People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning Page 1 Saturday 28 July 2018 from 9.00am to 3.15pm Venue: SG.02 & SG.03, S Block, University of Waikato, Hamilton PROGRAMME EARLY YEARS RESEARCH CENTRE CONFERENCE People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning
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People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning Page 1
Saturday 28 July 2018 from 9.00am to 3.15pm Venue: SG.02 & SG.03, S Block, University of Waikato, Hamilton
PROGRAMME
EARLY YEARS RESEARCH CENTRE CONFERENCE
People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning
People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning Page 2
Abstracts
Keynote addresses
Emeritus Professor Aline-Wendy Dunlop, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland [email protected]
People, places and the spaces in-between
It is often claimed a positive school start influences children’s later school success. But what is a positive
school start and is school success the same for all of our children? Along the educational journey children
meet many people and are expected to make many changes: transitions are embedded in educational systems
from the first steps children make to out-of-home-care, through the many situations children navigate as they
journey through early childhood settings into school, through the years of primary education and on into
secondary schooling and beyond. The interactions they have and the experiences they share with others
capture this constant shifting. In her presentation, Aline-Wendy will reflect on the relationships, individual
attributes, environments and educational outcomes of a number of the focal children in her long-longitudinal
study and will reflect on people, places and the spaces in-between.
Dr Lesley Rameka, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand [email protected]
Te Whatu Kete Mātauranga: Infant and toddler theory and practice
Early childhood education has an important role in building strong learning foundations to enable young
children to develop as competent and confident learners. Key to educational success for Māori and Pasifika
children is the acknowledgement that Māori and Pasifika children are culturally located and the recognition
that effective education must embrace culture. The presentation will report on a Teaching Learning Research
Initiative funded project, Te Whatu Kete Mātauranga: Infant and toddler theory and practice, which aimed to
explore how early childhood services could better integrate culture into teaching practices by creating
culturally responsive, infant and toddler teaching and learning theory, and practice guidelines.
People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning Page 3
• the specialist skills and knowledges that high quality educators employ; and
• the impact of early childhood work on the psychological and physiological well-being of staff.
In response to these concerns we will discuss the findings of a comparative analysis of Australian and New
Zealand early childhood teacher time use that aims to make explicit the complexity of teaching in quality
ECE.
What is it in our nature that makes us want to please and conform? Jane Ewens, WMIER Doctoral Scholar, University of Waikato [email protected]
“Teachers are caught in a tug of war between what they are supposed to be and who they are trying to
become” (Janzen, 2015). As beginning teachers gain their first employment they are faced with a range of
decisions regarding the way they enact their role; decisions which may ultimately shape the teacher they will
become. The new teacher is faced with a range of, sometimes conflicting, constructs of the ‘good’ teacher.
These constructs are framed by, and located within, a range of discourses, both traditional and contemporary.
The socially-constructed teacher encounters these discourses through teacher education, official
documentation, engagement with teaching colleagues, and through their own life experience.
This presentation uses critical and feminist poststructural discourse analysis to explore the perceptions of my
PhD ECE teacher participants in relation to how new graduates reconcile the tensions between these
discourses. It includes a discussion of implications for teachers, teacher education and the developing ECE
strategic plan.
Thinking about ‘what matters’ in the transition to school Sally Peters, University of Waikato [email protected]
This paper focusses on the people, places and things that influence transitions, especially the transition from
early childhood education to school. The complex interactions of factors that can impact on learners will be
considered, along with research evidence about ‘what matters’. Particular attention will be paid to building
responsive partnerships across the borders and liminal spaces that a transition may represent. The paper also
examines the connections between Te Whāriki (2017) and NZC (2007) and the implications of Te Whāriki (2017) for children’s ongoing learning pathways as they move from ECE to school. Building on this, there
will be the opportunity to debate the place of transitions in the strategic plan for early learning.
Virtual reality – the place of immersive pedagogy Rene Novak, Doctoral candidate, University of Waikato [email protected]
This paper explores the pedagogical potential of virtual reality in ECE. It draws on a doctoral study investigating whether teachers’ conceptions of play change through exposure to virtual representations of
play through immersive videos. Some impressions of teachers with play experienced immersively and with
the virtual reality technology will be shared alongside the research methods that were used.
Facebook: Friend or Foe? The affordances of Facebook in supporting and maintaining learning relationships in an online initial teacher education programme Sara Archard, University of Waikato [email protected]
eLearning in tertiary education is increasing in popularity due to the flexibility of access for students and the
cost benefits to education providers. This increase in popularity combined with the advancement of digital
technologies, has afforded new opportunities to support learning and teaching in online learning
People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning Page 4
environments, including the use of Web 2.0 technologies such as Facebook. Although Facebook is a
successful social networking site and used in daily life by many students, there is still much discussion about
the pedagogical affordances of how it can be used to support teaching and learning.
This talk presents initial findings from a qualitative doctoral research project. The research project voices
student-teachers’ perspectives on how they perceive their relationships over time with teacher-educators in
one online initial early childhood teacher educator programme in Aotearoa New Zealand. A key point of
interest that has emerged from the preliminary research results, is that the student-teacher self-initiated use of
Facebook is an important informal, platform for supporting peer relationships. However, results also indicate
that Facebook can be a barrier in developing learning relationships with lecturers in the programme.
Re-thinking early childhood teachers' professional identities Olivera Kamenarac, Doctoral Candidate, University of Waikato [email protected]
The continuing education reforms rooted in a neoliberal ideology, have transformed the early childhood
education (ECE) sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. Teachers in both the community and for-profit services
are left with many challenges, e.g. how to secure sustainability in the market. There is an opportunity to re-
think the purpose of ECE, teachers’ professional responsibilities and identities.
Drawing on my doctoral study, I present how teachers’ professional identities have been (re)constructed in
response to the shifting discourses in ECE over the last two decades. I exemplify two identity constructions
of teachers – a business manager, and an activist-advocate, and discuss: What are changes that the sector
may need to take to be more attuned to aspirations of children, families and communities in the future? What
are qualities that teachers need to develop to build a competent ECE system?
Mathematical problem solving in the new entrant classroom: a teacher’s experience of learning to teach mathematics differently Judy Bailey, University of Waikato [email protected]
Despite problem-solving being at the heart of mathematics and a problem-solving emphasis in curriculum
documents this vision of mathematics, and mathematics teaching and learning has often been overlooked in
many classrooms. As part of a longitudinal research study three beginning teachers are being followed from
their pre-service teacher education through their first two years of teaching as they seek to learn about
incorporating problem-solving within their mathematics programmes. Data in this qualitative study has been
gathered from ongoing conversations, workshops and observations. This presentation will share the
experiences of a new entrant teacher who experienced a significant change in her thinking about the nature
of mathematics, and practice of teaching mathematics. Possible reasons for this change are explored.
Children’s and teachers’ conversations about belonging and identity Jacqui Lees and Olivia Ng – Teachers at Pakuranga Baptist Kindergarten [email protected]
People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning Page 5
been talking about belonging and identity – who we are. “Together we talked about how we got our names,
what our families are like and what we like to do with them. We have also explored what we look like, and
what characteristics make us special and recognisable to those around us”.
Shared leadership in ECE settings: what does it look like and how does it happen? Jeanette Clarkin-Phillips and Jane Ewens (WMIER Doctoral Scholar), University of Waikato [email protected]
People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning Page 6
Lesley is a Senior Research Fellow at the Wilf Malcom Institute of Educational Research, Faculty of
Education, University of Waikato, Hamilton. Lesley has worked in early childhood education for over 30
years, beginning her journey in te kōhanga reo, and working in a number of professional development and
tertiary education providers over the years. Lesley’s research interests include; Māori early childhood education, Kaupapa Māori Assessment in early childhood, Curriculum development in Māori early
childhood services and Māori pedagogies. Lesley’s current research projects are centred on reclaiming
Māori and Pacific perspectives of infants’ and toddlers’ care and education and reframing them for contemporary early childhood contexts. Māori educational transitions from te kōhanga reo through
kura/primary, wharekura/secondary and into tertiary and utilising Matauranga Maori to support
tamariki/whānau and kaiako becoming kaitaiki of and for the environment.
Presenters
Judy Bailey
Judy has taught in a variety of education settings and is currently teaching and researching at the University
of Waikato. Her main research focus is on exploring the affordances and constraints teachers (early years
through to early secondary) encounter as they learn to embed a problem-solving focus in their mathematics
programmes. This intersects with an ongoing concern for those learners traditionally marginalised in this
curriculum subject.
Amanda Bateman
Amanda Bateman is a senior lecturer in early childhood education at the University of Swansea. She uses
conversation analysis to investigate peer-peer and teacher-child interactions and has published widely,
including 2 books Early Childhood Education: The Co-Production of Knowledge and Relationships, and
Children’s Knowledge-in-interaction: Studies in Conversation Analysis.
Jane Ewens
Jane has had almost 30 years' experience in early childhood and teacher education, most recently as the
Director Education for Te Rito Maioha. She is currently a full-time PhD student at the University of
Waikato, focusing particularly on teacher beliefs. In addition, Jane has been working with CORE Education
on the implementation of Te Whāriki 2017.
Jeanette Clarkin-Phillips
Jeanette Clarkin-Phillips is a Senior Lecturer in Te Whiringa, School of Educational Leadership and Policy
at the Faculty of Education. Her research interests focus on both policy and practice. Her Master’s thesis focussed on distributed leadership while her doctoral thesis explored the potential of early childhood centres
to support adult aspirations. Other research interests include exploring children’s meaning-making and
creativity opportunities from museum visits, and the provision of outside ‘physical activity’ and health
programmes for early childhood education.
Raella Kahuroa
Raella Kahuroa has worked in the private, corporate, and kindergarten sectors of the early education
profession as a teacher. She completed her Masters in 2013 and has just started work on her
doctorate. Raella has been involved with a previous TLRI research project on storytelling and is currently
working on two research projects funded by Marsden and TLRI that are variously exploring belonging with
refugee and immigrant children.
People, places and things: Implications for New Zealand’s strategic plan for early learning Page 7
Olivera Karmenerac
Olivera Karmenerac is a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Education at the University of Waikato. Her
research study is on how teachers' professional identities have been constructed in response to the changing
discourses in early childhood policies and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand over the last two decades.
Olivera’s research interests are in critical pedagogies, pedagogical practices, educational policies, and
cultural diversity.
Jacqui Lees
Jacqui Lees has taught at Pakuranga Baptist Kindergarten since 1998 and is currently the Kaiwhakahaere of
the team. She was involved in research on Teaching and Learning in Culturally Diverse Early Childhood
Centres in 2015 and is delighted to be involved in research focused on how we can support migrant families
and their children to have a sense of belonging and identity in Aotearoa.
Olivia Ng
Olivia Ng has been teaching at Pakuranga Baptist Kindergarten since 2004. She has a Masters of Education
from the University of Auckland and a Diploma in Teaching from New Zealand Tertiary College. Olivia
currently leads the Studio, where small groups of children investigate ideas and use a variety of art materials,
tools, and techniques to express those ideas.
Linda Mitchell
Associate Professor Linda Mitchell is the Director of the Early Years Research Centre at the University of
Waikato. Linda’s current research focuses on early childhood education policy, ECE centres constructing
pathways to belonging for refugee and immigrant families, and relationships with parents, whānau, and
community. She has written about democratic policies and practices in early childhood education and is
critical of privatisation and the market approach to early childhood provision.
Rene Novak
Rene Novak has held a strong interest in education for most of his life and has a passion for early childhood
pedagogy and technology education. Through his educational journey, he gained teaching qualifications in
all sectors, a degree in Pedagogy, a degree in Science, and he completed a Master of Education with the
University of Waikato theorising the openness of the New Zealand ECE curriculum. For the last nine years
he has been working for BestStart Educare and is currently supporting Tauranga centres as the Professional
Services Manager. He is a published PhD candidate with his thesis focusing on developing new
methodologies to study the importance of play involving modern digital technology, namely Virtual Reality,
as a tool and a method.
Sally Peters
Sally Peters is an Associate Professor at the University of Waikato and an Associate Director of the Early
years Research Centre. Sally has over 20 years’ experience researching transitions, especially transition to
school. Much of this work has been with teacher researchers in ECE and school settings. Sally is also
interested in transitions across different aspects of the lifespan and transitions in thinking (including
children's working theories). Sally was one of the seven writers for Te Whāriki 2017, with particular
responsibility for the work on pathways to school.