The effects of teaching practice on parents’ participation in their child’s early education were studied by drawing on a “collective case” of five education and care centres with 100 percent qualified teachers and a “collective case” of centres employing 50–79 percent qualified teachers. The research found noticeable gaps between ...

This issue of Early Childhood Folio has a diverse range of articles focusing on highly relevant and current pedagogical issues. Several involve case studies, where in-depth analysis enables opportunities for learning and development afforded by pedagogy and the environment to be highlighted. Some offer new methodological approaches, including the ...

Learning about sustainability is now understood to be an important part of early childhood education. An important knowledge area associated with sustainability is biodiversity. Learning about biodiversity helps young children understand the importance of relationships between living and non-living things and local habitats. This type of knowledge is a ...

This issue of Early Childhood Folio ranges from a big-picture and readable review of the main debates within the literature about play in Western settings, to a small, qualitative, in-depth case study of a single child and the use of narrative inquiry to explore concepts of wellbeing and its link ...

This article discusses the perspectives and experiences of Chinese immigrant parents in New Zealand early childhood settings. The findings suggest that the parents’ behaviour is aimed at raising children with an understanding of both New Zealand and Chinese culture. A key feature of this bicultural development, however, is a disconnect ...

This is the first in a series of interviews with researchers whose work has made a difference in the area of early years education. Sarah Boyd interviews University
of Waikato Emeritus Professor Jane Ritchie.

Museums offer many opportunities for developing knowledge of the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. This article reports on research involving a kindergarten located in a national museum. It discusses children’s growing understanding of te ao Māori (the world of Māori) through their regular visits to the collections and exhibits ...

This article reviews the literature on the play-based curriculum, which is characterised by tension and debate. It aims to present the literature in a simplified and accessible way, suggesting it can be helpful to see it as falling into five debates over: (1) how much children learn through play; (2) ...

The Infants’ Lives in Childcare research project aims to investigate what life is like for infants in group care from the perspective of infants themselves. One outcome of the project is a greater appreciation of the extent to which preverbal infants strategically employ looking and listening-in behaviour in making meaning ...

Wellbeing is intricately connected with a strong sense of personal identity. This article reports on one study that explores wellbeing through narrative inquiry—a process that draws on the stories told by children, their teachers and their parents, along with the researcher’s analysis and interpretation. Beginning with a brief examination of ...