Abstract UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development Roadmap highlights the need to transform learning environments by integrating 17 Goals from United Nations Agenda 2030. This presents challenges early childhood education in establishing a trajectory way young children see world and themselves. These include: reviewing adults’ views of children’s capabilities, developing strategies support resilience ensuring that have their say, pushing back against narrow learning. ECE supporting...

Play is valued conceptually and pedagogically, although its place in early years settings under increasing pressure. Framed by the sociology of childhood understandings children's agency, this article reports on an ethnographic study with children aged five first year primary school Australia. The investigated play classroom activities involving different periods teacher-framed child-selected activities. Drawing accounts video-recorded observations, found that participation was influenced...

Abstract In a study undertaken in Queensland, Australia, analysis of survey that included both qualitative and quantitative questions revealed that, like their Japanese counterparts, early childhood teachers do not have well-developed ideas practices education for sustainability (EfS). Instead, they mainly practise traditional nature-based activities, such as gardening or playing outdoors, teaching about resource conservation through books, posters fact sheets. Teachers’ understandings...

Environmental and sustainability issues pose challenges for society. Although education is seen as being a contributor to addressing sustainability, teacher has been slow act in preparing future teachers teach sustainability. Recent Australian curriculum documents nominate one of three cross-curriculum priorities. In university course, an Ecological Footprint Calculator tool employed challenge preservice early childhood consider the their lifestyles means engaging them learning teaching...

Within early childhood education two ideas are firmly held: that play is the best way for children to learn, and parents partners in child's learning. While these have been explored, limited research date has investigated confluence of — how young view concept play. This article investigates parents' views on by analysing a small group Preparatory Year (Prep) Queensland, Australia. The this study held varying definitions what constitutes play, complex contradictory notions its value....

Recent developments in the Queensland early childhood context have seen phased-in introduction of a full-time Preparatory Year to replace current part-time preschool provision. Surrounding this development has been discussion potential role play-based Early Years Curriculum shaping implementation primary schooling. This article explores change provision and opportunity it provides for leadership from field education care (ECEC). Will those ECEC step forward articulate value curriculum such...

THERE IS AN INCREASING EXPECTATION that early childhood teachers will be pedagogical leaders, particularly in a global context of curriculum reform. This paper reports on the distributed leadership experiences during 2003 Preparatory year (Prep) trial Queensland, Australia. In 2010, 13 first Prep participated interviews to discuss their definitions and reflect opportunities they had lead development since trial. Data were examined using conceptual framework based work Woods et al. (2004),...

THE AUSTRALIAN STATE-BASED educational system of a national school curriculum that includes pre-Year 1 Foundation Year has raised questions about the purpose this year early education. A document analysis was undertaken across three Australian states, examining constructions class and tensions arising from varied perspectives. Tensions have emerged over state-based adaptations curriculum, scripted pedagogies for change management, differing ideological perspectives positioning stakeholders....

IN THE CONTEXT OF RECENT education reform, Queensland's Preparatory Year (Prep) is undergoing a period of significant change. The framing Prep under new national curriculum reflects shift from its play-based roots to formalised, subject-based approach. This coincides with suggestions that parents may favour more formalised approaches teaching and learning in the early years. paper reports on two studies which were interviewed about their views play Prep. Data analysed thematically, focus...

THIS PAPER REPORTS THE findings of a research project investigating parents' conceptions an early childhood program in Queensland. During 2007, education and care (ECEC) Queensland underwent significant reform associated with the introduction full-time Preparatory Year all schools throughout state. The used phenomenographic approach to examine varying ways group 26 parents viewed such program. This study revealed that relation their own needs, children's how prepared children for success...

Engaging with children as research informants and supporting their participation in is increasingly recognised valuing children’s views on matters that affect them. Less attention, however, given to the ways which co-construct manage child–researcher interactions. Drawing sociology of childhood understandings, such social competence young children, this ethnographic study investigated co-production interactions aged five years first year primary schooling Australia. Findings show how child...

Play is valued pedagogically and conceptually as supporting children's imaginative capabilities social development. In this article, we focus in particular on pretend play a type of activity which children engage the creative production performance peer cultures. play, new cultures are produced actively creatively appropriate information from adult world. Drawing sociology childhood understandings agentic actors, ethnographic study with aged five years their first year school Queensland,...

Abstract Broad and complex ideas about sustainability can be communicated through the Arts. Australian curriculum documents support integration of Arts education with for sustainability. Responding to artworks as a viewer is key aspect in schools. Chris Jordan US artist whose online media galleries communicate environmental social justice themes. This paper reports interview data from larger project exploring children’s responses Jordan’s artworks. Conversations were held 28 children aged...

Parents’ perceptions and expectations of transition to school influence their engagement in the process. In this study, eight Chinese Australian parents were interviewed explore school. The results showed similarities parents’ views as a two-phase process involving preparation familiarisation. Cohort intra-cohort differences evident type preparation, attention diverse needs difficulty Moreover, Australian, but not Chinese, regarded change for themselves. findings challenge stereotypes,...