
Collectively, these sections build a strong narrative on the multiple benefits that high-quality learning experiences in the years prior to preschool and school have for young children and the critical role that early childhood educators play in advancing young children’s learning and development outcomes. They underline how evidence informed practices support early childhood educators in achieving these outcomes and provide important information on how to effectively enhance young children’s learning and development across a range of settings and contexts.
This book highlights why evidence informed practices matter and how they can be meaningfully embedded in early childhood educational programs to support a range of learning and development outcomes for young children. In so doing, it illuminates the many possibilities that exist for continuing to build equitable outcomes for all Australian children early in life.