Research in Early Childhood Education Presented at EECERA International Conference in Brighton.
The European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) hosted its annual conference in Brighton, where researchers from across Europe gathered to present the latest advancements in early childhood education. Among the contributors was Early Years Senior Lecturer, Glenda Tinney from the ϳԹ (ϳԹ).
The EECERA conference is a renowned international event that brings together experts in early childhood education research from around the world. It serves as a platform for the exchange of ideas, research findings, and innovative practices in the field.
Glenda said:
“It was a wonderful opportunity to attend the EECERA conference, especially as this year the theme was linked to sustainability, an area I have been lecturing for over 20 years. Listening to world experts in this area during keynote presentations was a great opportunity to reflect on ideas and new approaches. It was also very important to be able to listen to new research and policy developments across early years and celebrate the significant contributions of early years practice to society and long-term sustainability and citizenship values. It was also important to provide insights from Wales in terms of innovation linked to early years curriculum and ethical citizenship in an international forum.”
Glenda delivered a presentation on sustainability in education, emphasising innovative approaches to engaging students with the non-human environment. This research focused on how higher education students engage with sustainability by exploring the natural environment through self-chosen practical experiences. Drawing on concepts from posthumanism and ecocentric theories, the research investigates how students develop deeper connections with the non-human world, contributing to the growing discourse on sustainability in early childhood education.
Her study emphasised a “pedagogy of connection,” where learners engage with nature in a meaningful and reflective manner, providing valuable insights into the future of education for sustainability.
She said:
“ My research was linked to reflections on the development of early years education for sustainability provision at ϳԹ, with a particular focus on an explorative pedagogy where students connect with the world around them through ecology, art, poetry, photography and story. Such an approach was explored in terms of opportunities to engage with sustainability on a personal level as well as a means to encourage such holistic practice with young children. I also had an opportunity to present initial findings from another project with coresearcher Dawn Jones. This research outlines the development of scrapbooking as a possible action research tool for early years education.”
Glenda also presented with former ϳԹ colleague Dr Dawn Jones (now from the University of Wolverhampton) their joint research on critical reflection and action research in early childhood settings.
This research looked at how the creation of scrapbooks by children promotes new insights and collaborative learning in the classroom.
The study, grounded in the “pedagogy of listening” inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, seeks to highlight how scrapbooks can foster action research within educational practices. It also considered how children can act as active participants in the learning process, challenging traditional power dynamics between adults and children in educational settings.
The research findings will contribute to an upcoming book on the subject, with scrapbooks as a central theme for reflective pedagogy.
For more information about Early Years Courses at ϳԹ please visit: Youth Work and Early Years Studies | ϳԹ (uwtsd.ac.uk) or contact Glenda Tinney g.tinney@uwtsd.ac.uk
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