English participants in a cross-national study frequently discussed concepts of independence and risk, often seeing independence as structured choice making and risk to children as something to be avoided. These interpretations contrast with the discussion in a parallel study in Denmark, which focused on interdependence, not risk.

Can young children’s own photographs be a useful means of listening to their views and experiences? This is one of the questions explored in a series of research studies with 3–5-year-olds in England, which led to the development of a participatory methodology called the Mosaic approach. 

The authors explore the notion of pedagogy in early childhood education, particularly the way it has become synonymous with provision of play-based programmes.

This article highlights some concerns about the effect of excessive noise levels on children with special needs in early childhood centres.

In Doing Educational Research, Carol Mutch provides a very clear map for professionals new to educational research, be they practitioner-researchers or new researchers in tertiary institutions.

An investigation of adult–child and child–child interactions in relation to children's schema interests, within the domain of early literacy.  The authors explore continuity between sessions and between playcentre and home.

Future-focused theoretical thinking about education exhibits an ontological turn, with attendant advocacy for more attention to be paid to the nature of knowledge and to students' identity development. This article explores the second of these recommendations and makes the case that students' "selves" should be an important curriculum focus if ...

The current New Zealand Curriculum/Te Marautanga o Aotearoa Project involves a wide-ranging process to engage teachers, principals, students, lecturers, and others in revitalising the New Zealand curriculum. In 2004, as one of many facets to this project, the Ministry of Education commissioned a background paper to explore principles and practices ...

In this reflection on early childhood curriculum development in Aotearoa New Zealand since the mid-1980s, the author identifies some of the factors that were influential in the genesis, and subsequent implementation of Te Whāriki. The article concludes with a discussion of possible future directions in early childhood curriculum, including ...