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.
