Understanding Research In Early Childhood Education

Understanding Research in Early Childhood Education: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods prepares readers to be informed consumers of early childhood research. Rather than following the traditional format of covering quantitative and qualitative methods separately, this innovative textbook offers side-by-side coverage and comparison about the assumptions, questions, purposes and methods for each, offering unique perspectives for understanding young children and early care and education programs. Understanding Research in Early Childhood Education is broadly based across the major research paradigms, and numerous examples are offered throughout the text. Through the use of this book, students will be able to more knowledgeably read, evaluate, and use empirical literature. These skills are becoming more important as early childhood educators are increasingly expected to use evidence-based research in practice and to participate in collecting and analyzing data to inform their teaching.

This second edition invites readers to be informed consumers of both quantitative and qualitative methods in early childhood research. It offers side-by-side coverage and comparison about the assumptions, questions, purposes and methods for each, presenting unique perspectives for understanding young children and early care and education programs. The new edition includes updated examples and references as well as a new chapter on equity issues in research. By using this book, students will be able to read, evaluate, and use empirical literature more knowledgeably. These skills are becoming more important as early childhood educators are increasingly expected to use evidence-based research in practice and to participate in collecting and analyzing data to inform their teaching.

What are the fundamental elements of good quantitative and qualitative research? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each approach? What does research offer early childhood education? Are quantitative and qualitative approaches compatible? This book presents the research process and its components in a straightforward, easily accessible manner. Using real examples from early childhood education, authors William L. Goodwin and Laura D. Goodwin "bring to life" for the first time the various methods of research and how they may be studied and applied. They explore the major aspects of both quantitative and qualitative paradigms and techniques, stressing the compatibility and complementary nature of the two approaches that are so often seen as mutually exclusive if not downright contradictory.

How do views about children shape research concerned with their lives? What different forms can research with children take? What ethical issues does it involve? How does it impact on policy and practice, and on the lives of children themselves? This book helps you to understand how research is designed and carried out to explore questions about the lives of children and young people. It tackles the methodological, practical and ethical challenges involved, and features examples of actual research that illustrate: Different strategies for carrying out research Common challenges that arise in the research process Varying modes of engagement that researchers can adopt with participants and audiences; and The impact that research can have on future studies, policy and practice.

This second edition of Understanding Research in Early Education examines and discusses both recent and historical research in understandable yet rigorous language and evaluates a wide variety of large and small-scale research reports and projects. The research is set in its historical context and related to recent reports and contemporary issues. Margaret Clark, highly respected in the field, uses her own unique approach to illustrate: how to avoid common pitfalls in misrepresenting research findings what questions should be asked in order to help inform students’ own research projects how findings can be applied and used in the classroom or nursery to improve practice. The book is divided into clear sections for ease of use and is suitable for those with no prior expertise in research and research methodologies. It will prove an invaluable and fascinating read for undergraduate and postgraduate students taking courses in early years education and practitioners undertaking continuing professional development.

Contemporary Perspectives and Research on Early Childhood Education is a welcome addition to the field of early childhood education. This book enhances the understanding of different approaches to curriculum and instruction; appropriate assessment strategies; the role of math and science in children’s development; the importance of seeing the whole child and ensuring children develop holistically through play and arts; training effective teachers; and the importance of helping parents to be better supporters of their children. Along with this comprehensive content, the book also contains diverse methodologies including qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method approaches, which will further enrich the reader’s perspective and understanding of a wide range of topics in the field. Thus, this book creates a platform for researchers and practitioners to share and discuss research findings, expertise, and experiences about early childhood education.

This book examines the methodological decisions made by researchers working in early childhood contexts. Viewed from a researcher’s perspective, each chapter explores the journey of the researcher, capturing their decision-making processes in early childhood research. Through themes such as the politics of ethics and how different cultural norms shape research in different localities, Decisions and Dilemmas of Research Methods in Early Childhood Education explores key questions such as: What are the ethical issues arising during early childhood research? Which research traditions and methodologies prevail and why? How are research subjects perceived and positioned within different research contexts? What interdisciplinary tensions or opportunities arise between different ways of working across early childhood research? The book critically unpacks how these decisions are made and by whom during the course of research. Each chapter includes reflections of researchers working across disciplines such as education, health and social work to understand the thinking, forces and actors that shape decisions made during the research process. This is essential reading for researchers working in early childhood contexts in fields such as social work, health, education, criminology, psychology and more.

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.